28 June 2011
Environment minister Tony Burke has approved
Inpex's Ichthys Browse Basin project, including
a gas field facility, pipeline and processing
facility, with strict environmental conditions.
Mr Burke said after
carefully considering expert advice and
public submissions received, he had yesterday
approved the proposal under the Environment
Protection and Biodiversity Conservation
(EPBC) Act 1999.
"After a thorough
assessment, including expert advice and
public submissions I have determined this
project can go ahead under national environment
law," Mr Burke said.
"While there are
significant economic benefits to this project,
which must be a consideration in my decision,
my focus has been on protecting matters
under national environmental law.
"To ensure our
precious marine environment is protected,
I've set stringent conditions on the project,
which require Inpex to submit for my approval
a series of management plans."
Inpex Browse proposes
to develop the Ichthys Gas Field in the
Browse Basin off the North West Shelf of
Australia to produce liquefied natural gas,
liquefied petroleum gas and condensate.
The proposal includes
offshore processing in the Browse Basin,
an 850-935 kilometre pipeline from the gas
field to Darwin Harbour and an onshore processing
facility at Blaydin Point, Darwin.
The project was assessed
under the EPBC Act by an Environmental Impact
Statement in conjunction with the Northern
Territory Government.
Inpex must develop a
greenhouse gas management strategy outlining
the measures and offsets it proposes to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions before production
can commence.
The company must put
in place measures to minimise waste and
noise impacts, including noise generated
from pile driving and blasting.
There will be conditions
imposed on the dredging and spoil disposal
to ensure it is managed to world's best
practice to protect marine life, including
dolphins, dugongs and turtles.
With the help of an
expert panel, the company must develop and
implement a rigorous management plan including
measures to prevent, detect and respond
to impacts on marine life, and to allow
dredging methods and mitigation measures
to be changed to adapt to new information.
Inpex will be required
to permanently protect and manage around
2,000 hectares of vegetation, as well as
marine habitat for inshore dolphins, marine
turtles and dugongs.
Inpex has committed
to invest $24 million for Indigenous groups
to manage marine mammals and reptiles.
The company must also
map habitat in the Darwin Harbour region,
establish a monitoring and research program
for the harbour and research of coastal
dolphin populations and provide funding
to Australian Research Council Linkage projects.
The approval conditions
are available at: www.environment.gov.au/epbc/index.html
+ More
Large scale environmental
water release for Murrumbidgee wetlands
10 June 2011
More than 150 gigalitres of water recovered
for the environment will be delivered to
hundreds of wetlands along the Murrumbidgee
River, benefiting the Murray system as far
downstream as South Australia's Lower Lakes
and Coorong.
In the largest use of Commonwealth environment
water to date, the environmental flows will
include more than 100 gigalitres of Commonwealth
water, with additional contributions from
the NSW Government and the Murray-Darling
Basin Authority's Living Murray program.
Water Minister Tony
Burke said the river flows would fill hundreds
of small wetlands located along the Murrumbidgee
River from Gundagai through to the Murray
River.
"Restoring the
health of the River Murray is one of the
biggest environmental challenges of our
generation," Mr Burke said.
"This water will improve the river's
health and replenish river red gums and
wetlands.
"This one event,
equivalent to releasing the water in 75,000
Olympic size swimming pools, is the largest
use of Commonwealth environment water that
has occurred to date.
"Because we have
had a wet year in 2010-11 this is a real
opportunity to build on good flows and carry
over water in dams for future use. In effect
this means that there is improved insurance
for the environment when drier times return."
NSW Minister for the
Environment, Robyn Parker said these environmental
water flows will provide a big boost to
the health of the wetlands of NSW and vital
replenishment for river red gums and other
wetland vegetation.
"The wetlands provide
vital habitat for rare, endangered and vulnerable
species including waterbirds, frogs and
other wildlife, including the endangered
Southern Bell Frog," Ms Parker said.
"The delivery of
this water has been carefully planned in
close consultation with local and regional
stakeholders through the Murrumbidgee environmental
water advisory group."
Environmental water
will build on the benefits from recent river
flows in spring 2010, which filled many
wetlands for the first time in 10 years.
Watering these wetlands now means they will
stay full through winter and spring providing
vegetation with their best chance to flourish.
The flow into the Murrumbidgee
River will be delivered through releases
from Burrinjuck and Blowering Dams over
approximately 10 days commencing on 14 June
with assistance from the NSW State Water
Corporation and the NSW Office of Environment
and Heritage.
The watering action
is supported by local landholders with several
private water holders contributing water
to the Commonwealth and to NSW as part of
the release. The action uses water set aside
for the environment and will not affect
water allocations for local irrigators or
stock and domestic users.
