Public consultation reopened over Woodside's Browse gas plan in wake of modifications
Western Australia's environmental watchdog has taken the unusual step of reopening public consultation to Woodside's $30 billion Browse joint venture project.
Browse is Australia's largest untapped conventional gas resource, which Woodside is hoping to develop.
The energy giant has made an application to WA's Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to make significant changes to its proposal.
The changes include reducing the size of the development to no longer overlap parts of the heritage-listed Scott Reef.
The site has been a point of concern for environmental groups, which have argued the project would threaten endangered species and have potentially catastrophic consequences for the reef's diverse marine life.
In a statement, EPA chair Darren Walsh said the considerable amount of information that had come with Woodside's proposed amendments warranted more public consultation.
"Public consultation on a proposed amendment is not usual process for the EPA, but we believe that in this case the circumstances warrant it," Mr Walsh said.
"We think a four-week public review of this latest proposed amendment is appropriate for such a complex assessment of multiple environmental factors across a very sensitive project area."
Woodside has also proposed relocating its drilling units to avoid green turtle habitats, and adopting new technology to minimise the risk of a catastrophic well blowout.
Conservation Council WA campaigns director Mia Peppers said while the changes may seem like a "win" for climate and environmental groups, the fundamental risk of the project was unchanged.
"For us when you look at the detail, it looks to us like tinkering around the edges of a project that fundamentally poses unacceptable threats to nature," she told ABC Radio Perth.
Ms Peppers said the area of Woodside's proposed Browse development was an "absolute haven of wildlife".
"It's just rich, dense with biodiversity, but it's also existed and formed in isolation from a lot of other systems so it's got unique populations, particularly with green sea turtles, the dusky sea snake," she said.
Woodside shrugged off backlash from its investors at its annual general meeting last week, after shareholders hit the company with a protest vote accusing the board of falling short on environmental action.
The company's sustainability chair Ann Pickard saw a 20 per cent vote against her reappointment, which is the second-worst vote against a Woodside director on record, according to the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility.
Woodside CEO Meg O'Neill has consistently argued gas is a "natural partner for renewables" in the world's transition to cleaner energy.
In a statement, a Woodside spokesperson said the company's proposed amendments demonstrated its commitment to "industry best practice environmental measures".
"This work has informed the amendments to the proposal, which demonstrate our commitment to further avoid and minimise potential environmental impacts from the proposed development," the spokesperson said.
"The Browse Project is important to Western Australia and the Asia Pacific to help meet growing energy demand, while supporting the decarbonisation of economies."
Woodside's requested amendments come after the EPA reportedly sent a letter to the company in February 2024 with a preliminary view the company's proposal was "unacceptable".
The Browse project relies on the approval of the extension of Woodside's North West Shelf project, which was repeatedly delayed by former environment minister Tanya Plibersek ahead of the federal election.
Under the current deadline, Murray Watt, who has been appointed as the new federal environment minister in Anthony Albanese's new cabinet, will need to make a decision about the extension by May 31.
Labor had huge triumphs at both state and federal elections this year — with both levels of government arguing gas plays an important role in the transition to net zero.
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