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Alcoa to pay $39 million after illegally clearing Australian native forest
Alcoa will fund conservation and species protection after clearing nearly 2,100 hectares of protected Northern Jarrah Forest habitat without approval, the largest fine of its kind.
- On Feb 18, the federal environment ministry announced Alcoa, the U.S. aluminium company, will pay A$55 million to remediate native forest it illegally cleared in Western Australia, secured through enforceable undertakings and described as `unprecedented' by the government.
- Earlier this year, the WA EPA received a record 59,000 submissions over Alcoa's proposed 11,500-hectare jarrah clearing amid investigations by the WA environmental regulator.
- The settlement directs money to conservation initiatives such as ecological offsets, programs for endangered black cockatoos and invasive-species management, with $4.2 million additional offsets for Huntly and Willowdale mining operations until 2045.
- Under the deal, Alcoa can keep operating while undergoing an 18-month strategic assessment, with limited clearing allowed under a national interest exemption, angering conservation groups; if breaches are proven, Alcoa could be barred during the EPA assessment after failing 2023 rehabilitation criteria.
- Long-Term stakes include irreversible habitat loss and economic continuity, as research indicates the northern jarrah forest cannot be rehabilitated after bauxite mining, threatening threatened species including Carnaby's cockatoos, while the government said the agreement will help ensure continued bauxite supply for industry and trade partners and supports about 4,000 jobs in WA.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Associated Press News
Conservation newsAlcoa pays Australian feds $36 million for ‘unlawful’ forest clearing
Pittsburgh-based Alcoa will pay the Australian government a settlement the company put at $36 million for “unlawfully” clearing tracts of endangered forest without approvals between 2019 and 2025.
Alcoa to pay $39 million after illegally clearing Australian native forest
U.S. aluminium company Alcoa will pay A$55 million ($38.9 million) to remediate native forest it illegally cleared in Western Australia in order to mine bauxite, Australia's environment ministry said on Wednesday.
Sydney Morning Herald
WA todayAlcoa fined $55 million for clearing northern jarrah forest without approvals
Despite maintaining it had met its federal environmental obligations, the miner agreed to pay the fine as part of an enforceable undertaking reached with the federal government on Wednesday.
Alcoa to pay $55M in controversial deal over WA land clearing
Save (0) Please login to bookmarkClose Username or Email Address Password Remember Me Alcoa has been hit with a $55 million fine for clearing land in Western Australia’s Northern Jarrah Forest without seeking approval, but environmental groups say the penalty is a slap on the wrist for the US mining giant. Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.Already a subscriber? Username or Email Address Password Rememb…
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