No Porgera mine impact audit

THERE was no audit done on the Porgera mine’s impact on the environment and waste disposal on the river in the past 30 years, the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (Cepa) says.
Acting managing director Jude Tukuliya said during the transfer of the mine’s Environment Permit (EP) WE-L3 (923) and EP-L3 (923) to the New Porgera Limited (NPL) in Port Moresby yesterday that an environment audit would be conducted.
“The then Department of Environment, Conservation and Climate Change, now Cepa, failed to adhere to its statutory requirements in undertaking a major environmental audit.
“I would like to assure stakeholders, particularly the affected communities along the Strickland River system, that a major environmental audit will be undertaken and headed by Cepa while the mine is in operation,” he said.
He said the audit’s findings would determine the outstanding environment legacy issues for the past 30 years.
Tukuliya said the new mine must properly look after the environment and river systems of Porgera.
“I also beseech NPL not to be hesitant to apply any new and/or innovative environment management and mitigatory methods and technologies outside of the terms and conditions in these EP to better manage the environment,” he said.
“One example would be the possibility of shifting the compliance point to meet statutory standards at the tailings outlet.”
Environment, Conservation and Climate Change Minister Simo Kilepa said one of the main issues in the 1995 ministerial determination for compensation was the environmental damage caused by discharges of mine wastes, including tailings and sediments into the riverine system.
“The NPL will work with Cepa to undertake a review of the determination, before a new one can be entered into,” he said.