James Price Point LNG precinct recommended for approval

Summary: The Browse Liquefied Natural Gas precinct at James Price Point has been recommended for strict conditional approval, Environmental Protection Authority Chairman Paul Vogel announced today.
Release Date: 16 July 2012
Details:

Dr Vogel said the assessment of the Minister for State Development’s strategic proposal was the largest and most multi-faceted ever conducted in the EPA’s 40 year history.

“The level of complexity in assessing this proposal was unprecedented,” Dr Vogel said.

“The assessment has been incredibly thorough and included wide consultation with community members and scientific experts, site visits and meetings with interest groups.

“After carefully considering each environmental factor, I have recommended a rigorous set of 29 conditions and offsets to ensure the EPA’s environmental objectives are met.”

Dr Vogel said the precinct, which will produce up to 50 million tonnes of LNG per year from the Browse basin at a site 60 km north of Broome, provides for multiple users to be co-located on a single site, avoiding a number of LNG processing sites to spread along the coast and in more sensitive parts of the Kimberley.

It has also allowed the consideration of the cumulative environmental impacts of future projects, known as derived proposals.

“The numerous conditions recommended will guide the ultimate development plan, as well as apply to specific, future LNG projects within the precinct,” Dr Vogel said.

“Future proposals will still need to be carefully scrutinised by the EPA to ensure that they were identified in the strategic proposal and fit within the strictly defined precinct footprint.”Dr Vogel said assessing James Price Point as the preferred location for the precinct had been a well thought out process.

In 2008, the Northern Development Taskforce (NDT) short-listed four potential sites from more than 40 suggested locations for a multi-user LNG precinct.

Of the four sites considered, the EPA recommended that environmental risks and impacts at James Price Point were likely to be manageable based on the available data.

“Creating any industrial undertaking, particularly one of this magnitude, will have an environmental impact, however these impacts and risks can be managed to an acceptable level,” Dr Vogel said.

The environmental impact assessment of James Price Point considered the impact on the following factors:

Marine Fauna: Dr Vogel said the population of Humpback Whales off the west coast had continued to increase exponentially since commercial whaling ceased in the 1960s, despite the significant increase in iron ore and petroleum industries over the same period.

He said turbidity from dredging, oil spills, industrial discharges, noise, light and vessel strikes had the potential to adversely impact individual whales, dolphins, turtles, dugong and fish in the area.

“Provided the strict conditions recommended are implemented, impacts to marine fauna will be managed and are unlikely to be significant at the species population level,” Dr Vogel said.

Conditions include:

• suspending marine pile driving and blasting at night during the peak southern migration of mother and calf Humpback Whale pods;
• more research into the distribution and habitats of dugong, turtles, Snubfin and Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphins to assist in long term management and conservation;
• detecting and controlling marine pests.

Seabed Habitats: Dr Vogel said dredging of 34 million cubic metres of the seabed had the potential to affect habitats that support algae, seagrass, corals and filter feeders in the area.

Proponents should be able to design and build a port in an area that is unlikely to compromise the overall ecological functioning of the marine environment provided strict conditions were applied, he said.

Conditions include:

• all dredged channels and wharves must be wholly contained within the precinct area;
• permanent impacts must not extend beyond 500 metres of dredged areas;
• proponents of future proposals will be required to use best practice in dredging and management to minimise impacts;
• proponents of derived proposals should put forward offset measures to address impacts and risks;
• surveying the marine environment before, during and after marine works to determine baseline conditions, impacts and recovery.

Marine Environmental Quality: Dr Vogel said a high level of ecological protection was necessary to ensure emissions to the marine environment did not significantly affect ecosystem health, recreation, aesthetics, fishing, aquaculture and cultural and spiritual values.

He said the proponent had also committed to preparing a comprehensive oil spill response plan.

Conditions include:

• appropriately locating wastewater discharge outlets within a tightly specified area inside the port;
• implementation of a Wastewater Discharge Monitoring and Management Plan.

Terrestrial Biota: Monsoon Vine Thicket vegetation has a high conservation value and is also important to traditional owners as a significant source of customary foods and other resources, Dr Vogel said.

Conditions include:

• losses of all types of Monsoon Vine Thicket should be limited to 132 ha due to direct and indirect impacts;
• all practical measures should be taken to limit impacts to specially protected species before clearing occurs and once infrastructure is located;
• additional reserves should be created to secure conservation of Monsoon Vine Thicket and Greater Bilby habitats;
• proponents of derived proposals put forward offset measures, including contributing to conservation initiatives.

