Airport Environment Officer FAQs

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General environmental protection at airports

How is the environment protected at federally leased airports?

The environment at leased federal airports is protected by laws made by the Australian Government.

The Airports Act 1996 (Cth.) (Airports Act) provides a system for regulating the Commonwealth's 22 leased federal airports.

The Airports Act, Airport Regulations 2024 and the Airports (Environment Protection) Regulations 2026 set out clear rules to control air, soil and water pollution, offensive noise, and impacts on native habitat and species and heritage sites at 20 of the Commonwealth's leased federal airports. These rules apply to airport operators, their tenants, and anyone working at the airport, making sure they all do their part to reduce harm to the environment.

Part 6 of the Airports Act focusses on environmental management.  However, Parts 5, 15 and 18 also include laws that help protect the environment.

The Airports (Environment Protection) Regulations 2026, made under Part 6 of the Airports Act, include:

  • monitoring and reporting requirements,
  • details of environmental standards applicable at airports,
  • the general duties of Airport Lessee Companies, their tenants, and other operators on airport sites, not to pollute and to preserve heritage and native habitat and species,
  • the appointment of Airport Environment Officers as authorised officers to regulate environmental management of these airports,
  • procedures and standards for managing air, water, and soil pollution as well as excessive ground-based noise at airports,
  • enforcement provisions, including infringement notices, prosecution and a variety of regulatory orders, and,
  • transitional provisions that govern the move from the 1997 Regulations to the 2026 Regulations.

Part 5 of the Airports Act includes provisions for environmental standards and requirements to be included in Airport Master Plans and Major Development Plans. Each airport has a plan, called an Airport Environment Strategy, which is included in the airport's Master Plan. This strategy explains how the airport will manage environmental risks over the long term.

 The Airports Regulations 2024 complement Part 5 of the Airports Act, including by specifying some additional matters to be included in airports' environment strategies.

Additionally, the Airports (Building Control) Regulations 2025, made under Part 5 of the Airports Act, offers an avenue for certain environmental issues to be considered as part of airport development and building control processes.

Leased federal airports may also be subject to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, including where actions are likely to have a significant impact on matters of national environmental significance or Commonwealth land.

Who regulates environmental issues at airports?

Airport Environment Officers are appointed under the Airports (Environment Protection) Regulations 2026 as authorised officers to regulate environmental management at leased federal airports.

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Which airports are regulated under the Airports (Environment Protection) Regulations 2026?

  • Adelaide
  • Alice Springs
  • Archerfield
  • Bankstown
  • Brisbane
  • Camden
  • Canberra
  • Darwin
  • Essendon
  • Gold Coast
  • Hobart
  • Jandakot
  • Launceston
  • Melbourne
  • Moorabbin
  • Parafield
  • Perth
  • Sydney
  • Townsville

A list of all leased federal airports* is available on the Airports webpage.

* Two leased federal airports, Tennant Creek and Mount Isa, are not regulated by the department. Western Syndey Airport will be subject to environmental regulation by the department once operations begin.

What is an Airport Environment Strategy?

An Airport Environment Strategy is a series of documents that form part of an airport's Master Plan. It sets out how the airport will manage environmental issues such as air, water and soil pollution, offensive noise, heritage, and native flora and fauna over a defined period. The strategy must be approved by the Minister for Transport and Minister for the Environment.

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When does an airport have to update an Airport Environment Strategy?

Airports must submit a draft Airport Environment Strategy as part of their draft Master Plan before the current Master Plan expires. The Airport Environment Strategy must cover either the first five years or eight years of the Master Plan.

Sydney (Kingsford-Smith) Airport, Sydney West Airport, Melbourne (Tullamarine) Airport, Brisbane Airport and Perth Airport have 5-year Master Plan period. All other core and prescribed airports have an 8-year Master Plan period.

Airport-lessee companies must publish a Preliminary Draft Master Plan, including the Airport Environment Strategy, and invite public comment.

How long must a draft Airport Environment Strategy be open for public comment?

A preliminary draft Airport Environment Strategy forms part of a preliminary draft Master Plan and must be publicly available for 60 business days before it is submitted to the Minister for approval. This allows community members and stakeholders the opportunity to provide feedback.

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Monitoring and compliance

How does the department check whether airports are meeting their environmental commitments?

Airports must submit an annual report showing how they are meeting the commitments in their Airport Environment Strategy and satisfying certain monitoring and reporting requirements in the Airports (Environment Protection) Regulations. In addition, Airport Environment Officers regularly monitor compliance with Part 6 and section 83A of the Airports Act and with the Airports (Environment Protection) Regulations 2026 and may take action if they suspect non-compliance, or if an airport or its tenant or contractor is not meeting its environmental obligations.

What happens if an airport does not comply with its environmental commitments?

Airports are legally required to take all reasonable steps to comply with the commitments in their Airport Environment Strategy.

If commitments are not met, the department may:

  • require corrective action,
  • issue warnings, notices, directions, orders or injunctions to enforce compliance
  • consider a request from the airport to formally vary the strategy, where appropriate.

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What are the 'general duties' under the Airports (Environment Protection) Regulations 2026?

The general duty not to pollute requires airports and their operators to take all reasonable and practicable measures to prevent air, soil or water pollution or excessive noise. This duty applies to activities affecting air, water, soil, and ground‑based noise.

How is a breach of the general duty not to pollute assessed?

Airport Environment Officers (AEOs) take a risk-based approach to determining when the general duty not to pollute has been breached. As a starting point, AEOs will consider whether pollution has occurred as defined in the Airports (Environment Protection) Regulations 2026 (the Regulations), including whether the pollution standards and investigation levels set out in the Schedules to the Regulations have been exceeded.

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Other environmental laws and standards

What other environmental laws, guidelines and standards apply at federally leased airports?

In addition to the Airports Act and Regulations, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water administers legislation, standards and guidelines which may apply at airports in some circumstances, including:

  • National Environment Protection Council Act 1994
  • the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999,
  • Australian Heritage Council Act 2003,
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984
  • National Environment Protection Council Act 1994,
  • IChEMS Minimum Standards
  • and PFAS National Environmental Management Plan.

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Airport Environment Officers (AEOs)

What is the role of an AEO?

Airport Environment Officers (AEOs) are Authorised Officers responsible for regulating environmental management at federally leased airports. AEOs monitor whether Airports, their tenants and other operators of undertakings at airports are meeting their legal obligations under the Airports (Environment Protection) Regulations 2026 (the Regulations) and can take enforcement action if they identify breaches of the Airports Act or the Regulations.

How are AEOs appointed?

AEOs are typically environmental scientists or engineers who work as either employees or contractors of the department. They are appointed by the Secretary as Authorised Officers and must have certain qualifications and experience as set out in the Regulations. Both companies and individuals may be appointed as an AEO.

How can I contact an Airport Environment Officer?

Contact details for Airport Environment Officers can be found on the this Airport Environment Officer contacts webpage.

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