Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston announced the publication of a discussion paper on the Eligible Mining Activity Framework.
The Eligible Mining Activity Framework is a fundamental component of the Western Australian (WA) Government’s Mining Amendment Bill 2021, which the Legislative Council passed on 20 September 2022.
This framework provides an alternative authorisation procedure for certain minimal ground disturbance activities known as eligible mining activities (EMAs).
EMAs are activities that offer a low environmental risk, are located outside of sensitive areas, and may be regulated by imposing standard criteria.
“The EMA Framework is a key feature of the Mining Amendment Bill 2021 that reflects the McGowan Government’s commitment to streamline approvals for mining activities in Western Australia,” Minister Johnston said.
Tenement holders will be able to get automatic authorisation to carry out operations indicated in an EMA under the EMA Framework without the need for formal examination by the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation, and Safety.
“The Framework will improve approval timeframes for certain low-impact activities, increasing the attractiveness of the State for exploration, without affecting our robust environmental protections,” Minister Johnston stated.
The Minister added that it is crucial to have a clear understanding of what constitutes an EMA in order to mitigate any environmental risk. According to the Minister, the State Government welcomes feedback from all stakeholders.
Stakeholders are urged to comment on the EMA Framework Discussion Paper, which explains the draft criteria for what constitutes an EMA.
Feedback submissions will be accepted until 10 March 2023.
