Approvals Alliance to fast-track project approvals

The Project Approvals Alliance sees a group of WA based consultancies join forces to provide a coordinated service to project proponents hoping to take advantage of opportunities in the new boom.
Alliance services will include Indigenous heritage, environmental approvals, internal and external stakeholder relations, as well as State Government and Federal Government relations. Alliance members include:
. Aquaterra - Groundwater and Environmental Approvals;
. Kellie Hill Consulting (KHC) - Indigenous Heritage and Native Title; and
. CPR Communications & Public Relations - Federal & State Government, Investor, Community & Media Relations
CPR general manager Daniel Smith said the formation of the Project Approvals Alliance provided projects with a way of cutting through the system bottlenecks likely to emerge in the new boom.
“During the last expansion, the number of mining, exploration, environmental and Indigenous heritage approval applications received by the State Government from resources and infrastructure projects increased significantly,” he said.
“At the same time, the public sector’s capacity to manage the increased workload was diminished as an expanding private sector recruited within public sector approvals agencies. These competing pressures resulted in delays to project approvals and many opportunities were lost.
“The Project Approvals Alliance aims to give projects the best chance of achieving their approvals in an increasingly heated environment.”
KHC managing director Kellie Hill said the Project Approvals Alliance provided projects with the ability to quickly ramp up their approvals effort.
“The new boom is on us and we are reacting to this new environment by quickly expanding our team,” she said.
“In fact, by engaging the Project Approvals Alliance, projects are gaining access to a team of more than 100 experienced approvals personnel, which can be managed through a single coordinated relationship.”
Aquaterra principal environmental consultant Doug Koontz said a coordinated approach to approvals was essential, given the increasing complexity of the environmental approvals process.
“Environmental approvals are becoming increasingly complex, as companies are required to provide a much higher level of technical detail to satisfy various regulators,” he said.
“More emphasis is being put on addressing most of the issues early in the assessment process through stakeholder consultation and detailed environmental investigations.”
Mr Koontz, who recently served on Mines Minister Norman Moore’s review of the Approvals System, said a rigorous approach to approvals was essential.
“Sound strategic planning is essential to establishing a realistic timeline and budget for approvals which conform to the overall project development objectives.”
All three Approvals Alliance members are based in Perth, with CPR maintaining a Canberra office to manage Federal approvals such as Foreign Investment Review Board processes.

More information visit: www.approvalsalliance.com.au