Environmental Protection Authority gives green light to Binningup Road quarry following three-year process

A proposed limestone quarry less than 1km from the Binningup townsite is one step closer to becoming a reality. The Environmental Protection Authority published its report into MGM Bulk’s plans for a Binningup Road site on Thursday, recommending to Environment Minister Reece Whitby the development be approved. Its report follows a three-year environmental impact assessment process into the quarry, planned to be located about 640m south-east of the Binningup townsite. Chairperson Matthew Tonts said the authority primarily reviewed potential air quality and social impacts but also considered potential fauna and flora, inland water and greenhouse gas emissions effects. He said alongside a human health risk assessment for dust emissions, the EPA had asked MGM to consider impacts to future residential developments in the area. “The EPA has recommended conditions which should ensure the proposal is complete by the time of potential development west of the proposal area and has proposed conditions to minimise impacts to any sensitive receptor to within health standards,” Professor Tonts said. “In addition, a condition which requires real-time dust monitoring and a management plan has also been recommended.” Some of the other conditions the EPA has recommended include limiting working hours of the site to between 7am and 6pm on weekdays and 7am to noon on Saturdays. No more than four hectares of the 26ha site would be able to be excavated at one time. MGM wants to extract up to 120,000 cubic metres of limestone from the location over a five-year period, with crushing and screening set to also take place on site. The company expects to return the location to pasture once its operations are concluded. Appeals are now open to challenge the report and its recommendations, which will close on March 28 and can be made at appealsconvenor.wa.gov.au.