You will need this certificate if you intend to carry out mining or coal seam gas development on strategic agricultural land and its associated water resources. Please be aware that you must obtain this certificate before you can proceed with a Development Application (DA).
Strategic agricultural land includes:
- Biophysical Strategic Agricultural Land (BSAL) - land with unique soil, water and land characteristics which have high agricultural value to NSW
- Critical Industry Cluster (CIC) - significant agricultural industries potentially impacted by coal seam gas or mining development. Two CICs have been identified - the equine and viticulture industries in the Upper Hunter region.
Obtaining this certificate will help ensure that your development will result in minimal environmental impacts to valuable land in NSW. Any impacts identified can be addressed in the next stage of your application, the development application (DA), which will be subject to the establishment development assessment process.
You may be required to undertake a process of site verification that will verify if land is classified as biophysical strategic agricultural land (BSAL).
