Conservation groups have commended Commonwealth Environment Minister and her Department for pressuring Texan owned oil and gas company’s Black Mountain subsidiary ‘Bennett Resources Ltd’ to withdraw a proposal for fracking in the world-renowned Kimberley region of Western Australia.
The ‘Valhalla’ project was withdrawn by Bennett following its referral to the Commonwealth for assessment under the EPBC Act. Ten years after the battle to stop a Woodside LNG facility at James Price Point in the Kimberley, the Texan owned oil and gas company wants this pristine region opened up for fracking.
Following inquiries from Environs Kimberley and a stinging critique of the proposal in a comprehensive submission backed up by hydrologists and environmental experts, the Commonwealth environment department, DCCEEW, confirmed that the project was put on hold while more information was requested.
Snap protest in Broome. Photo: Danny Estcourt.
The original referral to the Commonwealth of 6 oil and gas wells when the company had referred a 20 well project to the West Australian EPA was likely a major factor according to Environs Kimberley Director of Strategy, Martin Pritchard:
“Fracking the Kimberley is an outrageous proposal that would be ruled out by any government that understands the incredible value of the region to the Nation – its stunning landscapes, intact nature and rich culture.
“The Albanese government committed to World Heritage listing at the last election for the Kimberley but unfortunately when an oil and gas company puts a proposal forward, it must be assessed under the EPBC Act.
“In this case it was obvious there was a serious technical issue that was too problematic for the company to be able to get around and they’ve withdrawn.
“We’re calling on the Prime Minister to step in and bring this to a head - he needs to broker an agreement with Western Australia’s Cook government to rule out fracking altogether in the Kimberley. Anything less is unconscionable.”
Climate change scientists at global analysis organisation Climate Analytics headed by Bill Hare released a report this week Fracking the Kimberley: the Canning Basin development plans on the potential fracking scenario in the Kimberly and has found it could produce globally significant carbon emissions and have thousands of oil and gas wells with a pipeline to Woodside’s North West Shelf.
The EPBC withdrawal came on the same day as thousands of submissions were handed in to the WA EPA calling on them to reject the proposal.
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