Hi Simon,
When they installed the Moomba gas pipeline through NSW, the process had to pass several hurdles to get approval e.g. Aboriginal sites, where Western NSW has a rich cultural history, habitat zones for threatened species in some locations etc etc. But there was an upside when it was all in place, we found the gas pipeline excavation trench as the biggest ptifall trap in Australia !!!! We identified 7 new species of reptiles for NSW. (this all occurred when I was employed by DECC in Western NSW) |
In a recent WWF workshop, the strategic scope for development of the Kimberley coast in terms of a Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) facility was discussed.
The workshop was attended by senior Ministerial delegates and decision- makers. The WA EPA / DEC and the Federal government is embarking upon a novel process, as yet untested in Australia.
1. The governments have rejected ad hoc development of LNG, and instead are embarking on their own minimum 6 month process to identify strategically placed options for location within and outside the Kimberley.
2. The strategic identification of options and a preferred site will be done with consideration of indigenous and western environmental, social and economic factors and be run by the government (drawing on substantial technical expertise outside the oil and gas industry).
3. The governments insist that any LNG development will be done at a central hub that all companies can use. This is to avoid normal practice, where companies could put in applications for several different facilities (as has been the case conventionally). In fact, there are such applications in now, or pending. It is understood that no decision will be made on whether any given site is suitable until a full strategic assessment of potential sites has been completed.
4. Once alternative sites are chosen, there will be a normal bilateral process of EIA before any decision is made to approve any given project 5. Parallel to the process of choosing alternative sites for LNG is consideration of world heritage listing for parts of the Kimberley.
The governments are taking the step of choosing alternative sites, rather than entitling industry to apply to put facilities anywhere.
Under conventional EIA practice, choosing sites and alternatives falls to the proponent but is rarely if every done completely.
The current process is a new and potentially important but untried method for approaching major industrial development at a strategic level. Terms of reference for the strategic assessment are going on public display soon.
To read more about the governments' decision, see http://royaldutchshellplc.com/2008/02/05/bloomberg-australia-to-pick-single-site-for-kimberley-lng-plant-update2/
A copy of the Federal environment Minister's address to the WWF Workshop on 5 Feb community can be viewed at:http:// www.environment.gov.au/minister/garrett/2008/video-tr20080205.html
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