Have your say
Fingerboards EES draft scoping requirements
The Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) is inviting the community to have their say on the next step in the assessment of the rescoped Fingerboards Critical Minerals Project.
The Minister for Planning has determined that the project will undertake an Environment Effects Statement (EES), Victoria’s most comprehensive and transparent approvals pathway.
When you can comment
13 August 2026 to 2 September 2026
Public comment on the draft scoping requirements closes at midnight on Wednesday 2 September 2026.
What is open for comment now
The DTP has prepared draft scoping requirements. These set out the matters GCM must investigate as part of the EES, including:
- the scope of specific matters needing to be investigated and documented
- the potentially significant effects and matters that need to be assessed; and
- the risk-based approach to environmental assessment
How have the draft scoping requirements been developed?
Development of the scoping requirements has been informed by the Minister’s decision and reasons, information provided by Gippsland Critical Minerals through the EES referral and proposed EES study program, feedback from agencies on the Technical Reference Group (TRG) and GCM, and assessment by DTP.
Commonwealth approval
The project also requires approval under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The EES process is being undertaken as an accredited assessment, under the Bilateral Agreement between the Commonwealth and Victoria. The Victorian EES process will assess potential impacts on matters of national environmental significance and inform decisions under both assessment processes.
This reduces duplication by allowing a single assessment process to examine the project and its impacts, and in turn inform all decision-making.
Where to view and make a submission
You can view the Draft Scoping Requirements at:
Submissions on the Fingerboards Critical Minerals project EES draft scoping requirements can be made at Engage Victoria.
What happens next
All submissions will be considered by the Minister for Planning when finalising the Scoping Requirements. Submissions will be treated as public documents but will not be published online.
There will be another opportunity to have your say when the completed EES itself is released for public comment, currently planned for early 2027.
Further information about the EES process is available from the Department’s Impact Assessment Unit at environment.assessment@transport.vic.gov.au or on (03) 8572 7980, Monday to Friday. Information is also available at planning.vic.gov.au/environmental-assessments.
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