Stronger environmental protection announced for the Pilbara

Minister for the Environment and Energy Josh Frydenberg and Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Matthew Canavan have announced a strategic assessment program agreed between the Turnbull government and BHP that will apparently protect the unique environment of the Pilbara as well as support the environmentally sustainable development of iron ore mines.

The agreement states that BHP will apply the strongest environmental standards to all new mining operations in the Pilbara. The company will consult the community on new activities and report publicly on its environmental performance. The program will be subject to regulatory oversight by the federal government, with regular review and approval required as well as a limit on environmental impacts.

BHP has also promised to invest in conservation measures across the Pilbara that will benefit nationally protected species, including the northern quoll, the Pilbara leaf-nosed bat and the Pilbara olive python. By investing in this work over several years, this gives the community confidence that environmental standards must be applied to all future mining activity.

For more information on the program, click here.