❓ A parliamentary question regarding the Fimiston I tailings dam, specifically concerning seepage, potential pollution, and the Department of Environment's (DoE) role in approving its expansion and regulating KCGM's operations. The questioner expresses concern that the DoE is prioritizing KCGM's interests over environmental protection.
AnsweredQoN 3635Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Fimiston I tailings dam, Prospecting Licence 26/3126 and answers to question on notice number 2892 of 10 November 2005 -
(1) Given the Minister has stated ‘the DoE considers that capturing all seepage is not practicable’, can the Minister explain why the Department of Environment (DoE)/Environmental Protection Authority supported the works approval application for the Fimiston I tailings dam, to raise the height from 30 metres to 40 metres when emissions of seepage can cause pollution or environmental harm on Prospecting Licence 26/3126, and the company then has a perfect defence simply because the ‘capturing of all seepage is not practicable’?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) Can the Minister explain why the DoE would promote KCGM’s interests in this matter over and above protecting people and the environment on Prospecting Licence 26/3126 under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
(5) Will the holder of Prospecting Licence 26/3126 and the environment contained within it, be subjected to toxic water emissions containing cyanide and xanthate, for the next 10 years or more (until the mine closes), regardless of whether such emissions cause pollution or environmental harm simply because the DoE claims that ‘capturing all the seepage is not considered practicable?’
(6) If no to (5), why not?
(7) Will the holder of Prospecting Licence 26/3126 and the environment contained within it, have to put up with unnaturally high ground water levels (of approximately four metres below the surface), caused by toxic seepage emissions entering the tenement for the next 10 years or more until the mine closes?
(8) If yes to (9), can the Minister explain why?
(9) If no to (9), will the DoE immediately direct KCGM to reduce the groundwater levels within the confines of Prospecting Licence 26/3126 back to historical levels?
(1) Given the Minister has stated ‘the DoE considers that capturing all seepage is not practicable’, can the Minister explain why the Department of Environment (DoE)/Environmental Protection Authority supported the works approval application for the Fimiston I tailings dam, to raise the height from 30 metres to 40 metres when emissions of seepage can cause pollution or environmental harm on Prospecting Licence 26/3126, and the company then has a perfect defence simply because the ‘capturing of all seepage is not practicable’?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
(3) Can the Minister explain why the DoE would promote KCGM’s interests in this matter over and above protecting people and the environment on Prospecting Licence 26/3126 under the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
(5) Will the holder of Prospecting Licence 26/3126 and the environment contained within it, be subjected to toxic water emissions containing cyanide and xanthate, for the next 10 years or more (until the mine closes), regardless of whether such emissions cause pollution or environmental harm simply because the DoE claims that ‘capturing all the seepage is not considered practicable?’
(6) If no to (5), why not?
(7) Will the holder of Prospecting Licence 26/3126 and the environment contained within it, have to put up with unnaturally high ground water levels (of approximately four metres below the surface), caused by toxic seepage emissions entering the tenement for the next 10 years or more until the mine closes?
(8) If yes to (9), can the Minister explain why?
(9) If no to (9), will the DoE immediately direct KCGM to reduce the groundwater levels within the confines of Prospecting Licence 26/3126 back to historical levels?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
22 August 2006
Responded by
Minister for Education and Training representing the Minister for the Environment
Response time
70 days
(2) Not applicable. (3) The DoE does not promote the Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mine's (KCGM) interests. It regulates KCGM in line with the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 and in the same way as it regulates every other licensed mine site. (4) Not applicable. (5) No. As per (1) the DoE is regulating KCGM's operations to minimise the likelihood of pollution or environmental harm occurring. Capturing all seepage before it crosses the boundary with the two adjoining mining tenements is not considered necessary to achieve that objective. The DoE has not seen any evidence of how exactly the seepage from KCGM's operations is currently adversely impacting on neighbouring tenement holders and is in contravention of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 . (6) Not applicable. (7) The management of groundwater levels is considered within the licence issued to KCGM and within the associated Seepage and Groundwater Management Plan. It is clear that KCGM have committed to a long term aim of reducing groundwater levels towards historical targets. In terms of preventing pollution or environmental harm, the DoE considers a 4 metre target for depth to groundwater levels to be an important first objective. As per (5), the DoE has not seen any evidence to suggest that a water table of greater than 4 metres below the ground surface is causing a breach of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 . (8) Not applicable. (9) See (7).
