In a statement on Friday Marmion said he had been handed the appeals committee’s report on the EPA’s decision which rated the project environmentally unacceptable.
Marmion said while he acknowledged the high degree of public interest in the proposal he stressed he would take his time making a decision on the projects future.
“This is a very significant and contentious issue and I understand the level of community concern about this proposal,” Marmion said.
“However, I intend to consider the report of the Independent Appeals Committee in full before I determine the appeals.”
Back in March this year the EPA effectively said no to the proposal, which is being advanced by LD Operations.
In August LDO said the EPA’s decision regarding the project pre-empted the continuation of detailed studies through a public environmental review and planned social impact assessment.
LDO is calling for additional studies on the project through a public environmental review as the only fair and reasonable way to assess the viability of the project.
In response to Marmion’s statement, LD Operations managing director Peter Ross said he was grateful that Marmion would consider the appeal.
“We agree the Minister should fully and carefully consider the appeals, particularly given that the EPA's original decision ignored and contradicted detailed advice from government agencies and independent experts that supported the project proceeding to further studies,” Ross said.
Ross said the only way for the minister to make an informed decision in the longer term was for the minister to send the project out to a full and open Public Environmental Review.
The board and pillar project, to be located about 15km from the town of Margaret River would cover 80 hectares, with mining proposed for underneath the water.
The draft mining plan targeted a production rate of 1.2 million tonnes per annum for a mine life of 20 years, and is estimated to have resources of at least 116Mt.
But the mine has come under stiff opposition from the community since the project became public, with groups claiming it would harm Margaret River’s wine industry and threaten ecosystems.
LDO has refuted the “inaccurate assumptions and assertions” about the proposed coal mine claiming there is a lot of misinformation surrounding the project.
It said claims the wider community would be impacted by noise, dust and emissions were baseless because they had been made without any specific data or assessment of the mine site layout or process.
The suggestion that the mine would release contaminated waste water into the Margaret River was also labelled incorrect by LDO because there would be no coal washing on site.
Subject to the outcome of the appeals, Marmion will consult with relevant decision-making authorities before a final decision is made.
