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PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Energy major Woodside has welcomed a decision by the Supreme Court of Western Australia to dismiss the two proceedings brought against the chairperson of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) challenging the Pluto liquefied natural gas (LNG) and Karratha gas plant (KGP) environmental approvals made in 2019.
The proceedings were commenced by the Conservation Council of Western Australia (CCWA).
Woodside on Tuesday welcomed the Court’s decisions and said that it would continue to progress the Scarborough and Pluto Train 2 projects and the startup of the Pluto-KGP Interconnector.
First production from the eight-million-tonne-a-year Scarborough project is targeted for 2026. The Scarborough gasfield will be connected through new offshore facilities via a 430-km pipeline to a proposed expansion of the existing Pluto LNG onshore facility.
The project is expected to cost $12-billion to develop.
Woodside announced at the end of November 2021 that CCWA had commenced separate Supreme Court proceedings challenging the Pluto Train 2 project works approval. A hearing date is yet to be set.
CCWA executive director Maggie Wood on Tuesday expressed disappointment at the Supreme Court’s decision.
“From the outset, we have maintained that the EPA failed to properly assess Woodside’s Scarborough gas development and that unless this oversight was challenged, there would be no way for West Australians to know the damage it would cause to our environment. We continue to hold that view,” she said.
“We brought this matter before the court in good faith and as an issue of considerable public interest. As a charity which is funded by the generosity of our supporters, we are not predisposed to pursuing matters in the courts. However, after other avenues, including lengthy negotiation and talks with the EPA, failed to reach agreement, we reluctantly sought legal advice which has culminated in today’s decision.
“The Scarborough proposal will bring dangerous levels of carbon and methane pollution, accelerate climate damage and have a serious impact on the prevalence of extreme weather events, like bushfires. Today’s decision does not change these facts and we remain opposed to this damaging proposal.
“We are now considering our options in light of today’s decision.”