❓ Hon Robin Chapple questions the Minister for Environment regarding the lack of bunding around diesel and oil tanks at the Raleigh Mine (owned by Barrick Australia) and potential breaches of license conditions under the Environmental Protection Act 1986. The Minister responds that the tanks are part of Kundana Gold's operations, which are licensed for dewatering and landfill, and the double-walled tanks are considered low risk, thus not requiring specific hydrocarbon storage conditions.
AnsweredQoN 2272Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Raleigh Mine owned by Barrick Australia with senior management from Mr Evan Spencer, Mr Cullum Winn and Mr Ryan Burns and pictures taken available for viewing at,
http://www.robinchapple.org.au/node/460
[file: 2010-02-05 Diesel and Oil tanks without bunding.pdf], on 5 February 2010 of diesel oil tanks without any bunding in the event of a major spillage or rupture, and ask -
(1) Can the Minister state whether these diesel and oil tanks without any bunding to contain entirely any spillage or rupturing breach any license conditions at the Raleigh mine site?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) What is the maximum penalty that can be imposed for a breach of license condition at the Raleigh mine site under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
(5) Is it correct that many other mines sites have a license condition that requires the licensee to store environmentally hazardous chemicals within low permeability 10-9 metres per second or less compounds designed to contain not less than 110 percent of the volume of the largest storage vessel?
(6) If yes to (5), does the Raleigh mine site have similar license conditions and can the Minister table the full text of those license conditions?
(7) If no to (5), why not?
(8) Is it correct that many other mines sites also have a license condition linked to the condition referred to in (5), which also requires the licensee to have the sump graded or include a sump to allow recovery of liquid?
(9) If no to (8), why not?
(10) If yes to (8), does the Raleigh mine have similar license conditions and can the Minister quote the full text of those license conditions?
(11) If yes to (10), -
(a) what actions are available to the Department of Environment and Conservation for a breach of license conditions; and
(b) what actions will the Department of Environment and Conservation take in regard to this breach of license conditions?
(12) If no to (10), why not?
http://www.robinchapple.org.au/node/460
[file: 2010-02-05 Diesel and Oil tanks without bunding.pdf], on 5 February 2010 of diesel oil tanks without any bunding in the event of a major spillage or rupture, and ask -
(1) Can the Minister state whether these diesel and oil tanks without any bunding to contain entirely any spillage or rupturing breach any license conditions at the Raleigh mine site?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) What is the maximum penalty that can be imposed for a breach of license condition at the Raleigh mine site under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
(5) Is it correct that many other mines sites have a license condition that requires the licensee to store environmentally hazardous chemicals within low permeability 10-9 metres per second or less compounds designed to contain not less than 110 percent of the volume of the largest storage vessel?
(6) If yes to (5), does the Raleigh mine site have similar license conditions and can the Minister table the full text of those license conditions?
(7) If no to (5), why not?
(8) Is it correct that many other mines sites also have a license condition linked to the condition referred to in (5), which also requires the licensee to have the sump graded or include a sump to allow recovery of liquid?
(9) If no to (8), why not?
(10) If yes to (8), does the Raleigh mine have similar license conditions and can the Minister quote the full text of those license conditions?
(11) If yes to (10), -
(a) what actions are available to the Department of Environment and Conservation for a breach of license conditions; and
(b) what actions will the Department of Environment and Conservation take in regard to this breach of license conditions?
(12) If no to (10), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
25 May 2010
Responded by
Minister for Environment
Response time
35 days
(1-2) I have been advised that the tanks referred to are part of the Kundana Gold Pty Limited's mining operations in Kalgoorlie.
Kundana Gold is licensed by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) for dewatering and landfill under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
.
The licence does not include any conditions relating to the storage of hydrocarbons
(eg. diesel and oil) because the tanks are double-walled with a sealed refuelling area, and therefore are considered to be a low environmental risk.
(3-4) Penalties for an individual or body corporate convicted of an offence under the Environmental Protection Act are set out in Schedule 1 of the Act.
The penalty for a breach of a licence condition under this Schedule for an individual is up to $62,500 with a daily penalty of $12,500, and $125,000 for a body corporate with a daily penalty of $25,000.
(5-12) Some mining operations in Western Australia, licensed under the Environmental Protection Act, do have a condition relating to the storage of environmentally hazardous chemicals.
Where relevant, a condition of this type may be imposed by DEC consistent with Australian Standard 1940. This Standard also allows for the provision of double-walled tanks, rather than the provision of bunded compounds and graded sumps.
Kundana Gold's licence does not include any conditions relating to the storage of hydrocarbons. I table the attached licence for Kundana Gold.
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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Kundana Gold is licensed by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) for dewatering and landfill under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
.
The licence does not include any conditions relating to the storage of hydrocarbons
(eg. diesel and oil) because the tanks are double-walled with a sealed refuelling area, and therefore are considered to be a low environmental risk.
(3-4) Penalties for an individual or body corporate convicted of an offence under the Environmental Protection Act are set out in Schedule 1 of the Act.
The penalty for a breach of a licence condition under this Schedule for an individual is up to $62,500 with a daily penalty of $12,500, and $125,000 for a body corporate with a daily penalty of $25,000.
(5-12) Some mining operations in Western Australia, licensed under the Environmental Protection Act, do have a condition relating to the storage of environmentally hazardous chemicals.
Where relevant, a condition of this type may be imposed by DEC consistent with Australian Standard 1940. This Standard also allows for the provision of double-walled tanks, rather than the provision of bunded compounds and graded sumps.
Kundana Gold's licence does not include any conditions relating to the storage of hydrocarbons. I table the attached licence for Kundana Gold.
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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