Financial assurance for resource activities

Environmental authority (EA) holders for a resource activity may be required to contribute financial assurance (or security deposit) to the Financial Provisioning Scheme (FPS) that started on 1 April 2019.

You will need to calculate your estimated rehabilitation cost (ERC) for your resource activity and apply for an ERC decision.

Note: A major review of the ERC framework has been undertaken. The revised ERC documents took effect on 1 October 2022.

Learn more about the Financial Provisioning Scheme.

Applying for an estimated rehabilitation cost decision

If you hold an EA for resource activities, you must apply for an ERC decision using the Application for a decision on the estimated rehabilitation cost (ESR/2018/4426) (DOCX, 170KB). The application may need to include third party quotes. Use the form Third party quotes for estimated rehabilitation cost (ESR/2021/5691) (DOCX, 130KB) to complete all third party quotes.

Your ERC application must meet the minimum information requirements set out in the estimated rehabilitation cost guideline (ESR/2018/4425) (PDF, 916KB).

Further requirements for submitting spatial data as part of an application for an ERC decision, including details on the submission process, can be found in the Spatial information submission guideline (ESR/2018/4337) (PDF, 989KB).

Applications can be made at any time after the EA has been granted and can be lodged on Online Services, or by mailing your form to the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation business centre for your resource.

Calculating your ERC

Your ERC is based on the likely costs and expenses that the Queensland Government may incur when taking action to rehabilitate or restore and protect the environment because of environmental harm that your activity may cause.

To calculate your ERC, you must use the following guideline and calculator.

Guideline

• Estimated rehabilitation cost under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (ESR/2018/4425) (PDF, 916KB).

Calculator

• ERC calculator – mining (XLSX, 1.2MB)
• or
• ERC calculator – petroleum and gas (XLSX, 1.1MB)

User guides

• ERC calculator user guide – mining (ESR/2019/4626) (PDF, 1.7MB)
• ERC calculator user guide – petroleum and gas (ESR/2019/4627) (PDF, 2.1MB)

Training videos

• View a series of training videos that support users of the ERC calculators.

Scheme assurance lodgement

The Scheme Manager will handle all lodgement and release of scheme assurance. Learn more about how to lodge your scheme assurance.

Claims on your scheme assurance

Your administering authority can claim or use your scheme assurance to prevent environmental harm or rehabilitate the environment after it has been disturbed.

You will be notified before any claim is made on your scheme assurance, and you can respond with a written argument against the claim.

Amending your ERC decision

As the EA holder, you can apply to have your ERC decision amended at any time by making an application to your administering authority.

You will need to re-apply for an ERC decision if:

• there is an increase in the likely maximum amount of disturbance to the environment as a result of the resource activity
• there is a change relating to the carrying out of the resource activity that may result in an increase in the ERC decision
• you have stated a change to the carrying out of the resource activity in your annual return that may affect the ERC decision
• or
• the administering authority:
  • approves an application to amalgamate the EA with another EA
  • directs a holder to re-apply for an ERC decision.

Read the information sheet Re-application for estimated rehabilitation cost decision (PDF, 268KB) for more information on when you need to re-apply for an ERC decision.

De-amalgamating your EA

If an ERC decision is, or has been, in effect, for an EA, an application for the de-amalgamation of that EA must be accompanied by an ERC application for each proposed de-amalgamated authority. This ensures that the ERC accurately reflects the rehabilitation liability immediately following the de-amalgamation.

For a de-amalgamation relating to a tenure transfer, the de-amalgamation will not take effect until the proposed holder of each de-amalgamated EA has paid a contribution to the scheme fund or provided a surety to the Scheme Manager for the EA and the tenure has been transferred.

Releasing your scheme assurance

The Scheme Manager will handle all release of scheme assurance. Learn more about the release of scheme assurance.