Fed: ERA told to fix internal systems

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Fed: ERA told to fix internal systems

CANBERRA, April 11 AAP - Operators of the Ranger mine bordering Kakadu National Park,Energy Resources Australia Ltd (ERA), must be subject to world environment standards,the Supervising Scientist said today.

ERA is under investigation for two more alleged environmental breaches from the uraniummine five years ago.

Supervising Scientist Arthur Johnston is urging the federal government to make ERAsubject to stricter rules in line with international standards.

Dr Johnston will deliver a report to Environment Minister David Kemp this week afterinvestigating a mine leak from February this year.

While he was satisfied the environment surrounding the mine was protected, Dr Johnstonsaid the company must implement programs to ensure there was no repeat.

"What we found was that the guidelines themselves were not breached and the environmentwas protected to a very high standard.

"But nevertheless, there were some deficiencies in the way in which ERA runs its businessinternally," Dr Johnston told ABC radio.

The company had sound monitoring programs and sound environmental management plansbut was missing sound processes to ensure they were implemented, he said.

"We've come up with a recommendation that the mining company be subject to an internationalstandard," Dr Johnston said.

"We believe that if they comply with that, they would indeed have the processes inplace to ensure that this wouldn't happen again."

ERA Ltd was also being investigated for alleged misreporting to authorities about aspillage and for alleged inappropriate practices, Dr Johnston said.

"They're serious in the sense that if there was a deliberate misreport to the authoritiesof something like the extent of a tailings spillage, I would be concerned," he said.

AAP lm/cjh/de

KEYWORD: RANGER