Overview and update of major proposals that require Environmental Impact Assessment
Important Acronyms:
- EIA – Environmental Impact Assessment
- EPA – Environmental Protection Authority
- ESC – Environmental Scoping Document (outlines the scope, timing and procedure for the environmental review)
- ERD – Environmental Review Document
- PER – Public Environmental Review
- EP Act – Environmental Protection Act 1986
- DCCEEW – Department Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
- EPBC – Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation
- EPBC Act – Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
- DMPA – Dredge Material Placement Area
Gascoyne Gateway Marine Complex
Gascoyne Gateway proposes to build, own, and operate a multi-purpose marine complex located approximately 10 kilometres south of Exmouth township. This facility will accommodate a variety of vessels, including, but not limited to, cruise liners, defence and marine supply vessels, and support associated with ecotourism activities.
The proposal includes a land-based component designed to support the marine infrastructure, covering a 61.63 ha marine footprint within a 79.44 ha development envelope. Key elements of the proposal include fuel storage, solar energy production, a jetty and causeway (wharf), a desalination plant with brine discharge via a pipeline fixed to the jetty and causeway, construction and maintenance dredging for the shipping channel and turning basin, and three anchorage locations within Exmouth Gulf. The ESD which WAFIC made a submission on, was approved in 2022.
At the start of this year, the EPA granted approval for amendments to the proposal in response to the proponent’s request. These amendments include a reduction of the terrestrial area, while still maintaining elements that could significantly impact the marine environment (as outlined above).
A complete list of the amendments to the proposal is available here. As a result of these changes, the EPA now requires the proponent to provide additional information before proceeding with the assessment.
More information on this proposal is available on the EPA website here.
WAFIC will be keeping a watching brief on this proposal, in the meantime if you have any comments/questions regarding this project, please contact [email protected].
Optimised Mardie Project
BCI Minerals is currently constructing a salt project and export facility, located at Mardie, 80 kilometres south-west of Karratha. The construction of the marine structures, including the jetty, is now 74 per cent complete. A significant amount of dredging is required to achieve the necessary depth for both the berth pocket and a 4.9-kilometre channel leading to deeper water.
Originally, approval was granted for the disposal of dredge spoil on land; however, BCI Minerals is now proposing to change the disposal site to an offshore DMPA.
BCI Minerals has made a referral under the EPBC Act and applied for a Sea Dumping Permit to DCCEEW. After consulting with both BCI Minerals and potentially impacted fishers, WAFIC sent BCI Minerals and DCCEEW (Sea dumping section) a formal letter objecting to the proposal and has made a submission to the EPBC during the referral public comment period, determining the proposal as a “controlled action”, which is an action that the Federal Minister decides has, will have, or is likely to have, a significant impact on a protected matter. The EPBC referral Project Status is awaiting additional information.
WAFIC will be keeping a watching brief on this project, in the meantime if you have any comments/questions regarding this project, please contact [email protected].
Murchison Hydrogen Renewables
The Murchison Hydrogen Renewables (MHR) proposal is located in the Shire of Northampton, approximately 20 kilometres north of Kalbarri. The project includes a wind and solar farm, a desalination plant, a facility to produce green ammonia and an ammonia export facility, including a pipeline, export vessel mooring and product transfer infrastructure.
MHR proposal has been awarded major project status by the Federal Minister for Industry and Science, a status which enables projects facing complex regulatory challenges to get extra support and coordinated approvals. The EPA approved the proponents ESD in 2024.
Towards the end of 2024, the project requested an amendment to its proposal under section 43A (s43A) of the EP Act and section 156A (s156A) of the EPBC Act. Although the amendment reduces the terrestrial footprint, it increases the marine footprint, expanding the indicative Marine Area from 566.7 hectares to 857.5 hectares. This includes the expansion of the marine export facility, additional dredging volume and longer pipeline lengths. A complete list of the amendments to the proposal is available here.
The EPA has approved the amendment to the proposal under s43A of the EP Act. However, DCCEEW is yet to decide on the changes to the proposal under s156A of the EPBC Act. MHR has not engaged in consultation with WAFIC regarding the proposed expansion of the indicative marine area, and as a key stakeholder, WAFIC is concerned with the minimal consultation we have received.
