Browse LNG Gets EPA Approval, Australia

The Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia has declared Woodside Energy Ltd’s proposal to develop the Liquefied Natural Gas plant at James Price Point, 60 km north of Broome, a derived proposal.

The Department of State Development’s strategic proposal, recently approved by Environment Minister Bill Marmion, allowed for multiple LNG users to be co-located on a single site, avoiding a number of LNG processing sites to spread along the coast and in more sensitive parts of the Kimberley.

The strategic proposal also allowed the consideration of the cumulative environmental impacts of future proposals, known as derived proposals.

The approval conditions apply to the overall precinct and relevant approval conditions will apply to specific derived proposals within the precinct.

EPA Chairman Dr Paul Vogel and Deputy Chairman Professor Robert Harvey have determined that the proposal fits within the strictly defined precinct footprint and could be declared a derived proposal.

Dr Vogel said more than 1800 public comments on Woodside’s proposal to construct and operate a 25 million tonne per annum LNG processing facility and associated infrastructure had been submitted to the EPA.

“The public comment period was an opportunity for the public to outline whether this proposal should or should not be declared a derived proposal and their reasons to support their view,” Dr Vogel said.

“Following rigorous evaluation of Woodside’s proposal, no new environmental issues were raised that had not been adequately addressed in the strategic proposal nor was there any significant new or additional information that justifies reasssessment.”

In accordance with the Environmental Protection Act 1986, there is no appeal on the declaration made by the Chairman and Deputy Chairman, acting under delegation from the EPA.

The final environmental decision on the Precinct will be made by the Commonwealth Environment Minister.

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LNG World News Staff, December 18, 2012; Image: Woodside