Environmental Impact Assessment

Video outlining WA's environmental assessment process

Referral

In March 2024 Westport initiated the environmental impact assessment process for the project with referral of the proposed marine and landside port infrastructure to the Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). 

Public comment on Westport's referral documentation was open between 19 - 25 March 2024. The EPA subsequently determined:

• The port proposal will be subject to Public Environmental Review, the highest level of assessment under the EP Act.
• An Environmental Scoping Document will be released for a 2-week public comment period.
• An Environmental Review Document will be released for an 8-week public comment period.

To read Westport's referral document and the EPA's decision on the level of assessment please visit the EPA's website.

Assessment decision and scoping

The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) held a public comment period on Westport’s Environmental Scoping Document for the proposed marine and landside port infrastructure.

'Scoping' is the next step in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process following referral earlier this year. The purpose of the Scoping Document is to specify the form and content requirements of the Environmental Review Document that we will produce as part of the Public Environmental Review.

Public comment on the Environmental Scoping Document opened for 2 weeks from 14 November to 28 November 2024. 

You can read the Environmental Scoping Document on the EPA's website under the 'assessment' section.

Hard copies of the Scoping Document were also available at:

• Darius Wells Library – Chisham Avenue and Robbos Way, Kwinana City Centre WA 6167
• Fremantle Library – Walyalup Civic Centre, 151 High Street, Fremantle WA 6160
• Rockingham Library – Dixon Road, Rockingham WA 6168
• Safety Bay Library – 197 Safety Bay Road, Safety Bay WA 6169
• Spearwood Library – 9 Coleville Crescent, Spearwood WA 6163
• State Library of Western Australia – Perth Cultural Centre, 25 Francis St, Perth WA 6000

The final Environmental Scoping Document will be updated and approved by the EPA following the consideration of public submissions. 

Public environmental review

Following approval of the scoping document, Westport will progress to the Public Environmental Review phase where an Environmental Review Document will be prepared and submitted to the EPA. The EPA will then publish for an 8-week public comment period in line with its referral decision.

The EPA will evaluate if the environmental impacts can be managed to meet the objective for each environmental factor. This will likely require appropriate environmental offsets.

Ministerial decision

The WA Minister for Environment will consider the EPA’s assessment report and any appeals before determining, in consultation with other ministers and decision-making authorities, whether the project should be allowed to proceed, and if so, under what conditions.

If the WA Minister for Environment determines that a proposal may be implemented, a Ministerial Approval Statement is issued with a set of conditions and procedures that the proponent must comply with to proceed.

Learn more about the WA environmental approvals process at the EPA website.

Referral

Referral is the first stage of the Commonwealth environmental assessment process under the under the EPBC Act. At the referral stage, the environment minister determines if a proposed ‘action’ requires assessment (a ‘controlled action’), does not require assessment (‘not a controlled action’) or is clearly unacceptable.  

Following a public comment period from 28 June to 12 July, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) determined Westport’s proposed marine and landside port infrastructure is a Controlled Action under the EPBC Act and will be assessed through a Public Environment Report (PER). 

Assessment Guidelines

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) called for public comment on Westport’s Assessment Guidelines for the proposed marine and landside port infrastructure.  

The Assessment Guidelines outline the requirements for the Commonwealth Public Environmental Report (PER).  

The public comment period commenced on 25 November and was open until 6 December 2024.

Assessment

As part of the assessment process, the draft assessment documents will be published for public comment. The public comment period is anticipated to be at least 10 business days.

Following a review of comments, the assessment documents will be updated to reflect how public comments have been considered and responded to.

The final assessment documents will then be published for the public to view. There is no public comment period at this stage.

Ministerial decision

Following an assessment from DCCEEW, the Commonwealth environment minister decides whether to approve a controlled action and whether there are conditions to an approval.

Learn more about the EPBC Act approvals process here.

Public participation is a key component of environmental impact assessment process.

The EP Act and EPBC Act provides for several opportunities throughout the process for public engagement and submissions (as outlined above), via the WA EPA’s consultation hub and the Australian Government’s EPBC Act Public Portal.

In addition, Westport will also be communicating with community throughout the process and providing ongoing opportunities for engagement and feedback.

At the completion of the assessment process, the EPA will publish its assessment report and provide copies to the WA and Australian ministers. Anyone can lodge an appeal on the EPA’s report within 14 days of publication.

• State Process - view assessment status and documentation.
• Commonwealth Process - view assessment status and documentation.