(3) The DoE does not promote the Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mine's (KCGM) interests. It regulates KCGM in line with the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 and in the same way as it regulates every other licensed mine site. (4) Not applicable. (5) No. As per (1) the DoE is regulating KCGM's operations to minimise the likelihood of pollution or environmental harm occurring. Capturing all seepage before it crosses the boundary with the two adjoining mining tenements is not considered necessary to achieve that objective. The DoE has not seen any evidence of how exactly the seepage from KCGM's operations is currently adversely impacting on neighbouring tenement holders and is in contravention of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 . (6) Not applicable. (7) The management of groundwater levels is considered within the licence issued to KCGM and within the associated Seepage and Groundwater Management Plan. It is clear that KCGM have committed to a long term aim of reducing groundwater levels towards historical targets. In terms of preventing pollution or environmental harm, the DoE considers a 4 metre target for depth to groundwater levels to be an important first objective. As per (5), the DoE has not seen any evidence to suggest that a water table of greater than 4 metres below the ground surface is causing a breach of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 . (8) Not applicable. (9) See (7).
(4) Not applicable. (5) No. As per (1) the DoE is regulating KCGM's operations to minimise the likelihood of pollution or environmental harm occurring. Capturing all seepage before it crosses the boundary with the two adjoining mining tenements is not considered necessary to achieve that objective. The DoE has not seen any evidence of how exactly the seepage from KCGM's operations is currently adversely impacting on neighbouring tenement holders and is in contravention of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 . (6) Not applicable. (7) The management of groundwater levels is considered within the licence issued to KCGM and within the associated Seepage and Groundwater Management Plan. It is clear that KCGM have committed to a long term aim of reducing groundwater levels towards historical targets. In terms of preventing pollution or environmental harm, the DoE considers a 4 metre target for depth to groundwater levels to be an important first objective. As per (5), the DoE has not seen any evidence to suggest that a water table of greater than 4 metres below the ground surface is causing a breach of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 . (8) Not applicable. (9) See (7).
(5) No. As per (1) the DoE is regulating KCGM's operations to minimise the likelihood of pollution or environmental harm occurring. Capturing all seepage before it crosses the boundary with the two adjoining mining tenements is not considered necessary to achieve that objective. The DoE has not seen any evidence of how exactly the seepage from KCGM's operations is currently adversely impacting on neighbouring tenement holders and is in contravention of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 . (6) Not applicable. (7) The management of groundwater levels is considered within the licence issued to KCGM and within the associated Seepage and Groundwater Management Plan. It is clear that KCGM have committed to a long term aim of reducing groundwater levels towards historical targets. In terms of preventing pollution or environmental harm, the DoE considers a 4 metre target for depth to groundwater levels to be an important first objective. As per (5), the DoE has not seen any evidence to suggest that a water table of greater than 4 metres below the ground surface is causing a breach of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 . (8) Not applicable. (9) See (7).
(6) Not applicable. (7) The management of groundwater levels is considered within the licence issued to KCGM and within the associated Seepage and Groundwater Management Plan. It is clear that KCGM have committed to a long term aim of reducing groundwater levels towards historical targets. In terms of preventing pollution or environmental harm, the DoE considers a 4 metre target for depth to groundwater levels to be an important first objective. As per (5), the DoE has not seen any evidence to suggest that a water table of greater than 4 metres below the ground surface is causing a breach of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 . (8) Not applicable. (9) See (7).
(7) The management of groundwater levels is considered within the licence issued to KCGM and within the associated Seepage and Groundwater Management Plan. It is clear that KCGM have committed to a long term aim of reducing groundwater levels towards historical targets. In terms of preventing pollution or environmental harm, the DoE considers a 4 metre target for depth to groundwater levels to be an important first objective. As per (5), the DoE has not seen any evidence to suggest that a water table of greater than 4 metres below the ground surface is causing a breach of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 . (8) Not applicable. (9) See (7).
