Antinuclear

Australian government refuses Toro ‘s Wiluna uranium project, requires further scrutiny

Peak state and national environment groups today welcomed the Federal Environment Minister’s increased scrutiny of WA’s first planned uranium mine – Toro Energy’s Wiluna project.

The Australian Conservation Foundation and the Conservation Council of Western Australia described Tony Burke’s refusal to approve the Toro Wiluna uranium project and to require further project detail as prudent and responsible.

“The Toro project is ill-conceived and the WA assessment has been dangerously deficient,” said CCWA campaigner Mia Pepper.

“The WA Government has broken its promise of a world’s best practice uranium industry and has failed to meet national standards.  “Premier Barnett and the WA Government now urgently need to re-examine the environmental assessment process in WA and hold a comprehensive public inquiry into uranium mining.”

“With the uranium price in free fall and today’s federal rejection Toro Energy is in real trouble, said ACF campaigner Dave Sweeney.

“Toro, a small and inexperienced company, faces continuing licencing and financial barriers and needs to find $280 million to start the project as well as millions in bonds for the clean-up.

“The clean-up of the Ranger uranium mine in the Northern Territory is set to cost $565 million – WA now requires companies to front 100% of closure costs in bonds – Toro simply doesn’t have that kind of money.

“Today’s failure to gain federal approval will make Toro’s tough job even harder.

“With Toro’s Managing Director recently abandoning ship the company faces increasingly tough times.

“It has a small deposit and big problems.

“Toro should step aside from the Wiluna project and the WA government should step up its scrutiny of this controversial and contaminating sector.”

Contact:

Mia Pepper – Nuclear Free Campaigner CCWA – 0415 380 808

Dave Sweeney – Nuclear Free Campaigner ACF – 0408 317 812

December 18, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, uranium, Western Australia