❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding environmental concerns in State Forest No. 12, focusing on vegetation, fauna, soil contamination, water quality, mining activities, and rehabilitation efforts by Iluka Resources.
AnsweredQoN 5976Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) What vegetation communities have been recorded as existing in State Forest No. 12 prior to European settlement?
(2) What threatened fauna are known in State Forest No. 12?
(3) What threatened flora is known in State Forest No. 12?
(4) Are there potential Acid Sulphate Soil materials at levels above the normal trigger level of concern in State Forest No. 12?
(5) Have any tests been conducted in water bodies or groundwater in State Forest No. 12 for, -
(a) heavy metals;
(b) phosphorus;
(c) nitrogen;
(d) turbidity;
(e) oxygen; and
(f) pH?
(6) If yes to any of (5), -
(a) who conducted these tests;
(b) when were these tests undertaken; and
(c) what were the results of these tests?
(7) Has State Forest No. 12 or any part of it been registered as a contaminated site?
(8) If yes to (7), what were the reasons for this?
(9) Has any of the mining in State Forest No. 12 been assessed under the
Western Australian Environmental Protection Act 1986
?
(10) If no to (9), what environmental licenses prescribe operations at the mine?
(11) Are there any environmental conditions on the mine?
(12) If yes to (11), what are they?
(13) Is the Minister aware of non-local native plant species planted by Iluka Resources in State Forest No. 12?
(14) If yes to (13), will Iluka Resources be required to remove all non-local native plant species, prior to relinquishment of the mining lease?
(15) If no to (13), why not?
(16) What are the rehabilitation objectives for State Forest No. 12?
(17) Is it expected that the original ecosystem will be reinstated prior to relinquishment of the mining lease?
(18) If no to (17), why not?
(2) What threatened fauna are known in State Forest No. 12?
(3) What threatened flora is known in State Forest No. 12?
(4) Are there potential Acid Sulphate Soil materials at levels above the normal trigger level of concern in State Forest No. 12?
(5) Have any tests been conducted in water bodies or groundwater in State Forest No. 12 for, -
(a) heavy metals;
(b) phosphorus;
(c) nitrogen;
(d) turbidity;
(e) oxygen; and
(f) pH?
(6) If yes to any of (5), -
(a) who conducted these tests;
(b) when were these tests undertaken; and
(c) what were the results of these tests?
(7) Has State Forest No. 12 or any part of it been registered as a contaminated site?
(8) If yes to (7), what were the reasons for this?
(9) Has any of the mining in State Forest No. 12 been assessed under the
Western Australian Environmental Protection Act 1986
?
(10) If no to (9), what environmental licenses prescribe operations at the mine?
(11) Are there any environmental conditions on the mine?
(12) If yes to (11), what are they?
(13) Is the Minister aware of non-local native plant species planted by Iluka Resources in State Forest No. 12?
(14) If yes to (13), will Iluka Resources be required to remove all non-local native plant species, prior to relinquishment of the mining lease?
(15) If no to (13), why not?
(16) What are the rehabilitation objectives for State Forest No. 12?
(17) Is it expected that the original ecosystem will be reinstated prior to relinquishment of the mining lease?
(18) If no to (17), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
1 April 2008
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for the Environment
Response time
33 days
(1) The pre-European vegetation complex for the majority of the area consisted of open woodland of marri, jarrah and banksia on elevated areas of fringing woodland of
Eucalyptus rudis
and
Melaleuca rhaphiophylla
along the streams in association with
Agonis flexuosa
. The south-western portion comprised a mosaic of tall shrubland of
Melaleuca viminea
and woodland of
Eucalyptus rudis-Melaleuca
rhaphiophylla
with occasional
Corymbia calophylla
on broad depressions and woodland of
Corymbia calophylla
-
Agonis flexuosa
and
Allocasuarina fraseriana
-
Nuytsia floribunda
on mild slopes.
(2) The Department of Environment and Conservation database for threatened fauna identifies three species in and within close proximity to State Forest No. 12. They are the western ringtail possum, Carnaby's black cockatoo and the brush tailed phascogale.
(3) The Department of Environment and Conservation database for declared rare flora identifies populations of one declared rare flora species,
Tetraria
australiensis
.
(4) No.
(5) (a) Yes.
(b) No.
(c) Yes.
(d) No.
(e) No.
(f) Yes.
(6) (a) Iluka Resources Limited has undertaken testing as per the Australian Standards and Testing Authority Standards.
(b) Heavy metals - quarterly from water bodies;
Nitrogen - monthly from water bodies;
pH - weekly from water bodies.
