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Plumtree Town (Environmental and Natural Resources Conservation) By-Laws, 2025

Plumtree's environmental by-laws make it an offence to start a project without lodging EIA papers, require rehabilitation plans before mining closes, and let the council rehabilitate land and bill the owner.

These by-laws set out the Plumtree Town Council's environmental regime: a local environmental action plan, grazing and cultivation areas, conservation of natural resources, waste management sites, environmental impact assessments, rehabilitation on abandonment, environmental works by the council, burning of vegetation and fire prevention, invasive alien species, protection of wetlands, an environment committee and sub-committee, tree cutting and forest produce, extraction of gravel, sand and stone, brick making and protection of water sources.

It is an offence for a project developer to start operations in the council area without lodging with the council a copy of the EIA report, the EIA certificate issued by EMA's Director-General, or the developer's annual environmental management plan, with a fine in the Third Schedule.

Anyone undertaking a project for commercial exploitation of natural resources, including mining and extraction projects that cause environmental damage, must lodge a rehabilitation plan covering the works to be done before abandonment or closure and must rehabilitate before closing; failing to do so attracts a fine. The council monitors rehabilitation plans with EMA's assistance.

Where an owner or occupier asks the council to carry out environmental works, or fails to do them, the council may do the work and recover its costs from the owner or occupier.

Fire control is tied to Statutory Instrument 7 of 2007, with which the council must ensure compliance in controlling the burning of vegetation.

The extract available here was truncated part way through the fire provisions and before the schedules, so the fee and penalty amounts should be read in the instrument itself.

What changed

  • Starting a project without lodging EIA documents with the council is an offence
  • Rehabilitation plans must be lodged before commercial resource extraction and the site rehabilitated before closure
  • The council may carry out environmental works and recover the cost from the owner or occupier
  • Burning of vegetation is controlled in line with Statutory Instrument 7 of 2007
  • The by-laws also regulate wetlands, invasive species, tree cutting, waste sites and brick making

Who this affects

  • Land owners and occupiers in Plumtree
  • Mining and resource extraction project developers
  • Farmers burning vegetation or clearing land
  • Council environment committees and EMA

Plain-language summary — not legal advice. Always read the full instrument.