A WA parliamentary question addresses the environmental impact of Alcoa's Wagerup cogeneration plant, specifically concerning saltwater by-product disposal, EPA approvals, public consultation, and monitoring processes. The Minister provides details on the quantity, disposal plans, approvals, consultation, and monitoring related to the blow-down water.

AnsweredQoN 1116Legislative Council
Asked
22 November 2006
Portfolio
Environment

QuestionView source ↗

ALCOA’S WAGERUP REFINERY - COGENERATION PLANT
I refer to Alcoa’s recently approved cogeneration plant. (1) Can the minister confirm whether salt water will be a by-product of the cogeneration facility? (2) If yes - (a) what quantities are involved; (b) what are the plans for disposal; (c) what Environmental Protection Authority approvals, if any, have been given, and will the minister table those approvals; (d) what public consultation has taken place; and (e) what monitoring processes are in place? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of this question. I provide the following response on behalf of the Minister for the Environment - (1) If Hon Paul Llewellyn is referring to Alinta Cogeneration (Wagerup) Pty Ltd’s recently approved cogeneration power station at Wagerup then, yes, blow-down water will be a waste stream from the proposal and this water may contain various salts. (2) (a) There will be between 25 and 35 megalitres of blow-down water a year. (b) The blow-down water could be sent to Alcoa’s existing cooling lake or residue drying area. (c) The EPA provided its report and recommendation on Alinta’s proposal in June 2006. The Minister for the Environment issued ministerial conditions allowing the proposal to proceed in September 2006. (d) Alinta undertook a public consultation program, which included presentations to the Wagerup Tripartite Group, the Wagerup Community Consultation Network and the Shire of Waroona. Written information was distributed to local households and stakeholders. (e) The licence issued to Alcoa under part V of the Environmental Projection Act 1986 requires monitoring of the ground water beneath the cooling lake and residue drying areas.
(1) Can the minister confirm whether salt water will be a by-product of the cogeneration facility? (2) If yes - (a) what quantities are involved; (b) what are the plans for disposal; (c) what Environmental Protection Authority approvals, if any, have been given, and will the minister table those approvals; (d) what public consultation has taken place; and (e) what monitoring processes are in place? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. I provide the following response on behalf of the Minister for the Environment - (1) If Hon Paul Llewellyn is referring to Alinta Cogeneration (Wagerup) Pty Ltd’s recently approved cogeneration power station at Wagerup then, yes, blow-down water will be a waste stream from the proposal and this water may contain various salts. (2) (a) There will be between 25 and 35 megalitres of blow-down water a year. (b) The blow-down water could be sent to Alcoa’s existing cooling lake or residue drying area. (c) The EPA provided its report and recommendation on Alinta’s proposal in June 2006. The Minister for the Environment issued ministerial conditions allowing the proposal to proceed in September 2006. (d) Alinta undertook a public consultation program, which included presentations to the Wagerup Tripartite Group, the Wagerup Community Consultation Network and the Shire of Waroona. Written information was distributed to local households and stakeholders. (e) The licence issued to Alcoa under part V of the Environmental Projection Act 1986 requires monitoring of the ground water beneath the cooling lake and residue drying areas.
(2) If yes - (a) what quantities are involved; (b) what are the plans for disposal; (c) what Environmental Protection Authority approvals, if any, have been given, and will the minister table those approvals; (d) what public consultation has taken place; and (e) what monitoring processes are in place? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. I provide the following response on behalf of the Minister for the Environment - (1) If Hon Paul Llewellyn is referring to Alinta Cogeneration (Wagerup) Pty Ltd’s recently approved cogeneration power station at Wagerup then, yes, blow-down water will be a waste stream from the proposal and this water may contain various salts. (2) (a) There will be between 25 and 35 megalitres of blow-down water a year. (b) The blow-down water could be sent to Alcoa’s existing cooling lake or residue drying area. (c) The EPA provided its report and recommendation on Alinta’s proposal in June 2006. The Minister for the Environment issued ministerial conditions allowing the proposal to proceed in September 2006. (d) Alinta undertook a public consultation program, which included presentations to the Wagerup Tripartite Group, the Wagerup Community Consultation Network and the Shire of Waroona. Written information was distributed to local households and stakeholders. (e) The licence issued to Alcoa under part V of the Environmental Projection Act 1986 requires monitoring of the ground water beneath the cooling lake and residue drying areas.
