Environmental Approvals

After assessing The Environmental Impact Referral Document, DEWHA and the EPA determined that the proposed project should be formally assessed at the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Environmental Review and Management Programme (ERMP) levels, respectively.

To support the assessment process, a number of detailed scientific surveys and studies were undertaken for a variety of marine, terrestrial and socio-economic and cultural factors identified during scoping. The information collected provided a baseline with which to inform the assessment of potential impacts to marine, terrestrial and socio-economic and cultural environments resulting from project development.

Chevron has implemented a trial of the risk-based approach for environmental impact assessment at the request of the EPA. The risk-based approach enables the potential impacts or hazards associated with project activities to be evaluated on the basis of potential risk to the environment.

Chevron Australia has prepared the Draft EIS/ERMP in accordance with the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and the Western Australian Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act) as well as the project specific guidelines provided by the EPA and DEWHA and as set out in the Environmental Scoping Document (Chevron Australia 2009).

Wheatstone Draft EIS/ERMP Executive Summary (2.2MB)

Wheatstone Draft EIS/ERMP Volume I (Chapters 1 to 6) (20MB)

• Chapter 1:  Introduction
• Chapter 2:  Project Description
• Chapter 3:  Project Alternatives and Site Selection
• Chapter 4:  Emissions, Discharges and Wastes
• Chapter 5:  Stakeholder Consultation
• Chapter 6:  Overview of Existing Environment

Wheatstone Draft EIS/ERMP Volume II (Chapters 7 to 12) (21MB)

• Chapter 7:    Impact Assessment Methodology
• Chapter 8:    Marine Risk Assessment and Management
• Chapter 9:    Terrestrial Risk Assessment and Management
• Chapter 10:  Social Risk Assessment and Management
• Chapter 11:  Cumulative Impacts
• Chapter 12:  Environmental Management Program
• Draft EIS/ERMP Glossary, Abbreviations and Acronyms
• Draft EIS/ERMP Chapter References

Wheatstone Project Draft EIS/ERMP Technical Appendices A1, B1, C1, D1, E1 and F1 (54MB)(Smaller PDF 38MB)

• A1 Legislation and Regulatory Guidance Documents
• B1 Stakeholder Identification and consultation
• C1 Air Quality Impact Assessment
• D1 Wheatstone Project Lighting Emissions Study
• E1 Environmental Noise Impact Assessment
• F1 Wheatstone Project Groundwater Studies

Wheatstone Project Draft EIS/ERMP Technical Appendices G1, H1, I1, I2, J1, K1, L1 and M1 (51MB)(Smaller PDF 33MB)

• G1 Wheatstone Project Surface Water Assessment
• H1 Baseline Soil Quality and Landforms Assessment
• I1 A Vegetation and Flora Survey of the Wheatstone Project Area, near Onslow
• I2 Wheatstone Project Flora and Fauna Assessment Addendum
• J1 Wheatstone Project Terrestrial Fauna Survey
• K1 Survey for Migratory Waterbirds in the Wheatstone LNG Project Area, November 2008 and April 2009
• L1 Claypan Ephemeral Fauna Survey
• M1 Subterranean Fauna Assessment

Wheatstone Project Draft EIS/ERMP Technical Appendices N1 and N2 (120MB)(Smaller PDF 18MB)

• N1 Wheatstone Project Benthic Primary Producer Habitat Loss Assessment
• N2 Dredge Plume Impact Assessment

Wheatstone Project Draft EIS/ERMP Technical Appendices N3 to N10 (31MB)(Smaller PDF 13MB)

• N3 Tolerance Limits Report
• N4 Ashburton River Delta Mangrove System : Impact Assessment Report
• N5 Justification of Benthic Primary Producer Habitat Loss Assessment Unit Boundaries
• N6 Wheatstone Project 20-70m Contour Habitat Survey Field Report
• N7 Baseline Coral Community Descriptions
• N8 Survey of Benthic Habitats near Onslow, Western Australia
• N9 Deepwater Habitat Survey
• N10 Survey of Intertidal Fauna on the Islands off Onslow, Western Australia

