A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses contamination within Empire Oil and Gas NL's exploration permit 389, seeking details on detection, notification, extent, and communication with landowners. The response provides timelines and actions taken by relevant departments.

AnsweredQoN 627Legislative Council
Asked
18 June 2014
Portfolio
Mines and Petroleum

QuestionView source ↗

EMPIRE OIL
AND GAS NL — EXPLORATION PERMIT 389
627. Hon MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the
minister representing the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
I refer to question without notice 602 answered on 17 June
2014.
(1) When and by whom was the contamination detected within
exploration permit 389?
(2) When was the Department of Mines and Petroleum notified
of the contamination?
(3) When did the Minister for Mines and Petroleum become
aware of the contamination?
(4) What is the extent of the contamination?
(5) Is the site on the register of contaminated sites under
the Contaminated Sites Act 2003?
(6) When were the landowner and neighbouring landowners
notified of the contamination and by whom?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the
question. The Department of Mines and Petroleum advises —
(1) The
initial complaint was received by the then Department of Environment and
Conservation's pollution unit on 29 March 2011.
(2) The DEC
pollution unit notified DMP on 5 April 2011.
(3) The issue came to the attention of the Minister for Mines
and Petroleum in the second half of 2013.
(4) The
suspected contamination was investigated by DEC, now the Department of
Environment Regulation, under the Contaminated Sites Act 2003. DMP is now
assessing a site rehabilitation plan based on the recent groundwater monitoring
that indicates there is now no contamination.
(5) Yes.
(6) DMP does not have this information, noting that the
permit holder is also the landowner.

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