❓ Hon Robin Chapple questions the Minister for Environment regarding SO2 and mercury emissions from Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines, particularly concerning the enforcement of the Environmental Protection Policy and adoption of best practice standards. The Minister's response clarifies the context of the DEC's submission and outlines the EPA's role in guiding decisions.
AnsweredQoN 889Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
KALGOORLIE
CONSOLIDATED GOLD MINES — EMISSIONS
889. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the minister representing the
Minister for Environment:
I refer to articles contained in The Sunday Times of 4 November 2012 about comments made in a letter
referenced CEO 1314/09 by Keiran McNamara, the Director General of the
Department of Environment and Conservation, in respect of the Environmental
Protection (Goldfields Residential Areas) (Sulfur Dioxide) Policy Order 2003—EPP.
(1) Why are
the levels of SO 2 and Hg—mercury—from the Kalgoorlie
Consolidated Gold Mines allowed when these emissions would not be allowed in
most other Australian states or other developed countries, where principles
such as Australian and international best practice, best available technology,
or similar are applied?
(2) What is
the minister doing to support Keiran McNamara, the Director General of the
Department of Environment and Conservation, in the imposition of flue-gas
desulfurisation or to require significant legislative change by adopting the
approach taken by New South Wales and Victoria to strictly limit the design
ground–level concentrations at the boundary of each emitting premise?
(3) What is
the minister doing to ensure that any exceeding of the EPP limit will result in
a successful prosecution, given the difficulties of such prosecutions
identified by the director general?
CONSOLIDATED GOLD MINES — EMISSIONS
889. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the minister representing the
Minister for Environment:
I refer to articles contained in The Sunday Times of 4 November 2012 about comments made in a letter
referenced CEO 1314/09 by Keiran McNamara, the Director General of the
Department of Environment and Conservation, in respect of the Environmental
Protection (Goldfields Residential Areas) (Sulfur Dioxide) Policy Order 2003—EPP.
(1) Why are
the levels of SO 2 and Hg—mercury—from the Kalgoorlie
Consolidated Gold Mines allowed when these emissions would not be allowed in
most other Australian states or other developed countries, where principles
such as Australian and international best practice, best available technology,
or similar are applied?
(2) What is
the minister doing to support Keiran McNamara, the Director General of the
Department of Environment and Conservation, in the imposition of flue-gas
desulfurisation or to require significant legislative change by adopting the
approach taken by New South Wales and Victoria to strictly limit the design
ground–level concentrations at the boundary of each emitting premise?
(3) What is
the minister doing to ensure that any exceeding of the EPP limit will result in
a successful prosecution, given the difficulties of such prosecutions
identified by the director general?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
member for some notice of the question.
(1) The
extract quoted in The Sunday Times on
4 November 2012 was from the Department of Environment and Conservation's
submission dated 15 February 2010 to the Environmental Protection Authority in
relation to the Review of the Environmental Protection (Goldfields Residential
Areas) (Sulfur Dioxide) Policy Order 2003, or EPP. The quoted extract needs to
be read in the context of the immediately following sentence, which stated, ''If
the production of sulfuric acid from the SO 2 generated is not
currently an economically viable option, or if the disposal of sulfuric acid so
generated represents a greater environmental risk than the stack emission of SO 2 to the atmosphere, then these reasons may form a cogent argument for
continuation of the current emission to atmosphere.''
(2) DEC's
comments were provided as input to the EPA review of the EPP. The Minister for
Environment is guided on such matters by the EPA's recommendations.
(3) The EPP
sets a sulfur dioxide standard and limit. Industry licences adopt the limit and
provide a regulatory mechanism for the enforcement of that limit. Enforcement
action in respect of licence conditions is a matter for DEC in accordance with
its enforcement and prosecution policy 2008.
member for some notice of the question.
(1) The
extract quoted in The Sunday Times on
4 November 2012 was from the Department of Environment and Conservation's
submission dated 15 February 2010 to the Environmental Protection Authority in
relation to the Review of the Environmental Protection (Goldfields Residential
Areas) (Sulfur Dioxide) Policy Order 2003, or EPP. The quoted extract needs to
be read in the context of the immediately following sentence, which stated, ''If
the production of sulfuric acid from the SO 2 generated is not
currently an economically viable option, or if the disposal of sulfuric acid so
generated represents a greater environmental risk than the stack emission of SO 2 to the atmosphere, then these reasons may form a cogent argument for
continuation of the current emission to atmosphere.''
(2) DEC's
comments were provided as input to the EPA review of the EPP. The Minister for
Environment is guided on such matters by the EPA's recommendations.
(3) The EPP
sets a sulfur dioxide standard and limit. Industry licences adopt the limit and
provide a regulatory mechanism for the enforcement of that limit. Enforcement
action in respect of licence conditions is a matter for DEC in accordance with
its enforcement and prosecution policy 2008.
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