MHR project timeframe has been updated, which can be viewed here. The ERD is now scheduled to be submitted to the EPA for assessment mid-2025, with a four-week PER period for community feedback expected in Q3 2025. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, lasting approximately five years.
Given the scale of impact from a potential ammonia spill, as well as the effects of desalination and other associated marine infrastructure associated with this project on commercial fisheries and the marine environment, WAFIC will be making a submission in response to the ERD once it is released for comment.
WAFIC will be keeping a watching brief on this project, in the meantime if you have any comments/questions regarding this project, please contact [email protected].
Water Corporation water source planning in Great Southern Region
Water Corporation has officially shelved its plans for a desalination plant that would release hypersaline wastewater and cleaning agents into Frenchman Bay.
The decision follows an announcement by Premier Roger Cook confirming the plant will not proceed in this area following significant pressure from a number of impacted sectors, including fisheries, aquaculture, tourism and broader community voices.
Water Corporation will now explore other options to increase water supply to the Southwest region.
WAFIC would like to thank those fishers who were active in standing against this project, and for those fishers who provided feedback that informed WAFICs formal objection submission to Water Corporation.
For more details on Water Corporation Southern Region water source investigations, visit their website.
Water Corporation is investigating new water sources in Exmouth
Water Corporation is currently investigating new water sources in Exmouth to meet projected future demand.
The two main options being considered for Exmouth’s new drinking water source are an expansion of groundwater south of Exmouth, or a local seawater desalination plant in Exmouth Gulf, with Water Corporation commencing marine investigations in Exmouth Gulf in December 2024.
The purpose of these investigation is to identify a preferred location for a potential Exmouth Seawater Desalination Plant (SDP) intake and outfall, as well as understanding the operating risks of the proposed location and to inform an environmental impact assessment. The investigations will involve water quality vertical profiles (24 months), continuous water quality monitoring using submerged loggers (24 months), current and wave data collection (six months), benthic habitat characterisation/mapping (at least one survey) and freshwater seep identification and characterisation (at least one survey).
These investigations will inform a decision on the preferred option (groundwater expansion or seawater desalination), which is expected in 2025.
Further information, including fact sheets and maps with the SDP site options, can also be found on the project webpage.
WAFIC has notified all potentially impacted fishers in the Exmouth region. If you have any comments/concerns regarding this project, or would like a briefing from Water Corporation, please contact [email protected].
Water Corporation’s Onslow Seawater Desalination Plant
Water Corporation is currently constructing a seawater desalination plant to supply drinking water in Onslow. The desalination processing facility will be located in Beadon Bay and the seawater intake and brine wastewater release, will occur approximately 1 kilometre seaward from the shoreline.
The project involves the installation of permanent subtidal infrastructure in Beadon Bay (intake head, brine diffusers and transport pipes), a land-based processing plant and piping to the existing town storage tanks.
Early site works commenced in July 2024 and the onshore processing plant and pipelines are currently under construction. At this stage, construction of the marine pipelines is expected to start in 2025. These pipelines will be below the ground and their location will be added to navigational charts for mariners.
WAFIC has been in correspondence with Water Corporation regarding this desalination plant and has requested a fact sheet to distribute to relevant fishers so they can be informed on the marine construction stage of the project.
If you have any comments/questions regarding this project or would like to get in touch with Water Corporation, please contact [email protected]. More details of the project are available on Water Corporation website here.
Water Corporation’s Alkimos Seawater Desalination Plant
Water Corporation is currently constructing the Alkimos Seawater Desalination Plant (ASDP) as part of Perth’s Integrated Water Supply Scheme, which aims to provide additional sources of drinking water to supplement the existing metropolitan water supply.
The ASDP Proposal will be located within the Alkimos Water Precinct, approximately 40 kilometres north of the Perth, within the northwest corridor, north of Quinns Rock beach and south of Yanchep beach.
The project requires the installation of two seawater intakes and two seawater return outlets (approximately four kilometres offshore) to discharge the brine back into the marine environment.