Landscape Processes: Dr Vogel recommended that pipelines should be installed by micro-tunneling techniques and that coastal management and terrestrial erosion management programs are implemented to limit the impacts on coastal erosion.

Surface and Groundwater: Future proponents must demonstrate that any excavation can be undertaken without unacceptable impacts on Monsoon Vine Thicket vegetation.

Heritage: Dr Vogel said Aboriginal heritage matters were particularly important in this area and noted that they had been extensively addressed in agreements reached between Traditional Owners and the State Government.

“Indigenous interests have been properly heard and considered in this assessment,” he said.

Dr Vogel said he had also considered the heritage value of fossilised dinosaur track sites that occur in Broome Sandstone in the region.

Surveys, with input from Traditional Owners, local people and independent expert advisors, were conducted by international experts and independently peer reviewed.

Based on these findings, it is recommended that the precinct should not cross the shore within 900 metres of James Price Point to avoid fossil dinosaur footprints.

The EPA also recommended additional surveys occur in any areas where Broome Sandstone exists at the surface and is planned to be disturbed for this proposal.

“If fossils are found, disturbance should be avoided wherever possible,” Dr Vogel said.

“Where disturbance cannot reasonably be avoided, appropriate recovery work to salvage or properly document fossils prior to disturbance should be undertaken under the guidance of an expert and with the advice and participation of Traditional Owners.”

Air emissions: The report recommends gasses, dust, noise and light emissions are managed at best practice levels, ensuring they do not pose a threat to human health.

Greenhouse gases: Future proponents should implement best practice in design and operation to minimise greenhouse gas emissions.

Developers will also need to comply with new Commonwealth carbon tax regulations which came into effect on July 1, 2012.

It is also recommended a co-operative fire management strategy with Traditional Owners is established to limit late season fires, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from burning and help offset emissions from the proposal.

Decision

Dr Vogel said the EPA report 1444 to the Minister for Environment would now be subject to a two week public appeal period closing on July 30, 2012. The Minister for Environment will decide if the proposal can be implemented. Commonwealth approval is also required.

Media Contact: Nadia Miraudo 0400 866 450

 Download an audio clip of Dr Paul Vogel's comments (MP3 1.8 Mb)

Status: Final
Appeals close

New dolphin for James Price Point suggests inadequate environmental impact assessment: scientist

Robert Mailer and Ben Collins
ABC

Dr Simon Allen says confirmation of a dwarf dolphin not previously recorded in waters off the site for a controversial gas precinct demonstrates that the State Government's environmental impact assessment is sub-standard.

These small dolphins swimming off the West Kimberley coast could be a new species. (June 2012) (Paul Bell -Feral Films)

The dolphin researcher is part of Murdoch University's Cetacean Research Centre which last year made a public submission criticising the Department of State Development's Browse LNG Precinct Strategic Assessment Report on impacts a planned gas processing precinct would have on the marine environment.
The scientists questioned the scientific integrity of this report in part because of their claim that the survey techniques would not be able to distinguish between different species of dolphin. And sure enough, Dr Allen now says that he has determined that there is a type of dolphin not listed in the government report swimming several nautical miles off the coast of James Price Point.

"Its significance lies not in the fact that this is potentially a new species... it's remarkable that a dolphin or a whale could be unknown..."

Dr Allen is yet to confirm the identity of the miniature dolphin which reaches a size of around a metre-and-a-half at maturity. It appears most like the dwarf spinner dolphin found in the Gulf of Thailand, but may yet prove to be a unique species. But Dr Allen is keen to focus on what the dolphin's discovery says about the survey conducted for the State Government's Strategic Assessment rather than the excitement of what may be a species new to science.

"We surely cannot rely on a decision maker to make an assessment on such a large proposal based on an environmental impact assessment that can't identify between one species and another" says Dr Allen.
Woodside petroleum, which is investigating the site of the State Government's gas precinct planned for James Price Point released a statement in response to Dr Allen's criticisms of the marine surveys:
"The Browse LNG Development has invested more than $80 million in environmental studies over many years to provide us with baseline environmental data. This data helps us understand what potential environmental impacts our development may have, and develop best practice approaches to avoiding, mitigating and managing those impacts. The baseline data also provides us with a dataset that we will use to monitor the Browse LNG Development's ongoing environmental performance.

This information also forms the basis of the environmental impact assessments we have supplied to regulators as part of the environmental approvals processes.

The environmental studies, impact assessments and management plans for both the Upstream EIS and the Strategic Assessment have been released for public review and comment and are now before regulators for assessment."

