Western Australia EPA withdraws revised GHG guidelines

March 15, 2019
Western Australia’s Environmental Protection Authority has withdrawn its revised guidelines on mitigation of greenhouse gases announced last week, promising instead a greater consultation process with companies potentially impacted. The move follows criticism from industry as well as a statement from Environment Minister Stephen Dawson saying that independent WAEPA guidance is not government policy, nor is it binding on the government.

Western Australia’s Environmental Protection Authority (WAEPA) has withdrawn its revised guidelines on mitigation of greenhouse gases (GHG) announced last week, promising instead a greater consultation process with companies potentially impacted (OGJ Online, Mar. 8, 2019).

The move follows criticism from industry as well as a statement from Environment Minister Stephen Dawson saying that independent WAEPA guidance is not government policy, nor is it binding on the government. Dawson said the government will undertake broad consultation to ensure that environmental, social, and economic impacts are fully understood as part of its response.

WAEPA Chairman Tom Hatton acknowledged that further discussion is merited to ensure that industry and stakeholders can anticipate how the guidelines can apply to new or expanding projects in the state.

Hatton said WAEPA does not resile from the need to reduce Western Australia’s GHG emissions, nor does the organization resile from its absolute right and obligation to provide advice to the government on these matters.

However, Hatton said, it is important that the detail of such advice is more fully developed, and the practical applications are well understood. As a result, WAEPA will be undertaking consultation with industry and stakeholders to ensure these guidelines can be practically implemented and that they are fully complementary to Australian federal government regulation.

Hatton said consequently WAEPA is withdrawing the revised guidelines from application until those consultations with industry and stakeholders are more fully complete.

Last week’s revised guidelines announcement said that WAEPA intended to recommend offsets for project proposals with direct emissions above 100,000 tonnes/year of carbon dioxide equivalent.

The environment minister responded by saying that it is important to ensure that projects have certainty for the long term. He added that the Western Australia government is fully supportive of the state’s job-creating LNG industry and will listen to their views as part of its response to the WAEPA.

The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) said the guidelines announced last week threatened to chill investment in Western Australia’s major industries. Following this week’s new statement by WAEPA, APPEA Chief Executive Malcolm Roberts welcomed the change of heart and the withdrawal of guidelines that he said imposed unprecedented constraints on investment in new projects.

Roberts added that a policy framework must be achieved that meets the environmental objectives, but one that also considers the social and economic impacts. He said the petroleum industry has a large role to play in achieving that balance.