DMP featured at the 2015 AMEC Mining and Environment Conference
| Date: | Tuesday, 24 February 2015 |
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Building awareness and improving environmental practices in the mining industry
The first day of the AMEC Mining and the Environment Conference featured presentations on the Department of Mines and Petroleum’s (DMP) Reforming Environmental Regulation (RER) program and Mining Rehabilitation Fund (MRF).
The two day conference is focussed on building awareness and improving environmental practices in the mining industry.
DMP Executive Director Environment Dr Phil Gorey said the conference’s goals are well aligned with the objectives of the department’s Environment Division and the reforms currently being implemented.
“Since 2012, the department has been implementing the RER program which is overhauling the way DMP undertakes environmental regulation by introducing a more effective risk-based and outcomes-focused system,” Dr Gorey said.
“A number of RER initiatives have already been implemented with an estimated annual saving to industry of approximately $2.2 million.
“RER is expected to deliver over $30 million in annual savings to industry once fully implemented by removing duplication and reducing the administrative burden of the environmental regulatory process.”
The MRF has been one of the successes of DMP’s environmental reform program.
“The MRF has been fully implemented and we’ll soon be entering the second compulsory year of reporting,” Dr Gorey said.
“For the 2014 levy period, less than 30 tenements remain outstanding from over 22,000 mining tenements in Western Australia required to report MRF data.
“We’re approaching two years since the MRF was implemented and are now discussing the next steps for the MRF and environmental reform.
“We’ll be reviewing disturbance types to more accurately capture the mining footprint, and commencing work of the first pilot rehabilitation projects and the development of a policy for abandoned mines.”
The AMEC Mining and the Environment Conference runs over 24 and 25 February at City West Receptions, West Perth.