Wheatstone Project Draft EIS/ERMP Technical Appendices N11 to N15 and O1 to O7 (49MB)(Smaller PDF 28MB)

• N11 Intertidal Habitats of the Onslow Coastline
• N12 Survey of Subtidal Habitats Off Onslow, WA
• N13 Biota of Subtidal Habitats in Pilbara Mangroves, with Particular Reference to the Ashburton Delta and Hooley Creek
• N14 Assessment of the Potential Impacts of the Proposed Pipeline Route Through the Northern-Eastern Lagoon of the Ashburton Delta
• N15 Benthic Primary Producer (Seagrass and Macroalgae) Habitats of the Wheatstone Project Area
• O1 An Assessment of Light Emissions in Relation to Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches in the Wheatstone Project Area
• 02 Sea Noise Logger Deployment: Wheatstone and Onslow - April to July 2009 Preliminary Analysis
• 03 A Description of Mega Fauna Distribution and Abundance in the SW Pilbara Using Aerial and Acoustic Surveys - Mid Study Field Report August 2009
• 04 A Description of Mega Fauna Distribution and Abundance in the SW Pilbara Using Aerial Surveys - Mid -study Report December 2009
• O5 Survey Of Fish In Hooley Creek and North-eastern Lagoon of the Ashburton Delta
• O6 Draft Marine Fauna Management Plan
• O7 Wheatstone Project Literature Review of Listed Marine Fauna

Wheatstone Project Draft EIS/ERMP Technical Appendices O8 to O12 and P1 to P2 (110MB)(Smaller PDF 30MB)

• O8 Marine Turtle Beach Survey:  Onslow Mainland Area and Nearby Islands 25 January - 6 February 2009
• O9 Possible Effects of Underwater Noise on Marine Fauna and Fish in the Wheatstone Project Area
• O10 Potential Interactions with the Onslow Prawn Managed Fishery
• 011 Marine Turtles Technical Report
• 012 Marine Mammals Technical Report

Wheatstone Project Draft EIS/ERMP Technical Appendices Q1 (180MB)(Smaller PDF 50MB)

• Dredge Spoil Modelling

Wheatstone Project Draft EIS/ERMP Technical Appendices Q2 to Q5 (32MB)(Smaller PDF 31MB)

• Q2 Hydrocarbon Spill Modelling
• Q3 Modelling of the Discharges to the Marine Environment
• Q4 Nearshore Acid Sulfate Soils Investigation (Turning Basin and Dredge Channel)
• Q5 Sediment Quality Assessment Wheatstone Dredging Program

Wheatstone Project Draft EIS/ERMP Technical Appendices Q6, Q7, R1, S1, T1, U1, V1, W1 (27MB)(Smaller PDF 9MB)

• Q6 Wheatstone Project Ashburton River Flow and Discharges Study
• Q7 Baseline Water Quality Assessment Report
• R1 Desktop Study of Marine Biosecurity in the Wheatstone Project Area
• S1 Draft Dredging and Spoil Disposal Management Plan
• T1 Draft Coastal Processes Management Plan
• U1 Draft Construction Environmental Management Plan
• V1 Archaeological and Historical Survey Report
• W1 DEWHA and EPA Requirements by Chapter

Viewing a Hard Copy.

You can examine a hard copy of the Draft EIS/ERMP at:

Department of Environment and Conservation
Library/Reading Room
4th Floor, The Atrium
168 St Georges Tce
Perth, WA 6000

JS Battye Library of West Australian History
Perth Cultural Centre
25 Francis St
Northbridge, WA 6000

Department of Environment and Conservation Regional Office
Lot 3, Anderson Road,
Karratha Industrial Estate, Karratha
PO Box 835, Karratha WA 6714

Department of Environment and Conservation District Office
Exmouth District
20 Nimitz Street, Exmouth
PO Box 201, Exmouth, WA 6707

Shire of Ashburton Public Libraries:

• Onslow (Shire Office, Second Ave)
• Tom Price (Community Centre)
• Paraburdoo (Paraburdoo Shopping Complex)
• Pannawonica (Pannawonica Drive)

Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts Library
John Gorton Building
King Edward Tce
Parkes, ACT 2600.