(c) Water sampling and analysis results have been compliant with
Environmental Protection Act 1986
licence conditions up to decommissioning of the processing plant in 2000. Since that time licensing within State Forest No. 12 has not been required under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
. The company continues to conduct water sampling and analysis and submits an annual environmental report to the Department of Industry and Resources.
(7) No.
(8) Not applicable.
(9) No. Mining activities in State Forest No. 12 were undertaken between 1976 and 1981, prior to the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
.
(10) Environmental conditions for mining activities were managed under the
Mining Act 1978
administered by the (then) Mines Department.
(11) See the answer to (10).
(12) This question should be referred to the Minister for Resources as the Minister responsible for administration of the
Mining Act 1978
.
(13) Yes.
(14) No. It is unlikely that Iluka Resources will be required to remove all
non-endemic species. Rehabilitation undertaken during the 1970s and 1980s was consistent with rehabilitation standards of the time which were undertaken in consultation with the (then) Mines Department, Forests Department and later Department of Conservation and Land Management.
(15) Not applicable.
(16) The rehabilitation objectives previously agreed between Iluka and the (then) Mines Department and Forests Department, and later the Department of Conservation and Land Management, were variable depending on the location. The primary rehabilitation objective following mining was the reconstruction of interconnecting vegetated habitat incorporating a series of self-sustaining wetlands for wildlife habitat.
(17) No.
(18) Prior to the commencement of mining a significant portion of State Forest No. 12 was an established pine plantation. In addition, the agreed primary rehabilitation objective was the reconstruction of interconnecting vegetated habitat incorporating a series of self-sustaining wetlands for wildlife habitat. This was agreed at the time between the relevant departments.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
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Eucalyptus rudis
and
Melaleuca rhaphiophylla
along the streams in association with
Agonis flexuosa
. The south-western portion comprised a mosaic of tall shrubland of
Melaleuca viminea
and woodland of
Eucalyptus rudis-Melaleuca
rhaphiophylla
with occasional
Corymbia calophylla
on broad depressions and woodland of
Corymbia calophylla
-
Agonis flexuosa
and
Allocasuarina fraseriana
-
Nuytsia floribunda
on mild slopes.
(2) The Department of Environment and Conservation database for threatened fauna identifies three species in and within close proximity to State Forest No. 12. They are the western ringtail possum, Carnaby's black cockatoo and the brush tailed phascogale.
(3) The Department of Environment and Conservation database for declared rare flora identifies populations of one declared rare flora species,
Tetraria
australiensis
.
(4) No.
(5) (a) Yes.
(b) No.
(c) Yes.
(d) No.
(e) No.
(f) Yes.
(6) (a) Iluka Resources Limited has undertaken testing as per the Australian Standards and Testing Authority Standards.
(b) Heavy metals - quarterly from water bodies;
Nitrogen - monthly from water bodies;
pH - weekly from water bodies.
(c) Water sampling and analysis results have been compliant with
Environmental Protection Act 1986
licence conditions up to decommissioning of the processing plant in 2000. Since that time licensing within State Forest No. 12 has not been required under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
. The company continues to conduct water sampling and analysis and submits an annual environmental report to the Department of Industry and Resources.
(7) No.
(8) Not applicable.
(9) No. Mining activities in State Forest No. 12 were undertaken between 1976 and 1981, prior to the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
.
(10) Environmental conditions for mining activities were managed under the
Mining Act 1978
administered by the (then) Mines Department.
(11) See the answer to (10).
(12) This question should be referred to the Minister for Resources as the Minister responsible for administration of the
Mining Act 1978
.
(13) Yes.
(14) No. It is unlikely that Iluka Resources will be required to remove all
non-endemic species. Rehabilitation undertaken during the 1970s and 1980s was consistent with rehabilitation standards of the time which were undertaken in consultation with the (then) Mines Department, Forests Department and later Department of Conservation and Land Management.
(15) Not applicable.
(16) The rehabilitation objectives previously agreed between Iluka and the (then) Mines Department and Forests Department, and later the Department of Conservation and Land Management, were variable depending on the location. The primary rehabilitation objective following mining was the reconstruction of interconnecting vegetated habitat incorporating a series of self-sustaining wetlands for wildlife habitat.
(17) No.
(18) Prior to the commencement of mining a significant portion of State Forest No. 12 was an established pine plantation. In addition, the agreed primary rehabilitation objective was the reconstruction of interconnecting vegetated habitat incorporating a series of self-sustaining wetlands for wildlife habitat. This was agreed at the time between the relevant departments.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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