The Albanese Government must reject Black Mountain’s attempts to avoid environmental scrutiny of its polluting and dangerous Valhalla fracking project in WA’s Kimberley region and subject the plan to full assessment.
The American fracking company has resubmitted its Valhalla Project for federal environment assessment. The project would involve drilling and fracking 20 gas wells in the heart of the Martuwarra Fitzroy River region.
In its application, the company has argued “Valhalla” should not be assessed under national environmental laws that apply to projects that impact threatened species and water (I.e. arguing its project should not be a “controlled action”).
Greater bilbies are among the threatened species known to occur in the project’s impact zone.
The public has nine days left to respond. Black Mountain previously withdrew an earlier plan for Valhalla amid community concerns that it didn't accurately represent the number of gas wells the company would drill or the threatened species that would be impacted.
Lock the Gate Alliance WA spokesperson Simone van Hattem said, “Fracking requires the injection of huge volumes of water, mixed with a cocktail of toxic chemicals and sand, many kilometres underground. It poses a significant threat of contamination to both ground and surface water that communities and the environment depend on.
“It’s twelve months since the Albanese Government extended national water protections to all fracking activity but this crucial law is yet to be used. The Federal Government must not allow this fracking project to dodge scrutiny and put the outstanding waters and wildlife of the West Kimberley at risk.
“The threat posed by fracking in WA is growing, but so too is the resistance to this polluting technology.
“Lock the Gate Alliance has door knocked widely and had thousands of conversations with West Australians over the past few months who are all really worried about the Cook Government's support for dirty, dangerous fracking.
“We and our supporters are demanding the Cook Labor Government extend the areas where fracking is banned to include the Kimberley before next year’s state election.
“WA’s future is not in dirty fracking, but with clean and sustainable energy. West Australians want a safe climate and stronger protection of our unique environment. Fracking threatens that future.
“The Cook Government must not put water and climate at risk just so a multinational fracking company can make more money for itself and American shareholders.”
ENDS
Background:
Last year, ASIC fined Black Mountain $39,960 on three counts of greenwashing - the company had claimed gas from Valhalla would be “net-zero emissions” with no evidence.
The company de-listed from the ASX earlier this year.