Onshore species-specific research and guidance to support onshore renewable energy industries

To support the speed and rigour with which renewable energy projects are being assessed, this project seeks to collect and collate critical ecological information required for EPBC assessment and develop associated regulatory guidance for 36 priority threatened species.

The department has the requirement for the following goods or services to be provided for each species.

1. Targeted Research

Proposed targeted research should undertake literature reviews, expert elicitation, data collation and analysis, and field work - as necessary and possible within the available project timeframe - to fill knowledge gaps for the species as relevant for assessment purposes under the EPBC Act.

2. Research Report

Provide a research report which collates and interprets the targeted research literature review, expert elicitation and field work for the species. The report should provide latest scientific information available (including relevant references to published research) on the relevant ecology and biology of the species relevant to the EPBC Act environmental assessment process.

3. Regulatory Guidance

Prepare species specific regulatory guidance as a component of the research report, which is based on its findings. The regulatory guidance must:

• Be consistent with EPBC Act including requirements, terms and definitions.

• Consider and clarify how it will interact with any existing statutory and guidance documents.

• Provide clear direction to the department assessment officers, decision makers and proponents on how to support environmental impact assessments and decisions under the EPBC Act.?