Cockburn Sound is a large natural harbour adjacent to the Perth metropolitan area. Its protected waters and beaches are of unique value to the people of Perth for recreation, fishing, aquaculture, industry and as a port.

This wide range of activities in Cockburn Sound can only continue if a clean and healthy environment is maintained. To ensure this occurs and to safeguard a valuable community asset the Government of Western Australia is developing an "Environmental Management Strategy for Cockburn Sound and Surrounding Waters. "

Clover Meats Pty Ltd purchased a partly completed abattoir on a 200 ha rural site at North Dandalup in 1983. It proposes to finish construction of the abattoir in the near future and to operate the abattoir initially at a slaughter rate of 200 cattle/day with upgrading to 400 cattle/day at a later stage.

A Public Environmental Report (PER) was submitted by the proponent in May 1988 to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and released for an eight week public review period commencing 14 May 1988 and concluding 11 July 1988. The Authority received 6 submissions.

The Authority has assessed the potential environmental impacts of the proposal utillizing the PER and additional information supplied by the proponent and by Government agencies. The Authority specifically notes the extensive list of commitments that the proponent has made in the PER and in response to issues raised in submissions and questions from the EPA.

The State Energy Commission of Western Australia has proposed the construction of a standard 22 kV three phase wood pole distribution line from Northcliffe to the Windy Harbour settlement, a distance of approximately 30 kilometres. For much of its length, the powerline would pass through the D'Entrecasteaux National Park and an area which has been proposed as national park under the Department of Conservation and Land Management's Shannon Park and D'Entrecasteaux National Park Management Plan 1987/88 and the Management Plan for the Southern Forest Region.

The Environmental Protection Authority determined that the project's potential for environmental impact required it to be formally assessed under Part IV of the Environmental Protection Act 1986. The Authority decided that a Public Environmental Report (PER) was required to assess the proposal.

Whittakers Limited has applied to the Commonwealth Government for a licence to export 50 000 tonnes per annum of woodchips derived from the chipping of sawmill wastes. The woodchips would be supplied from several sawmills, including an expanded Greenbushes mill operated by Whittakers, and exported through the Port of Bunbury.

A Notice of Intent outlining the details of the proposal was prepared by Whittakers and comment was sought from the Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes. Discussion was also held with several local landowners.

The Authority has concluded that the proposal is environmentally acceptable as it relates to the conversion of sawmill residues into woodchips. In addition, the Authority has been advised by the Department of Conservation and Land Management that no additional area of State Forest would be subject to harvesting as a consequence of this proposal.