Less than a year after Western Australia's environmental watchdog was stripped of its powers to assess the emissions of some of the state's most highly polluting projects, environmental advocates and experts say they are concerned the Northern Territory is moving in the same direction.

The WA Environmental Protection Authority (EPA)'s powers were weakened following a review co-written by its former chair Paul Vogel, which recommended a broad set of changes to environment protection laws that one MP characterised as an industry "wish list".

Among the review's recommendations were that major projects, including mining, oil and gas projects, should only be examined at the federal level using the Commonwealth's "safeguard mechanism", to avoid duplication and cut bureaucracy.

Mr Vogel is now the chair of the Northern Territory EPA.