In February 2003 the Gorgon Venture released the "Environmental, Social and Economic Review of the Gorgon Gas Development on Barrow Island" for a six week public submission period. The document describes the proposal, puts the case for the use of Barrow Island for the process plant facility and discusses the likely associated environmental, social and economic issues.

Public submissions on the environmental aspects of the ESE Review were received by the EPA, on behalf of the Standing Interagency Committee of CEOs. ChevronTexaco responded to the submissions, and the whole of government evaluation phase of the project commenced. A summary of the submissions and ChevronTexaco's responses can be found at www.epa.wa.gov.au and www.gorgon.com.au. A list of submitters names is attached to this report at Appendix 4.

A strategic level process is designed to guide and assist in the making of an in-principle decision by Government. This report is the environmental contribution to the Government's strategic economic, social and environmental assessment of a proposal to locate a gas processing complex on Barrow Island. Part A provides the EPA's advice on access to Barrow Island for industry. Should Government decide to agree to access, Part B provides the EPA's recommendations on managing the environmental issues that would arise. Formal environmental assessment would still be necessary under the provisions of Section 38 of the Environmental Protection Act and the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

This report has been released, together with those by the Department of Industry and Resources and its consultant, Allen Consulting Group, and the Conservation Commission, for six weeks, to give the public full access to the environmental, social, economic and strategic advice available to Government about the Barrow Island proposal. This period provides the opportunity for public comment before Government makes an in-principle decision. The complete package of advice from the three agencies can be accessed at www.doir.wa.gov.au
Status: Final
Release Date: 1 July 2003
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Public submissions have been received and this document provides an overview of those submissions.
Status: Final
Release Date: 1 July 2003
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The External Peer Review Report (which can be downloaded on the previous page) has been prepared by Dr Keith Hayes of the CSIRO Centre for Marine Research on Introduced Marine Pests and provides comment on the Draft Quarantine Risk Assessment available on the Gorgon Joint Venture website at www.gorgon.com.au/wepropose/quarantinerisk/DraftQuarRiskC.pdf
Status: Final
Release Date: 27 May 2003
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A report by Dr Nick Casson on the influence of fire on spinifex ecosystems, with particular reference to Barrow Island, provides an overview of this issue.
Status: Final
Release Date: 27 May 2003
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The two documents are intimately linked, with Appendix C providing a good proportion of the material contained in Chapter 4 of the ESE Review ('Alternative Development Concepts'). When we refer to both of these documents in combination, we define them as 'the ESE project'.

Our review focuses on the following issues:

• the robustness of the overall strategy taken with regard to 'alternatives analysis';
• the linkage between the documents;
• the technical veracity of Appendix C; and
• alternative ways in which the proponent could have approached the location and site selection component of the ESE project.