Alcoa hit with $55m penalty for illegal WA jarrah clearing, plus 18‑month window to expand mining

Australia’s environment minister announced a $55 million enforceable undertaking against Alcoa for clearing known habitat in Western Australia’s northern jarrah forests without EPBC Act approval (2019–2025), including about 2,000 hectares cleared. The penalty funds environmental measures: $40m for permanent ecological offsets, $5m to conservation programs, $6m for invasive species control, and $4m for invasive fauna research. Separately, Watt granted an 18‑month exemption allowing further clearing while the government reviews a proposed expansion of Huntly and Willowdale operations to 2045. Alcoa will cap clearing at 800 hectares per year under the exemption and step up rehabilitation to 1,000 hectares per year by 2027. The decision, praised by some as necessary for resource security, drew criticism from biodiversity groups who say the national interest exemption sets a dangerous precedent and that rehabilitation cannot restore the forest’s original state.