Commentary on provisions of the Act Licences Section 11: Grant of licences: assessments of environmental effects
This section ensures assessments of environmental effects have been conducted and considered prior to the grant of a spaceport or relevant operator licence.
	Subsections (1) and (2) prohibit the regulator from granting either a spaceport or an operator licence that authorises launches of spacecraft or carrier aircraft, unless an applicant has submitted an assessment of environmental effects.
	Subsection (3) defines an ‘assessment of environmental effects’ in relation to both spaceport licences and operator licences that authorise launches of spacecraft or carrier aircraft.
	Subsection (4) enables the regulator to accept an assessment conducted either in compliance with other legislation, or prepared in connection with a previous application under this Act, where there has been no material change of circumstances since the assessment was prepared. The purpose of this subsection is to avoid duplication of effort, enabling the regulator to accept a previously prepared assessment as an assessment of environmental effects where appropriate.
	Subsection (5) places a duty on the regulator to take into account the assessment of environmental effects in determining a relevant licence application and in deciding on any licence conditions that may be attached to such a licence.
	Subsection (6) places a duty on the regulator to issue guidance about certain aspects of the assessment of environmental effects, namely the form, contents, level of detail, and time for submission. Such guidance may also specify certain matters which need only be dealt with in an assessment of environmental effects if the regulator so requires on a case by case basis.
	Subsection (6) also places a duty on the regulator to issue guidance on when a direction under subsection (4) may be given.