Strategic assessment of BHP Billiton iron ore expansion for the Pilbara

Approval

On 19 June 2017, the Minister approved actions associated with developing future iron ore mines and associated infrastructure in the Pilbara region of Western Australia as described in the endorsed Program.

Background

On 18 September 2012, the Australian Government and BHP Billiton Iron Ore Pty Ltd agreed to undertake a strategic assessment in accordance with Section 146(1) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The strategic assessment covers an area in the Pilbara region of Western Australia and assessed the cumulative impacts of their future iron ore mines on matters protected under the EPBC Act. This is the first strategic assessment the Department has undertaken with a private proponent.

Why was a strategic assessment undertaken?

Strategic assessments provide an alternative to the project-by-project impact assessment under Part 9 of the EPBC Act and enable proponents to examine proposed developments at a broader landscape scale and timeframe, taking into consideration impacts on protected matters.

The BHP Billiton strategic assessment considered the cumulative impacts on protected matters from activities associated with:

  • the development of new iron ore mines, associated infrastructure and their use;
  • expansion of existing iron ore mines, associated infrastructure and their use; and
  • all activities associated with environmental management under the Program; and
  • activities associated with the decommissioning, rehabilitation and/or closure of an iron ore mine within a defined strategic assessment boundary in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

The strategic assessment ensures that protected matters are protected from the risk of unacceptable impacts from the implementation of BHP Billiton Iron Ore’s Pilbara Strategic Assessment Program, May 2017. This Program sets the rules how BHP Billiton must protect the environment. The strategic assessment also provides long term legal certainty and a streamlined regulatory process.

What will be protected

The strategic assessment limits the environmental impact that BHP Billiton may have in the assessment area of the Pilbara. The fauna species to be protected are the Northern Quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus), Greater Bilby (Macrotis lagotis), Pilbara Leaf-nosed Bat (Rhinonicteris aurantia), Pilbara Olive Python (Liasis olivaceus barroni), and the flora species Hamersley Lepidium (Lepidium catapycnon).

What are some of the environmental outcomes

The approval is subject to regulatory controls and a key requirement of the conditions is that BHP Billiton must obtain further approval from the Minister every five years before they can start new mining activities. Further approval will be based on successful achievement of outcomes for protected species. The public will also have an opportunity to comment each time BHP Billiton plans for a new mine or revises the environmental management plans.

BHP Billiton will protect new species and other protected matters that are listed under the EPBC Act. The landscape scale nature of the assessment means that BHP Billiton will be able to invest and coordinate offsets throughout the Pilbara for the life of the approval, getting the best possible benefit for the environment.

Agreement

The Agreement and Terms of Reference, and variation can be accessed below.

Public consultation process

BHP Billiton’s draft Impact Assessment Report and draft Program were open for public comment from 21 March to 2 May 2016. These documents can be found on the BHP Billiton web site at: www.bhpbilliton.com/society/regulatory

Endorsement

Following the public consultation period, BHP Billiton Iron Ore’s Program was endorsed on 11 May 2017 by the Minister.

Further information