{"id":243832,"date":"2026-01-21T05:28:06","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T05:28:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/243832\/"},"modified":"2026-01-21T05:28:06","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T05:28:06","slug":"outrageous-epa-backs-wa-fracking-project-that-may-add-up-to-2-6-to-australias-emissions-western-australia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/243832\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Outrageous\u2019: EPA backs WA fracking project that may add up to 2.6% to Australia\u2019s emissions | Western Australia"},"content":{"rendered":"

A controversial fracking proposal in Western Australia\u2019s Kimberley region has been recommended for approval by the state\u2019s Environmental Protection Authority, a move criticised as \u201coutrageous\u201d due to the project\u2019s potential climate pollution and environmental impacts.<\/p>\n

The EPA on Tuesday recommended that the Valhalla project, which proposes to drill up to 20 gas wells in the Canning basin, proceed subject to certain conditions.<\/p>\n

Bennett Resources, a subsidiary of US-based Black Mountain Energy<\/a>, announced the fracking proposal \u2013 located about 123km south-east of the town of Derby \u2013 in 2020.<\/p>\n

Sign up: AU Breaking News email<\/a><\/p>\n

Climate scientist and the chief executive of Climate Analytics, Bill Hare, has estimated<\/a> that Valhalla, \u201cif developed as planned, would add 1.8\u20132.6% to Australia\u2019s [greenhouse gas] emissions\u201d.<\/p>\n

The recommendation for approval by the EPA has been criticised by environment groups and comes months after WA Labor members voted for a moratorium on fracking<\/a> \u2013 which covers 98% of WA \u2013 to be extended statewide.<\/p>\n

The Greens\u2019 Sophie McNeill criticised the EPA\u2019s decision, saying the Kimberley attracts $500m in tourism each year. Photograph: Richard Wainwright\/AAP<\/p>\n

The Greens\u2019 WA fossil fuels spokesperson, Sophie McNeill, said the \u201coutrageous decision\u201d was at odds with community sentiment, which was \u201coverwhelmingly opposed to fracking\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Kimberley has the largest, most intact tropical savannah left in the world and its nature and culture, with vast dramatic landscapes, are the draw cards for the $500m tourism industry every year,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The EPA\u2019s recommendation comes after an Independent Expert Scientific Committee report<\/a>, published in December, which found Bennett Resources\u2019 environmental risk assessment was \u201climited and disjointed\u201d and reached \u201clargely unsupported\u201d conclusions about \u201cpotential impacts to surface water and groundwater resources\u201d.<\/p>\n

Fracking<\/a> \u2013 or hydraulic fracturing \u2013 is a method of extracting oil and gas trapped in shale and other rock formations. It involves pumping large amounts of water, as well as small amounts of sand and chemicals, down a well at high pressure. The method has been controversial for its environmental impacts, primarily the risk of water contamination.<\/p>\n

The EPA report, which is subject to a three-week public appeal period, noted that fracking was \u201ccentral to the high level of public concern and interest in the proposal\u201d.<\/p>\n

At a press conference on Tuesday, the WA premier, Roger Cook, said the decision was \u201cnot a green light for fracking\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe EPA has made a recommendation that the particular project in question \u2026 can have its environmental impacts managed in a way that means they are comfortable that it goes ahead,\u201d Cook said. \u201cI suspect that decision will be appealed, so I won\u2019t make further comment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The executive director of the Conservation Council of WA, Matt Roberts, described the EPA\u2019s green light as \u201creckless\u201d, adding: \u201cCCWA raised concerns during the project assessment around the potential contamination of groundwater and impacts to subterranean fauna, along with increased greenhouse gas emissions, and the impacts on endangered saw fish, ghost bats and bilbies, none of which the proponent adequately responded to.\u201d<\/p>\n

The director of Environs Kimberley, Martin Pritchard, said: \u201cFracking would pollute the water that sustains life in the Kimberley and threaten rare and endangered wildlife as well as the National Heritage\u2013listed Martuwarra Fitzroy River.\u201d<\/p>\n

The state environment minister, Matthew Swinbourn, will have final say over the proposal.<\/p>\n

Pritchard called upon Cook and Swinbourn to reject the fracking project. \u201cIf they don\u2019t there will be significant electoral consequences with a backlash not just from the Kimberley but also across key Perth electorates,\u201d Pritchard said.<\/p>\n

Swinbourn said in a statement: \u201cThere is a 21-day public appeals period, and the proper avenue for concerns is via an appeal to the Appeals Convenor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce the EPA and Appeals Convenor processes are finalised, I will consider the final advice and while that independent process is underway it would be inappropriate for me to comment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cook\u2019s office was contacted for comment.<\/p>\n

The Valhalla project is also being assessed under federal environment laws.<\/p>\n

In a statement, the executive chairman of Black Mountain Energy, Rhett Bennett, described the EPA report as \u201can encouraging step forward\u201d, adding: \u201cI remain a strong believer in the vast resource development opportunity that exists in our EP371 permit in the Canning Basin. Our focus remains on progressing activity for the benefit of all stakeholders.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A controversial fracking proposal in Western Australia\u2019s Kimberley region has been recommended for approval by the state\u2019s Environmental…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":243833,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[273,111,139,69,147],"class_list":["post-243832","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","tag-environment","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/243832","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=243832"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/243832\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/243833"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=243832"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=243832"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=243832"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}