LIME QUARRY —
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AUTHORITY ASSESSMENT — NULLAKI
78. Hon DIANE EVERS to the Minister for Environment:
I refer to the proposed lime quarry
at lot 9005 on the Nullaki peninsula, Albany.
(1) To what
extent was the report, ''Excavation and Rehabilitation Management Plan'',
prepared by Landform Research in May 2016, relied upon in the Environmental
Protection Authority's decision to not assess the proposal?
(2) Is the
minister aware of inconsistencies, omissions and unsupported claims in the
report affecting the quality of the information relied upon, including but not
limited to the area of land open at any one time?
(3) Is the
minister aware that the report specifically noted that no fauna study of the
area was conducted at the time of submitting to the EPA for assessment?
(4) Given the
inconsistencies in the report and that a fauna study funded by the state
government's natural resource management program is currently being
conducted and will provide new information, will the minister consider
requesting that the EPA review its decision?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1)–(2) The
''Excavation and Rehabilitation Management Plan'' provided with
the original referral of the proposal to the Environmental Protection Authority
was updated in 2017 at the request of the EPA. The 2017 plan, not the 2016
plan, was considered as part of the investigations and inquiries conducted by
the EPA to inform the level of assessment.
(3)–(4) The
EPA considered that a fauna survey was not required to inform its decision not
to assess the proposal. The EPA determined that the proposal was not so
significant as to require a formal assessment and that the clearing of
vegetation, including fauna habitat, could be considered under part V of the
Environmental Protection Act 1986. The Department of Water and Environmental
Regulation has advised that no application
for a clearing permit has been received under part V of the Environmental
Protection Act 1986. If an application is received, the department's
assessment will consider whether the proposed clearing is likely to impact upon
fauna or fauna habitat and will have regard to any available fauna information.