On 28 October 2022, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) received the referral of a proposal from BHP Iron Ore Pty Ltd to expand mining below the water table at Orebody 32, in the Pilbara. Included in the referral was a request that the EPA declare the proposal to be a derived proposal under section 38E of the Environmental Protection Act 1986.
The EPA considered the proposal and the request and on 7 September 2023 notified the Minister for Environment of a section 38E declaration. Accordingly, pursuant to section 45B(2) of the EP Act, the Minister for Environment issued the section 45B Notice 1 of the taking effect of Ministerial statement 1105, published on 17 October 2023, as it relates to the derived proposal. The section 38E and section 45B Notices are below.
Further information on this proposal can be found here.