BUSINESS 'Mini dolphin' discovered near site of gas port

GRAHAM LLOYD, ENVIRONMENT EDITOR 

From:

The Australian 

June 02, 2012 12:00AM

A MINIATURE dolphin species has been discovered off the Kimberley coast near the site of the controversial James Price Point gas hub.

Murdoch University dolphin researcher Simon Allen said photographs and biopsy samples from the miniature dolphins, the adults of which appear to measure just 1.5m, had confirmed the significance of the find.

A Woodside Petroleum spokesman said the Browse joint venture had spent more than $80 million to undertake environmental studies, including comprehensive studies of whales and other marine life.

"We are focused on designing our facilities and preparing for construction and operational activities that consider and manage the full range of environmental impacts," the spokesman said.

But Mr Allen said many dolphins had simply been listed as "unidentified" in Woodside's environmental assessment, and that no distinction was made between the normal spinner dolphin and this miniature dolphin.

More data is required to determine whether the miniature dolphin is related to the spinner dolphin, which measures about 2m and has been identified in the area, or the dwarf spinner dolphin, which is known to inhabit the Gulf of Thailand. Two tissue samples from the miniature dolphin have been analysed at a laboratory in Zurich and the test results confirmed the dolphin was a new discovery for the area.

Mr Allen and his colleagues are collecting more samples for further testing. He said it was possible the dolphin would be found to be a new species.

Despite dolphins being some of the most charismatic and popular animals on the planet, Mr Allen said very little was known of the different species across northern Australia. He added that the find reinforced how little was known about life in our 

Kimberley Cetacean Survey Online

Read Kimberley Whale Watching's 2011 Cetacean Survey Report online

Open publication - Free publishing - More broome

Press Release: 2011 Kimberley Cetacean Report Released

PRESS RELEASE

Kimberley Whale Watching has just released their 2011 Kimberley Cetacean Report 2011.  The report highlights the importance of the Dampier Peninsula and the Kimberley's outer shoals and reefs to the Breeding Stock D population of Humpback whales.

Breeding Stock D is thought to be the world's largest population of whales and undertakes and annual migration from the frigid waters of the Antarctic to the Kimberley's warm tropical waters to mate and give birth.

Richard Costin of Kimberley Whale Watching says "the Commonwealth Government should reassess its priorities and the boundaries for the proposed Kimberley Marine Reserve, and extend the boundaries along the Dampier Peninsula south to Eco Beach and upgrade the classification to IUCN 2.

"This is essential" Mr Costin says "to provide protection for the main breeding grounds for the Breeding Stock D population of Humpback whales.

The report is available for download from Kimberley Whale Watching's website: www.kimberleywhales.com.au

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Murdoch researchers slam gas hub report

Updated November 11, 2011 15:29:42

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-11/university-scientists-condemn-environmental-report-on-kimberley/3660968

A key document examining the potential impact on marine mammals of a proposed liquefied natural gas precinct near Broome has drawn criticism from scientists.

A team from Murdoch University's Cetacean Research Unit says it has very little confidence in the report's scientific integrity and what it calls its "unfounded" conclusions.

The "Strategic Assessment Report", prepared by the Department of State Development, is designed to provide advice to the State and Federal governments on whether to give final approval to the gas hub which would span 3,530 hectares of land and sea at James Price Point, north of Broome.

The document's many findings include a prediction that activities associated with the LNG hub are unlikely to have an impact on dolphins in the area because the animals are likely to exhibit avoidance responses such as faster dive times and high-speed swimming.

The report also found that dugongs are not likely to be affected by a loss of seagrass due to dredging because they will relocate to adjacent areas to look for food.

On the subject of the estimated 13-thousand humpback whales that migrate through the area each year, the report found they successfully cross shipping corridors with little evidence of vessel strikes further south at Port Hedland and Dampier ports.

But, in a scathing submission, four scientists from Murdoch's Cetacean Research Unit have questioned many of the report's findings.

"There has been no targeted effort to identify and quantify the abundance of dolphin species ... this is a glaring omission in the Environmental Impact Assessment," the submission says.

"Thus the conclusion that the activities associated with the development of the precinct port area is unlikely to impact these species (humpback dolphin, snubfin dolphin) is unsubstantiated and based on field efforts that were aimed at quantifying humpback whale and dugong numbers only."

The unit's Amanda Hodgson told the ABC that a Murdoch University research team had recorded multiple groups of snubfin, Indo-Pacfic humpback and bottlenose dolphins just north and south of James Price Point during a boat-based survey in July last year.

