The Northern Territory Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has announced the establishment of two active watching briefs into incidents in the Edith River in December last year.

 

The watching briefs will conduct further investigations into a train derailment that resulted in a copper concentrate spill and the uncontrolled waste water release from territory controlled Mount Todd mine site.

 

The EPA’s will conduct an independent assessment of the progress and effectiveness of the inquiries conducted into the incidents by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, the Department of Natural Resources, Environment, The Arts and Sport, NT WorkSafe and the Department of Resources.

 

EPA Chair, Professor Grahame Webb said, ‘Although the proximity and timing of the two incidents were close, there are different concerns which have triggered separate questions about potential systemic environmental issues.

 

‘The EPA Board felt this merited a watching brief on each.

 

‘In reviewing the information provided to date, the EPA Board has identified some unresolved questions in relation to both matters and these form the basis of our watching briefs’ objectives,’ Professor Webb said.

 

The watching briefs will continually inform the response from the EPA Board to the incidents, and enable regular reviews to determine whether there is a need or value that can be added by a formal inquiry.

 

The objectives for the watching briefs are available on the EPA Website.