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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 78 asked in the Legislative Council on 19 February 2019 by Hon Diane Evers

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

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.