Tellus’ Projects Awarded Major Project Facilitation Service by the Australian Government

  • Sandy Ridge and Chandler Projects awarded Major Project Facilitation (MPF) service by the Australian Federal Government
  • MPF awarded to projects of strategic significance to Australia and/or regional Australia
  • The MPF program provides approvals support for Tellus’ proposed developments

Tellus Holdings Ltd (“Tellus”) is pleased to announce that its Sandy Ridge and Chandler Projects (“Proposed Developments”) have been awarded Major Project Facilitation (“MPF”) service by the Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development (“DIRD”). The MPF program provides approvals support for the proposed developments.

Access to services under the Government’s MPF program was approved by The Honourable Darren Chester MP, Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and is valid until 31 December 2019.

MPF eligibility is based on a range of factors including strategic significance to Australia, requirement for Australian Government approval(s), and be commercially viable with positive net social, environmental and economic benefits to regional Australia.

Tellus’ Proposed Developments have been added to the current 15 other development projects with MPF status around Australia, including the multi-billion dollar Woodside’s Browse FLNG Development, Shell’s Prelude’s FLNG Project and Inpex’s Ichthys Gas & Condensate Field Development.

Through this service, DIRD will assist with:

  • information on any Australian Government approvals processes;
  • coordination of all relevant Federal, State and Territory government processes so that, as far as possible, they occur simultaneously and without duplication;
  • identifying and accessing government programs, as appropriate;
  • a single point of contact in the Government to allow prompt resolution of issues.
Fig 1: Sandy Ridge PER
Fig 2: Chandler EIS

Where appropriate, the MPF service will endeavour to ensure that Commonwealth approval processes are coordinated with relevant State and Territory government approval processes.

“We are delighted that the Minister has written to his relevant Commonwealth ministerial colleagues, the Premier of WA and the Chief Minister of the NT, informing them of his decision to grant MPF service to Tellus’ projects and seeking their active cooperation and assistance for the projects within their respective areas of portfolio responsibilities,” Tellus’ Managing Director, Duncan van der Merwe said.

“This inter-government co-ordination will help to streamline the approvals processes and keep Tellus’ development timeline for both projects on track.”

Tellus’ Chandler proposal was previously awarded Major Project Status by the NT Government’s Department of the Chief Minister in September 2014.

About Tellus Holdings:
Tellus Holdings Ltd (“Tellus”) is an infrastructure development company in the business of creating economic, social and environmental value from waste, clay and salt resources. This dual revenue model involves mining the commodities kaolin clay and rock salt in thick dry remote beds which creates world’s best practice geological repositories. The voids created by mining are then used to store equipment, archives or waste using a multi-barrier system as part of an overall safety case. Tellus plans to permanently isolate hazardous waste using environmentally sound management (ESM) principles that protect the environment and human health. Tellus also supports the circular economy using long-term storage by placing like-with-like materials for operational safety reasons and to create opportunities for the future recovery of valuable materials. Tellus’ business model mirrors international solutions operating in the UK, Europe and North America. Tellus is developing the proposed Sandy Ridge facility in Western Australia (WA) and the proposed Chandler facility in the Northern Territory (NT) which has been awarded Major Project Status by the NT Government.

For further information:
Visit: www.tellusholdings.com.au or contact:

Duncan van der Merwe
Managing Director
Tel: +61 (0)2 8257 3395

Cameron Morse
FTI Consulting (Media)
Tel: +61 (0)8 9485 8888

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