CEnvP-IA Specialist NSW REAP Module

To qualify for CEnvP Impact Assessment Specialist with NSW REAP status you need:

At application, a practitioner is required to either:

• Apply for (and be granted) CEnvP Impact Assessment specialist certification (CEnvP-IA)
• Currently hold CEnvP-IA certification

Review CEnvP-IA Guidance Notes here.

Plus REAP Module:

• All applicants are required to submit documented evidence of relevant work experience in the jurisdiction of NSW
• The number of documented evidence to provide varies dependent on experience, and defined under Levels of Experience Requirements
• Relevant work experience is defined under Eligible Projects

Practitioners apply for both CEnvP-IA Specialist certification and REAP recognition at the same time.

If an applicant is not approved as a Registered Environmental Assessment Practitioner, the applicant may still be eligible for IA Specialist certification.

Furthermore, CEnvP (General) certification is an integrated component of all CEnvP Scheme certifications. If an applicant is not approved by the Certification Board for CEnvP (General) certification, the applicant will not be eligible for either IA Specialist certification nor REAP status.

Application process

Applications can be submitted online anytime during the year. Upon receipt of a valid and complete application, the applicant will be requested to attend an interview within two months.

Applications are usually processed within 6 months, but the process may take up to 12 months, if an application is incomplete and further details are required. That application will be returned to the back of the queue. It is highly recommended to add more detail in your application on you experience than minimum.

Please note:
• your online application for certification is active for 30 days. After 30 days, your application is voided automatically on our systems.
• you can save your application and resume for 30 days. When clicking the ‘Save and Resume Later’ button you will receive a link to your application via email. If you do not send yourself the link, you will have to start the application again.
• incomplete or flawed applications will be delayed until all missing documentation is received. This may delay your application process.

Application fees

The lodged application form must be accompanied by a non- refundable application fee. This is all complete online at the submission stage. Please see further information on fees.

Provided the required supporting material has been submitted, the application is forwarded to the relevant Registrar for review to ensure that the application is ready to be forwarded to an Assessment Panel.

An advice of receipt of the application will be sent to the candidate. In case of an incomplete application, it will be referred to the candidate for correction.

Application fees are non-refundable unless a clear mistake has been made.

The following proficiencies must be demonstrated by an IA Specialist in both written application and interview.

Overall CEnvP-IA requirements

An IA Specialist must demonstrate they are competent to lead and integrate comprehensive multidisciplinary IA studies. In demonstrating this key competency, IA Specialists must be proficient in the following:

Methods; Analytical capability; Interpersonal skills

To review the detailed requirements, please review the Proficiencies section of the CEnvP-IA Guidance Notes here.

Overall REAP Module requirements

To become a REAP, all applicants must successfully meet the requirements for the CEnvP-IA plus REAP specific module.

The REAP module reflects the requirements of the Department, requiring all REAPs to have relevant work experience in the jurisdiction of NSW.

Levels of Experience Requirement

The minimum documented evidence to obtain REAP status can be provided in a multitude of ways, and dependent on experience with NSW projects.

Applicants with NSW Project Lead Level Experience

Project Lead level is considered as: project manager, Impact Assessment technical lead; project director; or independent peer reviewer of the Impact Assessment.

For new CEnvP-IA applicants with NSW project lead experience:

To demonstrate they have the required NSW experience, the applicant with project lead experience will include projects showing they have completed a minimum of three (major or non-major) defined eligible environmental impact assessment projects in a project lead role, with a brief statement addressing 9 specific questions for each project. Refer to eligible project types for more guidance on required information.
Please note: The minimum requirement for a CEnvP-IA application is four projects in total. For CEnvP-IA REAP application, a minimum of three of those must be eligible projects at lead level.

For current CEnvP-IAs with NSW project lead experience:

Those current CEnvP-IAs applying only for the REAP module must submit a minimum of three (major or non-major) defined eligible environmental impact assessment projects in a project lead role. Due to reporting requirements, any eligible project reports previously submitted for CEnvP-IA certification are required to resubmitted at time of application, with a brief statement addressing 9 specific questions for each project. Refer to eligible project types below for more guidance on required information.

For all other applicants, a minimum of 4 x NSW Project Team Experience is required:

Applicants without the minimum NSW project lead experience are still eligible for REAP status.

The following needs to be demonstrated for applicants that cannot demonstrate a minimum of three eligible projects in a project lead role, however meet all the requirements of CEnvP-IA or are current CEnvP-IAs.

These applicants must have worked in the field of regulatory approvals and impact assessments as a member of a project team. The following elements must be demonstrated satisfactorily to obtain REAP status:

• The applicant must demonstrate they have worked at direct engagement level on four or more projects with three or more NSW regulators or authorities (for example the NSW Environmental Protection Authority).
• The applicant must demonstrate and describe their experience at a project level – that is they are NOT a project manager, Impact Assessment technical lead; project director; or independent peer reviewer of the Impact Assessment.
• The applicant must have experience as a member of an impact assessment or an impact assessment technical speciality team on major and non-major regulatory projects in NSW or as a member of a regulatory related environmental approval project, with a brief statement addressing 5 specific questions for each project.
• Refer to eligible project types below for more guidance on required information.

Eligible Projects

Eligible projects should reflect development of a suitable complexity, that is, where the environmental and/or social impact is considered to be potentially high. Consideration should be given to the following project eligibility criteria that is, due to:
– Complex, large or significant scale of the project (type, financial investment or complexity)
– Environmental and/or social sensitivity or protected status of the project location or setting
– Significant environmental and/or social impacts
– High risk project type, including but not limited to chemical production, manufacturing, power generation, mining, petroleum, quarrying or infrastructure

Age of reports. To be acceptable for NSW REAP, reports submitted must be no older than ten years.

