Climate Change

5 April 2004

Environment Centre says "NO" to Alcan refinery expansion at Gove

Centre's EIS submission exposes unacceptable impacts and risks in project

The Environment Centre of the Northern Territory (ECNT) has come out strongly against the proposed doubling of production at Alcan's mine and alumina refinery at Gove, 650 km east of Darwin.

The Alcan expansion plan is in the final stages of an EIS assessment process - public submissions close today.

ECNT Coordinator Peter Robertson said the doubling of production at Gove was a purely commercial decision based on the company seeking to cash in on growing demand from emerging economies such as China.

"However, the consequences for the people and environment of the Northern Territory and beyond are extremely serious. The Gove bauxite mining and refining project has already caused significant environmental damage and by doubling production it will do a lot more, and sooner."

This includes:

"The cumulative impacts on the local and regional environment, and people, are not adequately addressed in the company's EIS documents. While some mitigation measures are outlined, the public has to wonder whether the company is investing as much as it could in reducing its 'ecological footprint'.

"On the economic side, the $1.5 billion dollar expansion is going to generate only a handful of new post-construction jobs - 'a few tens of people' according to one company official.

"The ECNT is further concerned that this proposed expansion is just one of several major new energy-intensive and highly polluting projects proposed along the NT coastline from Wadeye/ to Darwin Harbour to Glyde Point to McArthur River, each of which is being assessed in isolation.  

"The overall picture that is emerging is very worrying indeed: a lack of any coherent or integrated sustainable development planning by government and in its absence the piecemeal ad hoc approval of energy intensive, highly polluting, fossil-fuel based industries and infrastructure projects all along the Territory coastline."  

For more information on Climate Change contact ECNT:
Phone: 08 8981 1984
Email: ecnt@octa4.net.au

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