<P> The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 was passed in the Australian state of New South Wales . </P> <P> It is an "Act to institute a system of environmental planning and assessment for the State of New South Wales". </P> <P> The act incorporated a three - tired system of state, regional (now repealed) and local levels of significance, and required the relevant planning authority to take into consideration the impacts to the environment (both natural and built) and the community of proposed development or land - use change . Most development requires a Statement of Environmental Effects detailing the impacts to both natural and human environments, which should be taken into consideration by the regulatory authority, while larger projects require a more thorough Environmental Impact Assessment and greater public scrutiny . </P> <P> The Act covers the entire spectrum of environmental assessment and is divided into 11 Parts . </P>

What does the environmental planning and assessment act do
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