Water Corporation have recently undertaken diving surveys 1-2 nautical miles offshore of Alkimos Beach. Findings will inform the marine construction phase of the ASDP.
WAFIC has participated in the Community Reference Panel that aims to provide Alkimos residents and relevant stakeholders with opportunities to engage in two-way consultation. The panel is held quarterly to keep residents and stakeholders informed as the project progresses. The next meeting will involve a marine construction works update and information on the marine environmental impact assessments Water Corporation have undertaken.
WAFIC will be requesting a fact sheet from Water Corporation to distribute to relevant fishers so they can be informed on the marine construction stage of the project.
If you have any comments/questions regarding this project, or would like to get in touch with Water Corporation, please contact [email protected]. More details of the project are available on Water Corporation website here.
Sino Iron Project
CITIC Pacific Mining (CPM) plans to undertake a capital dredging programme at the Port of Cape Preston, where magnetite concentrate is exported. This dredging will return the harbour to natural depth and enable CPM contractors to utilise vessels with a deeper draft and larger capacity.
CPM has already received approval through the EPA to undertake dredging and is authorised to approximately 4.5 million cubic metres of dredged material. CPM has now applied for a Sea Dumping Permit from DCCEEW to dispose of dredged material at an offshore DMPA.
CPM has informed WAFIC that after having undertaken modelling of dredge plumes and evaluation of potential environmental impacts to marine and benthic organisms to support the Sea Dumping Permit Application, CPM does not believe there are potential impacts to commercial fisheries in the area. WAFIC has distributed information on this proposal to relevant licence holders and received minimal feedback.
If this proposal concerns you or you have any comments/questions, please contact [email protected].
Cambridge Gulf Marine Sand
Boskalis Australia is proposing to source marine sands from Cambridge Gulf, north of Wyndham, for export to overseas construction projects.
The proposal is vessel-based with life span of up to 15 years and will involve a Sand Production Vessel and a large Trailer Suction Hopper Dredger. The operational area is 100 square kilometres in the central part of Cambridge Gulf and is proposed to export up to 70 million cubic metres of sand over the 15-year project time frame.
Given the impacts of dredging on the marine environment and the sheer scale of the project, WAFIC has made a submission to the EPA requesting a PER, which is the most extensive review option.
WAFIC will be keeping a watching brief on the EPA’s decision, in the meantime if you have any comments/questions regarding this project, please contact [email protected].
Western Green Energy Hub
The Western Green Energy Hub is a proposal to design, construct and operate a large-scale wind and solar power project for green ammonia production. The proposal is located within a 2,269,015 hectare development envelope extending from the far southeast of Western Australia in the Shire of Dundas and City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, to the northwest of Eucla in the South Coast Region. The coastal and offshore components comprise a marine offloading facility, desalination plant, brine pipeline and an ammonia (or other vector) export pipeline, set within State Waters only, requiring 198 hectares of permanent seabed clearance.
Given the scale of impact from a potential ammonia spill, as well as the effects of desalination and other associated marine infrastructure associated with this project on south coast commercial fisheries and the marine environment, WAFICs preferred option for decision by EPA is Assess – PER, which is the most extensive review option. The EPA has determined the proposal requires a PER, which aligned with WAFICs submission.
The proponent has not yet engaged in consultation with WAFIC, however if you have any comments/questions regarding this project, please contact [email protected].
Ashburton Salt
K + S Salt Australia is seeking approval by the EPA to construct and operate a 3.5 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) Solar Salt Project located approximately 40 kilometres south-west of Onslow.
This project is proposed on salt flats that form an integral part of the wetland ecosystem and land unit supporting algal mats and mangroves, which underpin the productivity of Exmouth Gulf and provide critical feeding and nursery habitat for aquatic resources.
WAFIC made a submission to the proposals ERD which highlighted the consultation issues and environmental concerns associated with the proposal. WAFIC received a briefing from K+S Salt in September 2024 regarding a project update, in which the proponent informed WAFIC they are still working through the submissions they received from the PER and are expecting additional environmental studies and assessments to be conducted.
WAFIC will be keeping a watching brief on this project, in the meantime if you have any comments/questions regarding this project, please contact [email protected].