Antinuclear

Changes to Australia’s Law planned, to further uranium mining

sends a further public message about the likelihood of uranium mining being an increasing part of the mining landscape in Australia.

Changes to Commonwealth environmental approvals for uranium mining Australia, Lexology -July 6 2010 In brief:

• The Federal Government released its response to Deloitte’s 2008 Review of Regulatory Efficiency in Uranium Mining in May 2010.
• The response indicates there may be major changes to the environmental regulation of uranium mining in Australia. These may facilitate the approvals process for uranium mining.

……..the Department of Resources, Energy & Tourism (RET) in conjunction with the Department of Primary Industries and Resources Source Australia (PIRSA) and the Northern Territory Department of Resources (NTDoR) commissioned Deloitte to undertake a review of regulatory efficiency in the uranium industry. The government published its response to the Deloitte Review in May 2010, and has indicated a partial adoption of the recommendations and reform items…………

Proposed changes

The Deloitte Review made a number of recommendations. Relevantly:

1. The EPBC Act should be amended to remove uranium mining and milling from the definition of ‘nuclear action’ so that uranium mines be treated like all other mining operations in Australia.
2. All Commonwealth environmental responsibilities in relation to uranium mining be consolidated into the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.
3. The Commonwealth continue to develop relationships with the states and territories so that a single assessment process is undertaken when an EPBC Act approval is required.

………If the government does amend the EPBC Act so that uranium mining is excluded from the definition of a nuclear action, it should reduce some of the assessment burden associated with the approvals process for any new uranium mines in Australia. It may also send a further public message about the likelihood of uranium mining being an increasing part of the mining landscape in Australia.

Lexology – Changes to Commonwealth environmental approvals for uranium mining

July 8, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, legal, uranium | antinuclear, Australia, BHP, BHP Billiton, nuclear, nuclear costs, radioactive, renewable, uranium