Summary: The Environmental Protection Authority has recommended against a proposal by land owner Mr David Cripps to clear approximately 180 hectares of native vegetation on his property to provide land for farming. The property is located south of the Ajana-Kalbarri Road, approximately 25 km north west of Binnu within the Shire of Northampton
Release Date: 26 May 2003
Details: The Environmental Protection Authority has recommended against a proposal by land owner Mr David Cripps to clear approximately 180 hectares of native vegetation on his property to provide land for farming. The property is located south of the Ajana-Kalbarri Road, approximately 25 km north west of Binnu within the Shire of Northampton
EPA Chairman Dr Wally Cox said the EPA had applied a level of assessment titled, ‘Proposal Unlikely to be Environmentally Acceptable’ (PUEA).
“The PUEA level of assessment gives the EPA the opportunity to provide proponents with a quick response to a proposal that is environmentally unacceptable,” Dr Cox said.
“When the PUEA level of assessment is set a brief Statement of the Reasons for the level of assessment is made publicly available.
“If there are no appeals on this level of assessment, the EPA then prepares a report to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage.
“This proposal involves clearing for agricultural purposes within the agricultural area of Western Australia, as identified in the map in the EPA’s Position Statement No. 2: Environmental Protection of Native Vegetation in Western Australia (EPA, 2000).
“The EPA’s position with respect to clearing of native vegetation for agricultural purposes within this area is that any further reduction in native vegetation through clearing for agriculture cannot be supported.
"EPA Position Statement No 3, Terrestrial Biological Surveys as and Element of Biodiversity Protection sets out the principles that are taken into account by the EPA in considering proposals with potential impacts on biodiversity.
“The second of these principles states that where development proposals will impact on biodiversity, it is for the proponent to demonstrate that that the impact will not result in unacceptable loss.
“No site-specific biological surveys have been carried out for the vegetation of the property.
“The proposal may impact on significant flora and is likely to further reduce the extent of viable and intact native vegetation in the local area and catchments and further contribute to the already high cumulative level of environmental degradation and biodiversity loss within the agricultural region.”
The EPA’s level of assessment is subject to appeal until close of business Monday 9 June 2003. The Statement of Reasons is available at www.epa.wa.gov.au.
Media contact: Charlie Maling ph 9222 7062 or mobile 0400 866 450.
Status: Final
Appeals close