PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has updated its guidelines and procedures for environmental-impact assessments, in line with recommendations from an independent legal and governance review.

The new framework organised the EPA’s suite of documents in a logical and hierarchical manner, while public participation opportunities through the EPA processes remain unchanged.

“The improvements we have made will allow easy navigation of our guidelines and procedures, underpinning our commitment to increase the soundness, transparency and robustness of our advice,” EPA chairperson Dr Tom Hatton said this week.

“Importantly, none of these changes will lesson environmental protection.”

Hatton said the improvements included updating the administrative procedures to more closely align with the Environmental Protection Act and provided more flexibility in how proposals were assessed. 

The EPA’s environmental factors and objectives have also been updated to reflect the principles of the Act.

Hatton said the changes were effective immediately for new proposals. The Office of the EPA would consult with proponents with current proposals over transition arrangements.

The Western Australian Chamber of Minerals and Energy (CME) has welcomed the new policy and procedures, saying it would provide increased clarity and certainty for Western Australia’s resources sector.

CME CEO Reg Howard-Smith said the review would lead to an increase in confidence in environmental regulation in Western Australia.

“Community confidence of environmental regulation in Western Australia is of utmost importance to the resources sector.

“This new policy framework will enable the community to have confidence the environmental merits of projects are based on a thorough and rigorous legal process.

“The timely manner in which this review has been completed by the EPA has helped mitigate unnecessary delays for resources projects undergoing environmental-impact assessments,” Howard-Smith said.  

In developing the new framework, the EPA consulted with members of the board’s stakeholder reference group, which is made up of representatives from community conservation groups, peak industry bodies and government departments.