Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) yesterday received notification from the Northern Territory Minister for Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts and Sports (NRETAS) advising that the operation’s Heap Leach Facility project will require formal environmental assessment under the Northern Territory Environmental Assessment Act (EAA) at the level of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
The Minister also noted that the project was a controlled action under the Environmental Protection & Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act), and confirmed that the environmental assessment for the project would be conducted in accordance with the bilateral agreement between the Commonwealth and Northern Territory Governments.
The Northern Territory Government will now prepare draft guidelines detailing the matters to be addressed in the EIS and will advertise for public comment.
Separately, on May 18, DEWHA announced on its public website that ERA’s proposed Exploration Decline was not a controlled action requiring further environmental assessment under the EPBC Act.
The company has not yet received any notification from the NTG as to whether the Exploration Decline project.
On 16 March 2009 ERA announced that it had lodged a Referral with the Commonwealth Department of Environment, Water, Heritage & the Arts (DEWHA) under the EPBC Act for construction of a Heap Leach Facility at ERA's Ranger mine near Jabiru, in the Northern Territory of Australia.
ERA separately applied for the approval of the Northern Territory Government under the EAA.
On 15 April 2009 ERA announced it had lodged a further Referral with DEWHA under the EPBC Act and a separate application for approval with the State Government for construction of an Exploration Decline at Ranger for further delineation of the mineralised zone in the area known as Ranger 3 Deeps.
On April 15 DEWHA announced on its public website that the proposed Heap Leach Facility was a controlled action under the EPBC Act, requiring further environmental assessment, with the level of assessment to be determined.
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