Final EIS/Response to Submissions on the ERMP

Following the submission of the Draft EIS/ERPM, Chevron has prepared The Wheatstone Final EIS/Response to Submissions on the ERMP which contains Chevron’s responses to submissions received on the Draft EIS/ERMP during the public comment period. Also included in this document are relevant project updates which have arisen during ongoing Front End Engineering & Design.  The Final EIS/Response to Submission on the ERMP is now available for public viewing.

The Draft EIS/ERMP describes the Project and its likely effects on the environment (Chevron Australia 2010). It was submitted to the EPA and DEWHA (now SEWPaC) for endorsement for release for public review and was subsequently published and released for a statutory ten-week public review period commencing on July 26, 2010 and closing on October 4, 2010.

A summary of submissions was prepared and provided to the Office of the EPA on October 29, 2010 which covered submissions received through to October 25, 2010. Responses to all of these submissions are included in this Response to Submissions document.

The Final EIS/Response to Submissions on the ERMP (Response to Submissions) has been prepared to meet both the EPA Guidelines for Preparing a Public Environmental Review/Environmental Review and Management Programme (2007) and the SEWPaC Guidelines for the Content of a Draft Environmental Review and Management Programme/Environmental Impact Statement (2008). This Final EIS/Response to Submissions on the ERMP responds to public and government agency submissions and describes Project changes that have occurred since the public release of the Draft EIS/ERMP.

Chevron proposes that these changes are unlikely to significantly increase any environmental impact. It also examines the likely environmental effects and associated environmental management procedures proposed. This document also reports the outcomes of additional geotechnical and archaeological investigations undertaken as directed by the EPA under Section 40(2b) of the EP Act (WA) (Appendix FK). These investigations have provided an improved understanding of the Project area and technical feasibility of the location, design and construction methods for the infrastructure described in the proposal.

SEWPaC and the EPA will assess the Final EIS/Response to Submissions on the ERMP in a parallel/coordinated approach before reporting to relevant ministers for a final decision on whether the Project should be approved and if so, under what conditions.

Finally, it should be noted that Proponent contact details for the Project have changed. Mr Brian Smith is now the key contact for the Project.

The Final EIS/Response to Submissions on the ERMP is available for examination.

Volume 1 Final Environmental Impact Statement_Response to Submissions on the ERMP (13MB)

Volume 2 Technical Appendices FA to FI (79MB)

Volume 3 Technical Appendices FJ to FP and H1 (73MB)

Volume 4 Technical Appendices O6, QFA, S1 and S2 (16MB)

Purchasing a Hard Copy

Section 104(4) of the EPBC Act requires Chevron to publish the Final EIS/Response to Submissions on the ERMP. Hard copies of the Final EIS/Response to Submissions on the ERMP may be purchased for $10 (including postage and packaging) or a CD version is available free of charge from:

Attention: Wheatstone EIA Coordinator
Chevron Australia Pty Ltd
GPO Box S1580
Perth  WA  6845
Free Call:  1800 611 246
Email:  wheatstone.info@chevron.com

You can examine a hard copy of the Final EIS/Response to Submissions on the ERMP at:

Department of Environment and Conservation
Library/Reading Room, 4th Floor, The Atrium
168 St Georges Terrace, Perth, WA 6000

JS Battye Library of West Australian History
Perth Cultural Centre
25 Francis Street, Northbridge, WA 6000

Department of Environment and Conservation
Regional Office, Lot 3, Anderson Road
Karratha Industrial Estate, Karratha, WA 6714

Department of Environment and Conservation District Office
Exmouth District
20 Nimitz Street, Exmouth, WA 6707

Shire of Ashburton Public Libraries:

• Onslow (Shire Office, Second Avenue)
• Tom Price (Community Centre)
• Paraburdoo (Paraburdoo Shopping Complex)
• Pannawonica (Pannawonica Drive)

Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Community Library
John Gorton Building 
King Edward Terrace, Parkes, ACT 2600