DMP attending the Shire of Capel Community Open Day on gas exploration.
| Date: | Friday, 22 July 2016 |
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The upcoming Shire of Capel Community Open Day will provide community members with the opportunity to meet Petroleum and Environment Division staff from the Department of Mines and Petroleum.
The Open Day, to be held at the Capel Town Hall from 2 to 7pm on 26 July, will be an opportunity for the community to discuss onshore petroleum regulation in Western Australia with expert staff from the department.
The Department of Water, the Shire of Capel, the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association, several petroleum companies, and a number of conservation NGOs will also attend, providing the opportunity to obtain a broad range of views.
Executive Director of Petroleum Jeff Haworth said that the event was an opportunity for South West community members to discuss onshore petroleum exploration and development with a range of government experts.
"DMP assesses and regulates onshore petroleum activities throughout the State, ensuring that operators apply world’s best safety, health and environmental practices," Mr Haworth said.
"We are also committed to effective stakeholder engagement to ensure that the communities which host resource industries and the wider WA community are informed about resource activities both locally and throughout the State.
"As this event will be attended by a range of government, industry, and NGOs it is a great opportunity for the local community to compare information between organisations.
"In the past the community have primarily been interested in land access and compensation, environmental impacts to water, flora and fauna, and best practice regulations."
It is also an opportunity for the department to learn more about the community and the questions that people ask with regard to exploration.
As part of the approvals process, petroleum operators are required to submit detailed environmental plans.
"Petroleum operators are required to undertake open and ongoing community engagement activities throughout the life of the project," Mr Haworth said.
The Capel Shire is to be congratulated for providing the opportunity for Shire residents and the wider South West community to discuss exploration with a broad range industry and interest groups.
