Aluminium giant Alcoa will have five more years to expand its Wagerup refinery, the state government announced today.
Alcoa was given approval to expand its refinery to a 4.7 million tonne per year production capacity in September 2006, but shelved those plans due to the global financial crisis.
Environment Minister Bill Marmion said the state Environmental Protection Authority recommended the time limit be extended a further five years, because of little change in the environmental factors of the proposal.
Alcoa will still require a works approval from the Department of Environment and Conservation before it can begin construction, Mr Marmion said.
The EPA also recommended the Minister approve new maximum noise emissions levels for the refinery, for a two-year period.
“This approval sets noise limits at several residential locations surrounding the refinery and is based on Alcoa’s commitment to not increase its noise emissions if the expansion proceeds,” Mr Marmion said.