For information and examples of possible project types, there are 34 NSW designated development defined under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulations 2020, as well as those potentially designated as major projects by NSW or alternate jurisdictions. Projects may include examples NOT listed in the NSW regulations. If submitting an alternate project such as a REF, ensure they are of sufficient complexity, with justification, to satisfy the above.

Education

An environment degree or a degree with a substantial environmental component will generally constitute the minimum requirement. In the case of the latter, further information verifying the environmental content must be provided (e.g. a transcript or academic record). In exceptional circumstances, ten years of appropriate work experience may be submitted in lieu of a suitable tertiary qualification.

Work experience

REAP NSW Work Experience is defined above in Section: CEnvP-IA Key Proficiencies and REAP Module Requirements

For CEnvP-IA plus REAP, all applicants must meet the work experience requirements of CEnvP-IA. Please see CEnvP-IA Guidance Notes here.

For a currently certified CEnvP-IA, only the REAP Module is required to be completed as all CEnvP-IA application needs have been met.

For CEnvP-IA plus REAP, all applicants must meet the work experience requirements of CEnvP-IA. Please see CEnvP-IA Guidance Notes here.

For a currently certified CEnvP-IA, only the REAP Module is required to be completed as all CEnvP-IA application needs have been met.

Professional competency

All new CEnvP-IA applicants should be able to demonstrate professional competency, analytical capability and the interpersonal skills required for effective and efficient IA processes through the provision of four documents. These should include a detailed account of at least three years of IA specific experience over the past ten.

In addition, to meet the NSW REAP requirements, applicants are required to demonstrate NSW jurisdiction project experience, via one of two methods:

Stream A: To demonstrate professional competency and experience in 4 IA projects with a minimum of 3 of the 4 IA projects being classified as eligible projects at project lead level* in the jurisdiction of NSW.
Stream B: To demonstrate professional competency and experience in 4 IA projects. Plus, applicant must submit 4 or more projects demonstrating they have worked with 3 or more NSW regulators or authorities (for example the NSW Environment Protection Authority) at direct engagement level.**

*Relevant project lead level roles are either project manager, Impact Assessment technical lead, project director or independent peer reviewer of the Impact Assessment on eligible projects.

**Relevant engagement level roles are either as member of an impact assessment or an impact assessment technical specialty team on major or non-major regulatory projects in NSW or member of a regulatory related environmental approval project. These applicants must have worked in the field of regulatory approvals and impact assessments as a member of a project team on eligible projects.

The documents should be uploaded into the application form directly. Any documents subject to confidentiality should be clearly noted. For each document, the applicant must provide a brief (e.g. one page) statement addressing the following questions:

For Stream A, the following questions are required to be answered with each of the documents.

1. Is this a NSW state significant project? If not, please justify why you believe the complexity of this project is eligible for REAP assessment.
2. What were the key features and context of the project?
3. What was the nature and extent of your role, and over what time period?
4. What were the main areas of concern or stakeholder conflict (if any) related to the project, and how did you assist in addressing these?
5. What were some of the challenges you had to deal with? Why did you make the decisions you did?
6. What environmental outcome did you achieve? To what extent did your advice influence the outcome?
7. In hindsight, could you have achieved a better outcome?
8. What does your work on this project demonstrate about your expertise in IA?
9. Was the document subject to peer review and what was the outcome?

Web addresses should be provided for documents available on the web.

For Stream B, the following questions are required to be answered with each of the documents.

1. Is this a NSW state significant project? If not, please justify why you believe the complexity of this project is eligible for REAP assessment.
2. What were the key features and context of the project?
3. What was the nature and extent of your role, and over what time period?
4. What were the key legislative policies and environmental planning instruments of the project?
5. What does your work on this project demonstrate about you having worked at direct engagement level with three or more NSW regulators or authorities (for example the NSW Environment Protection Authority)?

Additional information

Information may include but not necessarily be limited to testamurs, academic records, publications, citations, reports, training records, record of CPD activities undertaken, written statements of service, or information supplied by a witness, associate or referee.

Statement of claim statutory declaration

All applicants are required to sign a statutory declaration that the materials they have provided are accurate and complete in the presence of an appropriately authorised witness authority (e.g. Justice of the Peace or other relevant qualification in the jurisdiction). Applicants must provide the details of the location where the declaration is being made.

All the supporting material can be submitted online at the time the online application form is completed and submitted.

The EIANZ Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct is within the online application form. Please ensure you have read, understood and ticked that you will abide by it before proceeding onto the next section of the form.

All referee requirements must be completed as per CEnvP-IA application requirements. Please see CEnvP-IA Guidance Notes here.

The CEnvP Scheme requires all certified environmental practitioners to obtain a minimum of 100 points of CPD over a 2-year period.

For CEnvP-IA REAPs, there is a need to maintain CPD, with an additional requirement that the 2-year period include NSW regulatory and policy related knowledge maintenance and development. Specific CPD for CEnvP-IA REAPs includes:

• A minimum of 10 points of CPD dedicated to NSW regulation, guidelines and/or policy

This may include face to face (1 point per hour, that is, 10 hours to obtain 10 points over 2 years); or self-managed readings (0.5 points per hour, that is equivalent of 20 hours to obtain 10 points over 2 years).

CEnvP-IA Specialist CPD requirements must be fulfilled through IA specific activities, with at least fifty percent consisting of activities that directly contribute to the field’s higher level processes, policy and strategy.

Certification is reviewed every two years. At this time, the applicant will need to provide evidence of CPD and a statement verifying any changed circumstances including employment and ethical conduct. Specialist applicants must provide evidence supporting any claims of any recent CPD activity with the application. The activity can be completed on the official CEnvP CPD Log, please see CPD guidelines for more information.