WAFARMERS has urged the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to fast track its decision for the Esperance Extension to go ahead, following confirmation that assessments for the State Barrier Fence Esperance Extension were ongoing and the assessment report for WA Environment Minister Stephen Dawson was expected by the end of 2018.
WAFarmers Livestock Council representative and Esperance farmer Scott Pickering said that the extremely long process was a detriment to the Esperance community, in particular the farming community.
The process involved waiting for the EPA’s report, followed by a two-week public appeal period, and then waiting for Mr Dawson to consider the report and any public appeals before determining, in consultation with other ministers, whether the proposal would proceed, and if so, under what conditions.
“In late 2017 stakeholders were again asked to submit responses to the State Barrier Fence Esperance Expansion Assessment Process which concluded in January 2018,” Mr Pickering said.
“Prior to this, environmental impact assessments were undertaken and concluded that there was no requirement for offsets as no significant residual impact on flora, fauna or heritage was identified.
“Assessments have proved the Esperance Expansion fence will have little impact on the fauna and flora within the area so any further delays in building the fence are hard to justify.
“The drawn-out process has delayed the building of the Esperance Extension and looks to delay it for another 12 months.
“It is critical that the Esperance Expansion Fence is built as soon as possible to avoid further demise to the welfare of livestock within this very important and productive agricultural area of Western Australia.”
Mr Pickering said the majority of the proposed fence extension area, about 420 hectares, would be established on already cleared land which has chained firebreaks on the immediate edge of the farming land.
“About 120 kilometres of the 660km fence will be located on farmer’s boundary fence lines,” he said.
“Only 140km of the 660km long fence extension will require new clearing totalling about 300 hectares of the 16 million hectares of Greater Western Woodland, representing a loss of only 0.002 percent.
“Currently one of the greatest risks to the Woodlands is bushfires and the firebreak maintenance due to the fence extension will greatly reduce the risk of fires and their devastating impacts.
“Furthermore, the fence extension will incorporate new construction techniques that are designed to protect all animals from getting stuck in or under the fence, unlike the original State Barrier Fence, which was built to stop the huge destruction to grain crops caused by emu stampedes.
“Given the number of assessments and public consultations already completed, WAFarmers believes the building of the Esperance Expansion Fence could start on private land, an opinion also supported by Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan.
“WAFarmers urges the EPA to provide the permission needed so that work can finally start on building the Esperance Expansion Fence,” Mr Pickering said.
Ms MacTiernan has called on the Federal government to put money into the building of the fence.
