Browsing: <a href="/tag/wa">WA</a> <i class="grey">•</i> <a href="/tag/biodiversity-epbc-act">Biodiversity/EPBC Act</a>

A Federal Government report, issued today, reveals plans to 'streamline' federal hazardous waste laws and to use mutual recognition arrangements to manage federal, state and territory threatened species lists.

State governments are exploring new, simplified ways to ensure projects don't result in unacceptable harm to biodiversity, says environmental lawyer and consultant Amanda Cornwall.

Rio Tinto is arguing that caps on greenhouse gas emissions should be removed from the conditions imposed on one of its mines.

• Red-tape review of day-old deforestation regulation
  
• Hunt seeks reset of e-waste target
  
• WA to overhaul waste law

• WA to allow up to 20-year environmental licences
  
• NSW advises on sea-level rise warnings, set to replace coastal law
  
• WA to adopt federal gene technology law

The WA Department of Mines and Petroleum says imminent legislative changes will save the resources sector $32 million annually, and the Department is also seeking to recover more of its administration costs from mining companies.

The Pilbara is one of Australia's 15 biodiversity hotspots, yet land clearing for mining in the region has grown exponentially and revegetation efforts aren't working, according to the WA EPA.

Chevron Australia has revealed how Direct Action will affect its Gorgon LNG gas project, as it seeks approval for a fourth LNG train that could boost annual emissions to almost 7.7 million tonnes a year.

A mining company says its project no longer needs EPBC assessment because a potentially affected species is no longer classified as threatened.

Western Australia could gain powers to issue generic EPBC approvals for certain types of projects, rather than being restricted to approving them individually.