PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has approved plans by multinational Perdaman to construct and operate a urea plant within the Burrup Strategic Industrial Area.
Perdaman is proposing to invest $4.5-billion to develop the plant that will transform natural gas into urea, a widely used form of fertiliser for production of food for the future generation. Perdaman has secured natural gas for 20 years from Woodside under the gas supply agreement signed in November 2018.
The facility will produce two-million tons of urea a year, estimated to generate more than $850-million a year in export earnings for Western Australia.
Perdaman is hoping to achieve full production at the project by the second quarter of 2025.
EPA chairperson Professor Matthew Tonts said the conditions imposed on the approval reflected the Authority’s commitment to ensuring the protection of the Murujuga peninsula’s unique environmental values, including the nearby rock art.
He said the Murujuga petroglyphs had deep meaning for the Traditional Owners and were recognised as having immense state, national and international significance.
“The proponent will need to demonstrate that the project has no adverse impacts that accelerate the weathering of the rock art,” Tonts said.
“We believe there is sufficient time before Perdaman operations begin for monitoring associated with the Murujuga Rock Art Strategy to be undertaken to develop detailed air quality standards that ensure this level of protection.”
He said the EPA was particularly appreciative of the significant contribution to the assessment by representatives of the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation.
A new study on the cumulative impacts of ambient air emissions in the Murujuga airshed was also considered as part of the environmental impact assessment. These predictive findings will continue to inform current and future environmental impact assessments undertaken by the EPA in this region.
The EPA’s report to the Minister for Environment is now open for a two-week public appeal period, closing September 20.