❓ A WA parliamentary question regarding the Hunt Point industrial development at Port Hedland, focusing on environmental assessment, community consultation, and alternative locations. The Premier's response addresses EPA processes and refutes claims of inadequate consultation and sign-off on alternative sites.
AnsweredQoN 7903Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to my previous Question on Notice No. 7582 which was asked of the Premier, but subsequently re-directed to the Minister for Transport. The Minister for Transport, in his answer, has referred me back to the Premier in asking the following:
(a) will the Premier provide full details of any steps that have been taken by any Western Australian government department or agency to advance Hunt Point at Port Hedland for use for industrial infrastructure/tug pen;
(b) is the Premier aware that there was government, company and community sign-off on the preferred location of Lumsden Point for this proposed facility;
(c) does the State Government consider it reasonable that just seven days were allowed for, over the Christmas and New Year period, as the period for community input and comment and consultation on the proposal for a dramatic change in land use at Hunt Point in Port Hedland;
(d) if no to (c), will the Premier intervene and secure full opportunities for the Hedland community and others with an interest in these local land use issues to engage in effective consultations about the future of both Hunt Point and the previously preferred transport hub that was proposed for Lumsden Point; and
(e) will the Premier undertake to ensure that the many safety, amenity, environmental, risk management, and infrastructure logistics issues are fully assessed and taken on board by all of the relevant State Government agencies and that due diligence is exercised before this project is further advanced towards approval?
(a) will the Premier provide full details of any steps that have been taken by any Western Australian government department or agency to advance Hunt Point at Port Hedland for use for industrial infrastructure/tug pen;
(b) is the Premier aware that there was government, company and community sign-off on the preferred location of Lumsden Point for this proposed facility;
(c) does the State Government consider it reasonable that just seven days were allowed for, over the Christmas and New Year period, as the period for community input and comment and consultation on the proposal for a dramatic change in land use at Hunt Point in Port Hedland;
(d) if no to (c), will the Premier intervene and secure full opportunities for the Hedland community and others with an interest in these local land use issues to engage in effective consultations about the future of both Hunt Point and the previously preferred transport hub that was proposed for Lumsden Point; and
(e) will the Premier undertake to ensure that the many safety, amenity, environmental, risk management, and infrastructure logistics issues are fully assessed and taken on board by all of the relevant State Government agencies and that due diligence is exercised before this project is further advanced towards approval?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
7 August 2012
Response time
97 days
(a)
The Hunt Point proposal has been considered by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986.
The EPA considered the proposal and looked at the key environmental factors of water quality and benthic primary producer habitat and concluded that the potential impacts can be adequately managed through implementation of the proponent's Dredge Management Plan.
The EPA Chairman determined that the potential impacts of the proposal were not so significant to require formal environmental impact assessment under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
. This decision was notified in the EPA's advertisement on 23 January 2012. No appeals against the EPA's decision were received.
The EPA has issued its Public Advice to BHP Iron Ore on the environmental management measures which should be adopted to ensure protection of the environment if the development proceeds. In summary, the proposal has been adequately considered under Part IV of the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
.
(b)
The PHPA originally considered Lumsden Point as a possible co-location for a proposed tug haven as it offered a means of sharing (with BHPBIO) the significant costs associated with the dredging and construction of the overall facility.
Whilst some minor geotechnical work was carried out and preliminary concept plans for the proposed overall facility at Lumsden were developed and costed, these were never progressed to any level of government, company or community "sign off" or approval.
(c) -(d)
The EPA advertised the proposal for a seven day public comment period in accordance with its standard procedures in the
Environmental Impact Assessment Administrative Procedures 2010
. The comment period commenced on 4 January 2012 and no public comments were received.
(e)
From an environmental perspective, the environmental impacts of the proposal have been appropriately considered by the EPA under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
. (see response to a).
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The Hunt Point proposal has been considered by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986.
The EPA considered the proposal and looked at the key environmental factors of water quality and benthic primary producer habitat and concluded that the potential impacts can be adequately managed through implementation of the proponent's Dredge Management Plan.
The EPA Chairman determined that the potential impacts of the proposal were not so significant to require formal environmental impact assessment under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
. This decision was notified in the EPA's advertisement on 23 January 2012. No appeals against the EPA's decision were received.
The EPA has issued its Public Advice to BHP Iron Ore on the environmental management measures which should be adopted to ensure protection of the environment if the development proceeds. In summary, the proposal has been adequately considered under Part IV of the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
.
(b)
The PHPA originally considered Lumsden Point as a possible co-location for a proposed tug haven as it offered a means of sharing (with BHPBIO) the significant costs associated with the dredging and construction of the overall facility.
Whilst some minor geotechnical work was carried out and preliminary concept plans for the proposed overall facility at Lumsden were developed and costed, these were never progressed to any level of government, company or community "sign off" or approval.
(c) -(d)
The EPA advertised the proposal for a seven day public comment period in accordance with its standard procedures in the
Environmental Impact Assessment Administrative Procedures 2010
. The comment period commenced on 4 January 2012 and no public comments were received.
(e)
From an environmental perspective, the environmental impacts of the proposal have been appropriately considered by the EPA under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
. (see response to a).
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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