The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has concluded its assessment of a proposal by Bluestone Mines Tasmania Joint Venture Pty Ltd (BMTJV) for a Permanent Non-Acid Forming (NAF) Aggregate Storage Facility at Renison Bell in the West Coast Council municipality.
The proposal is to operate the NAF Aggregate Storage Facility at the Renison Bell Mine on a permanent basis following conclusion of a trial. The Aggregate Storage Facility is proposed to receive up to 120,000 tonnes (75,000 cubic metres) of NAF waste rock per year.
EPA's Acting Executive Director Environmental Assessments, Helen Mulligan, who made the determination under delegation from the EPA Board, concluded that the proposed development can be managed in an environmentally sustainable and acceptable manner, with conditions. The delegate of the EPA Board requires these conditions to be included in any permit subsequently granted by the West Coast Council.
“Various environmental issues were considered in the assessment, particularly waste rock management and its characterisation alongside surface water quality. The proposal involves the storage of NAF waste rock which has the potential to impact surface water quality beyond the boundary of the site," said Ms Mulligan.
"As a delegate of the EPA Board, I have therefore imposed conditions requiring BMTJV to only place NAF waste rock, and not Potential Acid Forming (PAF) waste rock, in the Aggregate Storage Facility to ensure acidic mine drainage is not generated. BMTJV will be required to maintain their existing surface water and leachate management measures with ongoing water monitoring and reporting."
Public consultation was open for 28 days from 25 September 2024. No representations were received in relation to the proposal.
The proposal was considered by the Board's delegate in the context of the sustainable development objectives of the Resource Management and Planning System of Tasmania (RMPS), and in the context of the objectives of the Environmental Management and Pollution Control System (EMPCS) established by the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 EMPCA).
The functions of the EPA Board are to administer and enforce the provisions of EMPCA, to further the RMPS and EMPCS objectives and, in particular, to use its best endeavours to protect the environment of Tasmania.
The Delegate of the EPA Board undertook assessment of the proposal in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Principles defined in Section 74 of the Act.
The environmental assessment report, including the environmental conditions, has been issued to West Coast Council and provided to BMTJV.
This decision and all assessment documents can be viewed on the EPA website at Permanent Non-Acid Forming Aggregate Storage Facility, Renison Bell | EPA Tasmania.
Published on:
3/03/2025