"The coastal dolphins that we know occur along the Dampier Peninsula include humpback and snubfin dolphins and both of those species generally have small populations, small home ranges and they rely on very specific habitats ... so they can't just avoid the area if they're disturbed by this development," she said.

"The broad conclusions that they've come to are not necessarily supported by the scientific literature."

The report's assessment of the impact on dugongs has also been questioned by the Murdoch team which cited the case of Hervey Bay in Queensland where they say the widespread loss of seagrass from a cyclone resulted in the death and emigration of many dugongs.

On the subject of humpback whales, the scientists argue many of the findings in the report are "unreliable".

They have described the report's prediction that whales will successfully cross shipping corridors as "inappropriate" because it is based on a study of just three, satellite-tagged whales traversing the Port Hedland and Dampier Port areas in September, 2010.

"We certainly know that humpback whales get hit by boats and are disturbed by boats," Dr Hodgson said.

"There's plenty of literature to suggest that the impact of boat strikes is significant on humpback whales."

The Department of State Development has defended the report, saying it is based on the findings of work by reputable scientists.

The department says it has received more than 11,000 submissions since the report was released for public comment late last year and that draft responses have been prepared for about 1,000 issues raised in the submissions.

The State's Environmental Protection Authority is expected to make a recommendation to the WA Environment Minister, Bill Marmion, on whether the gas hub should go ahead, and under what conditions, in February.

The project also needs to be approved by the Federal Environment Minister, Tony Burke.

Marine reserves not enough: report

FLIP PRIOR, The West Australian

November 10, 2011, 5:40 pm

The Federal Government's proposed marine reserves in WA's north-west do not go far enough to protect cetacean species including humpback whales and snub-nosed dolphins, leaving them increasingly vulnerable to threats from the growing oil and gas industry, a new report claims.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare report, compiled by marine scientists, described the region's waters extending from Kalbarri up to the WA-NT border as the "last great whale haven" in Australia, which include the world's largest humpback whale population.

The report recorded 32 cetacean species as living in or migrating to the area, but just four - the snubfin dolphin, Indo-Pacific humpback and bottlenose dolphins and humpback whale - are recognised in the Federal Government's proposed bioregional plan.

With their highly refined acoustic senses, cetaceans are vulnerable to human-generated noise pollution from dredging, construction, explosions and seismic surveys and drilling, as well as fisheries, shipping and habitat degradation.

The Government's marine reserves offered little protection to the animals when "vast tracts" of ocean were being handed over to oil and gas companies for exploitation, the report said.

Areas of greatest risk identified by the report included the Exmouth Gulf, Ningaloo Reef, Barrow Island, Quondong Point and James Price Point, Browse Island, Scott Reef and Ashmore Reef.

Environs Kimberley spokesman Martin Pritchard said less than one per cent of the north-west marine area was protected.

"We are really concerned that the Federal Government will cave into the demands of the oil and gas industry rather than protect marine life up here," he said.

"In their draft plan, they could have taken the opportunity to put in a reserve adjoining the proposed State Government North Kimberley marine park proposal - but they haven't."

There was only one highly protected area within the Kimberley Marine Reserve, placed specifically to protect the humpback whale calving grounds.

Kimberley whale expert Richard Costin said the report indicated that Commonwealth and State marine reserves systems showed a lack of coordination and did not actually provide any meaningful protection for cetaceans.

"The classic example, of course, is the proposed Camden Sound marine park, which has only a very small sanctuary area set aside for the humpback whales," he said.

"That hasn't continued on into Commonwealth waters to probably the most important area that runs across to Adele Island through the outer shoals and down to Eco Beach.

"All the boundaries for the proposed marine parks have done is provide certainty for access to the oil and gas industry."

IFAW campaigns officer Matthew Collis said the north-west waters were globally environmentally significant with incredible diversity of whales and dolphins and needed stronger protection and more research to be carried out.

"Of the proposed reserves, only three are highly protected and two are far offshore," Mr Collis said. "Even that highly protected area (in the Kimberley) doesn't cover all the areas in which the humpback whales breed and calve."

Environment Minister Bill Marmion said State Government was committed to expanding the marine parks system in WA, including the four proposed in Camden Sound, Eighty Mile Beach, Roebuck Bay and North Kimberley.

He said the State and Commonwealth Governments had agreed to work collaboratively in planning processes and provide complementary conservation measures across jurisdictional boundaries wherever possible.

However, there was no overlap between marine park and reserve proposals in Commonwealth waters, and those in State waters, he said