The memorandum of understanding, signed yesterday between the NRMW, Energex and Ergon Energy, and an amendment made last year to the Electricity Act due to come into effect on April 1, remove the need for the utilities to go through a separate approval process to clear native vegetation for a project on land that has been designated by a minister for community infrastructure.
The effect would be to streamline the processes the distribution entities need to follow in developing electricity infrastructure vital to the continuing development of Queensland, without compromising environmental values, Energy Minister John Mickel said.
"The MoU will support the designation processes by focusing specifically on the Queensland Government's objectives for the conservation and management of native vegetation," he said.
"Under the new arrangements, if land for an electricity distribution project has been designated, there will be no need for the distributor to go through a separate permitting process for any necessary clearing of native vegetation.
"This means there will be no duplication of effort or unnecessary delay in the approval process for important electricity infrastructure, while also ensuring potential impacts on native vegetation are taken into account and are properly managed," he said.
Natural Resources Minister Henry Palaszczuk said the MoU called for designated electricity infrastructure to, in the first instance, avoid the clearing of remnant native vegetation.
It that is not possible, other solutions must be developed, such as mitigating the impacts on native vegetation and protecting another area of vegetation to offset any clearing, he said.
"Under the terms of the MoU, the entities can establish or secure an area of vegetation to use as bankable credit for future projects in the same bioregion," Palaszczuk said.
