SEMINAR: CWR Presents

Western Australia is undergoing a significant ‘mining boom’. The primary commodities driving that boom are iron-ore and oil and gas. These commodities are destined for export by sea and require the creation of new ports in green fields sites, and expansions of most of the existing ones.

The scale and pace of these developments is staggering and presents challenges on a range of fronts, not least being those related to the environment. This presentation will provide insight into the contemporary issues associated with the planning and environmental impact assessment of large scale marine infrastructure proposals in Western Australia. The focus will be on the tropical northwest of WA and use the Kimberley LNG precinct as an example.

Bio,

Dr Ray Masini is a marine ecologist with nearly 30 years experience working in Western Australian marine ecosystems, with particular focus on the temperate and tropical arid ecosystems of the central-west and north-west coasts.

He holds an adjunct professorship in the Centre for Ecosystem Management at Edith Cowan University and for the last 16 years has held the position of Manager, Marine Ecosystems Branch in the now Strategic Policy and Planning Services Division of the Office of the EPA (OEPA). This group develops marine environmental policy and provides technical advice to the Environmental Protection Authority and Government generally on the impact and management of marine-related development proposals including aquaculture, desalination and industrial discharges, petroleum-based exploration and production, and port development and expansion. Ray also sits on a number of expert groups and State-based committees (including the Coastal Planning and Coordination Council and the Executive Advisory Group for Marine Oil Spill response) and has been involved in the planning and management of a range of multidisciplinary marine-scientific studies around the State’s 13,000 km coastline.

He was centrally involved in the planning, site selection and assessment of an LNG precinct on the Kimberley coast. More recently, he has been instrumental in establishment of a dredging science initiative that uses over $10M in environmental offset funds to better predict and manage the impact of dredging in tropical coral reef communities. Ray is also involved in environmental management strategy and policy formulation at the State and National levels.

PS* This seminar is free and open to the public & no RSVP required.

****All Welcome****