Bunbury port coal export given environmental tick

The Environmental Protection Authority has signed off on a port expansion proposal for Bunbury that could lift coal exports to 15 million tonnes per year, almost double the current overall export capacity of the port.

Lanco Resources Australia, through its subsidiary Griffin Coal, has applied to construct and operate a facility within the inner harbour of Bunbury Port to meet an expected higher supply of coal from proposed expansions of Griffin Coal's operations in the Collie Basin.

Lanco Resources Australia is part of Lanco Infratech Limited, an Indian infrastructure company which acquired WA's oldest coal company, Griffin Coal, in 2011.

The port development at Berth 14A will include new transport facilities, a handling plant, a coal shed with capacity to stockpile six days worth of supplies and two ship berths.

In its proposal to the EPA, Lanco estimated that Griffin Coal can expand its Muja and Ewington operations, giving it the potential to produce up to 20mtpa.

Lanco's submission said this was far beyond the local consumption requirements, with the company having identified an increased demand for sub-bituminous coal in Asia.

The Bunbury Port does not currently export coal from any of its existing berths, but the Bunbury Port Inner Harbour Structure Plan (IHSP) has identified Berth 14A for coal exports.

The EPA found the port expansion proposal to be environmentally acceptable, with some exceptions the authority said would require modifications.

Five public submissions were received from two government departments, one group, and two members of the public.

All submissions were in relation to waterbirds living in the area that will be partially reclaimed.

An international treaty protects the 17 species of migratory shorebirds that live there and their habitat.

The EPA recommended that the waterbird habitat and estuary should be protected and that Lanco's proposal required some modifications in order to be considered environmentally acceptable.

Controlled blasting and dredging at the site to a depth of 12.2 metres, to remove an estimated volume of 1.8 million square metres of sand and silt for the port expansion, were approved with recommendations.

EPA's recommendations included limiting impacts from dredge wastewater into Leschenault Estuary and limiting areas where reclamation areas can be filled.

The EPA's report to the environment minister is now open for a two-week public appeal period which closes on July 31.