Authority addresses environment concerns

Business

The Conservation Environment Protection Authority (Cepa) has told parties to the K92 project memorandum of agreement (MoA) that it conducts annual environmental compliance audits on environmental management performance of the operator K92 Mining Inc.
Cepa’s manager for mining Robert Sine explained to the parties that under its normal compliance process, mining companies were required, by law, to submit their environmental management performances annually.
Sine was speaking in response to queries on Cepa’s environmental audit and verification processes by stakeholders who met in Kokopo, East New Britain, last week to review the agreement.
“Cepa sends its compliance officers to audit and verify reports
by mining companies to ensure environmental compliance standards are fully adhered to,” he explained.
Sine said Cepa, on a need to basis, engaged external consultants to do audits and provide second opinions on environmental compliance performance of companies.
He said for the K92 mine, external environmental audits were done last year.
Environment is one of the undertakings of the State (through Cepa) in the MoA, where the Government committed to ensuring K92 Mining was fully compliant with the conditions of its environmental permit.