(b) what are the plans for disposal; (c) what Environmental Protection Authority approvals, if any, have been given, and will the minister table those approvals; (d) what public consultation has taken place; and (e) what monitoring processes are in place?
(c) what Environmental Protection Authority approvals, if any, have been given, and will the minister table those approvals; (d) what public consultation has taken place; and (e) what monitoring processes are in place?
(d) what public consultation has taken place; and (e) what monitoring processes are in place?
(e) what monitoring processes are in place?
I thank the member for some notice of this question. I provide the following response on behalf of the Minister for the Environment - (1) If Hon Paul Llewellyn is referring to Alinta Cogeneration (Wagerup) Pty Ltd’s recently approved cogeneration power station at Wagerup then, yes, blow-down water will be a waste stream from the proposal and this water may contain various salts. (2) (a) There will be between 25 and 35 megalitres of blow-down water a year. (b) The blow-down water could be sent to Alcoa’s existing cooling lake or residue drying area. (c) The EPA provided its report and recommendation on Alinta’s proposal in June 2006. The Minister for the Environment issued ministerial conditions allowing the proposal to proceed in September 2006. (d) Alinta undertook a public consultation program, which included presentations to the Wagerup Tripartite Group, the Wagerup Community Consultation Network and the Shire of Waroona. Written information was distributed to local households and stakeholders. (e) The licence issued to Alcoa under part V of the Environmental Projection Act 1986 requires monitoring of the ground water beneath the cooling lake and residue drying areas.
(1) If Hon Paul Llewellyn is referring to Alinta Cogeneration (Wagerup) Pty Ltd’s recently approved cogeneration power station at Wagerup then, yes, blow-down water will be a waste stream from the proposal and this water may contain various salts. (2) (a) There will be between 25 and 35 megalitres of blow-down water a year. (b) The blow-down water could be sent to Alcoa’s existing cooling lake or residue drying area. (c) The EPA provided its report and recommendation on Alinta’s proposal in June 2006. The Minister for the Environment issued ministerial conditions allowing the proposal to proceed in September 2006. (d) Alinta undertook a public consultation program, which included presentations to the Wagerup Tripartite Group, the Wagerup Community Consultation Network and the Shire of Waroona. Written information was distributed to local households and stakeholders. (e) The licence issued to Alcoa under part V of the Environmental Projection Act 1986 requires monitoring of the ground water beneath the cooling lake and residue drying areas.
(2) (a) There will be between 25 and 35 megalitres of blow-down water a year. (b) The blow-down water could be sent to Alcoa’s existing cooling lake or residue drying area. (c) The EPA provided its report and recommendation on Alinta’s proposal in June 2006. The Minister for the Environment issued ministerial conditions allowing the proposal to proceed in September 2006. (d) Alinta undertook a public consultation program, which included presentations to the Wagerup Tripartite Group, the Wagerup Community Consultation Network and the Shire of Waroona. Written information was distributed to local households and stakeholders. (e) The licence issued to Alcoa under part V of the Environmental Projection Act 1986 requires monitoring of the ground water beneath the cooling lake and residue drying areas.
(c) The EPA provided its report and recommendation on Alinta’s proposal in June 2006. The Minister for the Environment issued ministerial conditions allowing the proposal to proceed in September 2006. (d) Alinta undertook a public consultation program, which included presentations to the Wagerup Tripartite Group, the Wagerup Community Consultation Network and the Shire of Waroona. Written information was distributed to local households and stakeholders. (e) The licence issued to Alcoa under part V of the Environmental Projection Act 1986 requires monitoring of the ground water beneath the cooling lake and residue drying areas.
(d) Alinta undertook a public consultation program, which included presentations to the Wagerup Tripartite Group, the Wagerup Community Consultation Network and the Shire of Waroona. Written information was distributed to local households and stakeholders. (e) The licence issued to Alcoa under part V of the Environmental Projection Act 1986 requires monitoring of the ground water beneath the cooling lake and residue drying areas.
(e) The licence issued to Alcoa under part V of the Environmental Projection Act 1986 requires monitoring of the ground water beneath the cooling lake and residue drying areas.

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