Dear Members and Supporters,
Over the past few weeks, we have become aware that Alcoa have applied for a clearing permit to clear “up to 20 hectares” (approximately 27 football fields) of vegetation for “preliminary or minor works” to do geotechnical work in preparation for new mining infrastructure north of Serpentine Dam. The heavy machinery will not cut down trees but will knock down and disturb the understorey and break the ground surface digging 100 test pits and 16 water bores.
In that time, we have raised an opposing submission to the Department of Energy, Mining, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS) and also referred the matter for assessment to the EPA as a significant proposal. Our submissions:
- JFP Submission Opposing clearing Permit 10626 Read more…
- JFP Letter of referral to EPA re clearing permit Read more…
- EPA Form-proposal under s38_1-JFP Inc. Read more…
We are leaving all the information as to why we conducted this protest available for everyone to read here on our webpage.
WHY ARE WE TAKING PROTEST ACTION?
- This will be the first major protest against Alcoa for 45 years since building works for the Wagerup refinery commenced in 1979, and the first in- forest protest against Alcoa opposing commencement of mining works. It opposes strip mining and the destruction of endangered birds, animals and plants that lived and/or foraged in the destroyed areas. It’s also a shoutout to stop an extinction crisis in the Northern Jarrah Forest and defend our natural environment for future generations.
- Alcoa’s clearing permit was applied for on the 30th of May and they have said that they intend to do the work in July and August 2024. That will entail road closures and restricted access to OUR forest while they dig 100 test pits and sink 16 water bores all to the north of Serpentine Dam in some of the best remnant forest in the Darling Range. By acting now, we can avoid being an illegal assembly that would happen when and if a clearing permit is approved and access becomes restricted. Our intention is to keep everyone safe while sending a loud message to Alcoa and the government. We will have photographers, videographers, and journalists attending and press releases will be issued before the event, on the day of the event and afterwards.
- Alcoa’s clearing permit application relates to a much larger and more significant proposal that is before the EPA called the Pinjarra Alumina Refinery Revised Proposal (Assessment number: 2253). Typically, no works can commence until the EPA assessment is complete in 2025 except if the works are preliminary or minor. We have argued that the presence of 13 conservation significant species of fauna* found to be occurring or likely to occur near the works means that the works are a significant proposal as defined in Section 37B(1) in the EP Act and cannot be assessed at permit level but as a full blown environmental assessment. Or, as required by law, Alcoa must wait until the EPA has issued a decision on the overarching proposal (Assessment No. 2253)
(*This argument is particularly relevant to the Endangered Baudin’s Black Cockatoo known to be foraging and possibly nesting in the vicinity)
- Finally the protest is about much more – the larger and wider concern about an extinction crisis going on in the Northern Jarrah Forests right now.
The overarching proposal is for Alcoa to clear 8,323 hectares of forest in Myara North (near Jarrahdale) and Holyoake (near Dwellingup) over the next ten years. This and the impact on the ten threatened fauna species that will be affected will likely be the end of the NJF as we know it. So now is the time to stand up and shout out for our children’s future. To fight and preserve the Environmental Laws we so desperately need. The law that right now requires us, Alcoa and the government to uphold
i. The Precautionary principle
ii. The principle of intergenerational equity, and
iii. The principle of the conservation of biological diversity and ecological integrity
See Section 4A, Subsections (1),(2) and (3) of the Environmental Protection Act 1986.
ADDENDUM
Below is a map showing the effects of the last 15 years of bauxite mining extending approximately 10 km south of Serpentine Dam. Note that Alcoa entered the Reservoir Protection Zone (RPZ) 12 years ago, and intends to do so again on the northern side of Serpentine Dam despite both the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) and Water Corporation refusing to approve further expansion in the catchment let alone the RPZ! Both organisations have said mining in the water catchment is an unacceptable risk to contamination of Perth’s drinking water! While we had heard rumours that Alcoa was being blocked we had no idea how profound the objections were until WA Today and Sydney Morning Herald journalist Peter Milne obtained two documents under the Freedom of Information Act. You can read the DWER Report here, and the Water Corporation Report here.
Figure 1 – Overlay of Alcoa’s Future Pit Plan in Myara North with Estimated Erosion Risk-Rusle Method[1]
[1] Alcoa’s pit plan and the overlay of estimated erosion risk was found in Alcoa’s 2023-2027 Mining Plan, Appendix 13 Page 556 Figure H.4 The image was digitally fitted as an overlay to the Myara North footprint and serpentine dam outline to produce Figure 1. Please note that the Myara North development envelope and pit plan is based on boundaries that were current in November 2023 but have since been modified.