Browse

Environmental approvals

The proposed Browse to NWS Project was determined by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) to be a controlled action and would be assessed at an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) level of assessment.

The decision notice identified these matters of national environmental significance as being relevant to the proposed Browse to NWS Project under Part 3 of the EPBC Act:

• National Heritage values of a National Heritage place
• Listed threatened species and communities
• Listed migratory species
• Commonwealth marine area, the protected matter being the environment generally.

Consistent with section 103(1)(c) of the EPBC Act, Woodside Energy Ltd. released a draft EIS for the Browse to NWS Project for public comment from 18 December 2019 – 12 February 2020. The period for public comment is closed.

The EIS has now been finalised taking account of any comments received during the period for public comment. The final EIS consists of the EIS and Supplement to the EIS. The final EIS was lodged with DCCEEW in accordance with section 104(3) of the EPBC Act.

The WA State waters component of the proposed Browse Project was referred to the WA Environment Protection Authority (EPA) under the WA Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act) in October 2018. On 22 January 2019, the EPA determined that the proposed Browse Project requires assessment under Section 29 of the EP Act and set a Public Environmental Review (PER) level of assessment. 

Participating interests

Lease/permit interests (State): TR/5 and R2
Lease/permit interests (Commonwealth): WA-28-R, WA-29-R, WA-30-R, WA-31-R and WA-32-R

_{Woodside Energy Ltd is operator for and on behalf of the Browse Joint Venture}