While the EPA are receiving Govt Dept. comments, these have been provided to VRX which has updated the Response to Submissions document to address those received so far. With three Govt Dept responses outstanding.
It seems to me that both Bruce and the EPA are being as proactive as possible.
I am finding the contrary perspectives here rather amusing. It beats me.
I have had an interesting afternoon going over the Environmental Review Doc that is the subject of all this review, more thoroughly than I previously have. The VDT and rehab process, prior trials and detail on key factors contributing to success are all there, in some detail. Albeit it is a bit of a labyrinth of separate reports and Appendices, so it takes a bit of time to digest. In that context I can't see the VDT trials mentioned in today's announcement as anything but positive - especially that they are getting approvals to do these. And, even more positively, that the approval includes trials at Muchea.
As blister has said, there is a process for review of the vegetation rehab as work proceeds. One of the explicit variables to improve recovery is the extent of slash and mulch prior to relocation, which today's announcement explicitly refers to. There is also a recognition from trials that soil and root integrity during transition is (obviously) a key component for success, so trialing depth of cut to maintain that seems an obvious variable to optimise, along with the front end loader bucket and its design. So what VRX are planning in the way of trials makes sense, to be ready to go with best optimistaion. The years of trials, including Iluka work going back over a decade or more (e.g. briefly here,
Microsoft Word - 8. VDT - Final - 16122015.docx (iluka.com) gives good confidence of success but optimising that and commitment to ongoing monitoring and improvement is part of the submission and process.
See Sections 8 and 5.4 here, which is part of VRX's Environmental Review submission.
0060_VRX_ASN_ERD_APP.04_Rehabilitation-Strategy-Preston-Consulting-2022a_1_220414.pdf (vrxsilica.com.au)The whole shooting match of docs submitted is here
Arrowsmith North ERD - VRX SilicaIt looks pretty positive to me. Govt Depts coming back. Replies to those already prepared. Just a few to go. VDT trials approved at Arrowsmith North and Muchea. It looks to me like it's ready to go.
(20min delay)