PLANS for the proposed Westport container terminal at Kwinana south of Perth have progressed to the next stage of the environmental approval process.
The WA Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) approved Westport’s Environmental Scoping Document. This preliminary document defines the form and content of the Environmental Review Document, which is expected to be released in 2026, detailing Westport’s environmental impacts and proposed management strategies.
The scoping document has had several amendments made following comments the port received in 35 public submissions after a two-week public comment period in November 2024.
Those changes were outlined in a newsletter on 27 March.
The document has been strengthened to include a cumulative impact assessment to take into account how Westport might interact with existing operations, including assessing the risk of their non-compliance with any current environmental approval conditions or operational requirements.
It was requested the Environmental Scoping Document include an assessment of how the proposal may alter desalination brine dispersion associated with the desalination plant throughout the year.
While this was already included in the document, Westport amended the wording of the relevant ESD work item to clarify that potential impacts from Westport’s interactions with brine dispersion will be considered in the impact assessment.
Multiple submitters raised the need to ensure an assessment of Westport’s impacts on businesses and recreational pursuits in the immediate and adjacent areas to Westport is included in the Environmental Review Document.
“This work is covered in the work required for the ‘Social Surroundings’ environmental factor. Westport will assess potential impacts to commercial and recreational activities from changes to the physical or biological environment, including impacts to fish and fisheries,” the newsletter said.
Respondents also sought more detail on the monitoring and management of spills, accidents and emergencies during operation, so Westport has added a new work item in the Environmental Scoping Document requiring an emergency response plan for construction and operations.
“This will address elements of the proposal resulting in environmental risks to marine environmental quality (MEQ), including from spills or accidents.”
Comments called for an assessment of the management of ballast and potential for the introduction of marine pests and invasive species.
Westport amended the relevant sections to expand the assessment to include both marine pests and invasive species.
The Environmental Review Document is expected to be released for public comment in 2026.
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