About 25 local residents attended a community information session on Tuesday night held by the Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) on Iluka Resources’ works approval to continue the disposal of waste by-products at its Douglas Mine site over the next 15 to 20 years.
The application is accompanied by a planning permit application to Horsham Rural City Council (HRCC).
Following the review of public submissions, EPA held the community conference under Section 20B of the Environment Protection Act 1970.
The conference, chaired and run by an independent facilitator, aimed to increase residents’ understanding of Iluka’s proposal and address any community concerns.
The independent facilitator will now produce a report detailing the key issues and possible solutions raised in written submissions and at the conference.
The report, which will be made available online, will be taken into consideration by HRCC and EPA as part of their assessments of Iluka Resources’ applications.
Statutory timelines allow EPA up to four months to make a determination on the works approval application from the date when it was first accepted, which was 23 June, 2015.