Defence maintains an environmental assessment and approval program to meet the requirements of Commonwealth environmental legislation, including identifying and understanding potential adverse impacts of its activities.

Defence continues to conduct assessments under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) in order to determine whether a referral to the Minister for the Environment is required under the EPBC Act. In 2019–20 Defence referred one project to the Minister for the Environment for assessment or approval: Demolition of Structures at RAAF Base Point Cook Victoria (Ref. No. 2019/8514). The referral is in progress and a referral decision has not yet been made.