EPA Assessment: A System Designed to Fail Communities

Tuesday the 1st April 2025

The classification of the Abx Pty Ltd mining proposal as a Class 2A assessment is nothing short of a regulatory failure—one that has left the Meander Valley community, its environment, and the health of its residents sidelined before the assessment process even began.

Under the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act (EMPCA), a Class 2A assessment is meant for low environmental risk, small-scale projects with minor and localised impacts, expected to generate limited public interest.

This classification is fundamentally incompatible with the reality of the Abx’s proposal, which:

Has triggered overwhelming public concern from farmers, businesses, and residents across the Valley.
Poses long-term risks to water quality, air quality, and soil integrity, directly threatening agriculture and tourism—key pillars of the Meander Valley economy.
Has already had a traumatic social impact, creating division, distress, and uncertainty for local families, who now face an uncertain future.

A Lack of Due Process & Transparency

The EPA guildlines clearly states "states that when determining an assessment level, it typically conducts a site inspection with the proponent, the Planning Authority, and key stakeholders".

Who was consulted, when did this occur? Why where residents, community members or local Council representatives not invited to participate? There has been no transparency about this process, leaving residents in the dark about how such a flawed and inadequate classification was reached.

Ignoring the Reality of this Proposal

According to EPA guidelines, Class 2C assessments are for projects with high environmental risk, large-scale impacts, and significant public concern—all of which apply to this mining proposal. Yet, rather than applying the precautionary principle and subjecting ABx to the scrutiny it deserves, the project was quietly assessed as 2A, minimising the ability of the community to challenge it effectively.

A Regulatory System That Prioritises Industry Over People

This decision exposes the deep regulative blindness at play—one that leans heavily in favour of corporate interests, while leaving residents, businesses, and local ecosystems vulnerable. By misclassifying the project, the EPA has actively weakened the level of oversight, reducing the obligation of ABx4 to conduct detailed impact studies and removing key opportunities for public scrutiny.

Where Was the Duty of Care?

How did the EPA justify treating this proposal as low risk?
Given the immense level of public opposition, the severity of environmental and traffic impacts will the Council refuse the EPA’s EIA and request an upgrade of the assessment to at least a 2B?

A Call for Accountability

The entire assessment process is compromised by this failure. The community of Meander Valley has been placed at an extreme disadvantage—forced to fight a battle on uneven ground against a proponent who has been shielded by a lax and industry-favouring regulatory process. If the EPA truly serves both the public interest and environment protection, it must explain why it dismissed the obvious risks, ignored public outcry, and allowed this proposal to move forward under a classification designed for insignificant developments.

The people of the Meander Valley deserve better. Our land, our health, and our livelihoods are not expendable.

Reedy Marsh Resident's Voices

For those of us who have chosen to live in the peaceful, healthy environment of Reedy Marsh, the proposed bauxite mine threatens everything we value. Our family has invested in 6.5 hectares of land on the Meander River, dedicating 75% of it to wildlife conservation. We chose this area for its tranquillity, natural beauty, and supportive community. If Meander Valley Council approves the proposed bauxite mine, all of this will be at risk—our investment, our health, and our way of living, our life dreams.

Our Water

Those of us in Reedy Marsh rely entirely on rainwater for drinking and growing our vegetables, the risks are alarming. If this mine goes ahead, our water tanks will be filled with rainwater contaminated by bauxite dust. Our vegetables will be polluted, making them dangerous to eat—for both us and the wildlife that shares our gardens. The health implications are shocking and unacceptable. Bauxite mining doesn’t just harm wildlife—it endangers human health as well. Dust from bauxite mines is known to contain radioactive elements like radium and thorium, which are harmful to both the environment and people. Long-term exposure to these elements can cause cancer and other serious health issues. If high-aluminum concentration of heavy metals in sediments are deposited in the water, it will further dissolve and deposit into fish and benthic creatures.

Our Wildlife

The endangered Wedge-tailed Eagles, with fewer than 1,000 individuals left in the wild, are among the species that stand to lose the most. These magnificent birds are extremely sensitive to disturbances from machinery, habitat destruction, and pollution. The environmental consultants themselves acknowledged in their report that a more thorough survey of the area is needed to understand the full impact on these eagles. Yet, despite the lack of proper study, the project continues to move forward. Other endangered species, such as the Tasmanian Devil and the Spotted Quoll, roam freely across the countryside, and their habitat is also at risk. While we have protected a large portion of our property for these animals, their survival depends on the surrounding environment remaining intact. We cannot allow this bauxite mine to destroy the homes of these creatures. The wildlife in Reedy Marsh is part of what makes this place special—not only to us but to future generations. The irreversible damage to their habitat from machinery, land clearing, and toxic dust would be a tragedy for Tasmania’s biodiversity.

Our River

The Meander River, which borders our property, is another victim of this proposed mine. Toxic chemicals from bauxite mining will leach into the river, damaging the ecosystem and potentially wiping out fish populations. The harmful effects of bauxite dust on marine life are well-documented in places like Malaysia, where entire ecosystems have been devastated. If this mine goes ahead, we risk creating a "dead zone" in our own backyard, where fish, birds, and other wildlife can no longer survive.

Our Call for Action

This mine is not just a development—it’s a direct threat to everything we cherish in Reedy Marsh. Our peaceful lifestyle, our wildlife, our health, and our community are all at stake. We moved here to escape exactly these kinds of industrial risks, and it is inconceivable that Meander Valley Council would approve such a project given the dangers it poses. We strongly urge the Council to reject this proposal and, at the very least, to commission an independent and thorough wildlife survey before any decisions are made. Additionally, if the mine is approved, we recommend extending Deloraine’s town water supply to Reedy Marsh to mitigate the potential health risks posed by contaminated rainwater. This is our home. It’s worth protecting

MINE WATCH - MEANDER VALLEY

EPA Assessment: A System Designed to Fail Communities

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