(8) Not applicable. (9) See (7).
(9) See (7).
(3) The DoE does not promote the Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mine's (KCGM) interests. It regulates KCGM in line with the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 and in the same way as it regulates every other licensed mine site. (4) Not applicable. (5) No. As per (1) the DoE is regulating KCGM's operations to minimise the likelihood of pollution or environmental harm occurring. Capturing all seepage before it crosses the boundary with the two adjoining mining tenements is not considered necessary to achieve that objective. The DoE has not seen any evidence of how exactly the seepage from KCGM's operations is currently adversely impacting on neighbouring tenement holders and is in contravention of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 . (6) Not applicable. (7) The management of groundwater levels is considered within the licence issued to KCGM and within the associated Seepage and Groundwater Management Plan. It is clear that KCGM have committed to a long term aim of reducing groundwater levels towards historical targets. In terms of preventing pollution or environmental harm, the DoE considers a 4 metre target for depth to groundwater levels to be an important first objective. As per (5), the DoE has not seen any evidence to suggest that a water table of greater than 4 metres below the ground surface is causing a breach of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 . (8) Not applicable. (9) See (7).
(4) Not applicable. (5) No. As per (1) the DoE is regulating KCGM's operations to minimise the likelihood of pollution or environmental harm occurring. Capturing all seepage before it crosses the boundary with the two adjoining mining tenements is not considered necessary to achieve that objective. The DoE has not seen any evidence of how exactly the seepage from KCGM's operations is currently adversely impacting on neighbouring tenement holders and is in contravention of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 . (6) Not applicable. (7) The management of groundwater levels is considered within the licence issued to KCGM and within the associated Seepage and Groundwater Management Plan. It is clear that KCGM have committed to a long term aim of reducing groundwater levels towards historical targets. In terms of preventing pollution or environmental harm, the DoE considers a 4 metre target for depth to groundwater levels to be an important first objective. As per (5), the DoE has not seen any evidence to suggest that a water table of greater than 4 metres below the ground surface is causing a breach of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 . (8) Not applicable. (9) See (7).
(5) No. As per (1) the DoE is regulating KCGM's operations to minimise the likelihood of pollution or environmental harm occurring. Capturing all seepage before it crosses the boundary with the two adjoining mining tenements is not considered necessary to achieve that objective. The DoE has not seen any evidence of how exactly the seepage from KCGM's operations is currently adversely impacting on neighbouring tenement holders and is in contravention of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 . (6) Not applicable. (7) The management of groundwater levels is considered within the licence issued to KCGM and within the associated Seepage and Groundwater Management Plan. It is clear that KCGM have committed to a long term aim of reducing groundwater levels towards historical targets. In terms of preventing pollution or environmental harm, the DoE considers a 4 metre target for depth to groundwater levels to be an important first objective. As per (5), the DoE has not seen any evidence to suggest that a water table of greater than 4 metres below the ground surface is causing a breach of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 . (8) Not applicable. (9) See (7).
(6) Not applicable. (7) The management of groundwater levels is considered within the licence issued to KCGM and within the associated Seepage and Groundwater Management Plan. It is clear that KCGM have committed to a long term aim of reducing groundwater levels towards historical targets. In terms of preventing pollution or environmental harm, the DoE considers a 4 metre target for depth to groundwater levels to be an important first objective. As per (5), the DoE has not seen any evidence to suggest that a water table of greater than 4 metres below the ground surface is causing a breach of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 . (8) Not applicable. (9) See (7).
(7) The management of groundwater levels is considered within the licence issued to KCGM and within the associated Seepage and Groundwater Management Plan. It is clear that KCGM have committed to a long term aim of reducing groundwater levels towards historical targets. In terms of preventing pollution or environmental harm, the DoE considers a 4 metre target for depth to groundwater levels to be an important first objective. As per (5), the DoE has not seen any evidence to suggest that a water table of greater than 4 metres below the ground surface is causing a breach of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 . (8) Not applicable. (9) See (7).
(8) Not applicable. (9) See (7).
(9) See (7).
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