How did the mining company get approval to replace the huge bore pipe line if no one not allowed to disturb vegetation thes days?
Dick, the situation is not that "no-one is allowed to disturb vegetation nowadays" - it's just that
uncontrolled, unsupervised, and
unauthorised vegetation destruction is not allowed nowadays.
As in every part of our general lives today, we are obliged to follow laws, regulations and rules that ensure people do not indulge in actions that seriously affect others safety, destroy the environment, seriously pollute, or generally create serious upset and mayhem that causes disruption to our civilised society.
We are also bound by international agreements to protect our natural environment and flora and fauna, so that it is not destroyed or even made extinct by careless, uncontrolled actions.
There are many laws in Australia that completely govern the movement or alteration of the soil and earth without official authority.
As I can no more fly my little aircraft into Sydney Kingsford Smith airport without reference to anyone, thus creating mayhem - then similarly, I can no more go out into the countryside with my earthmoving equipment, and dig holes and displace soil and vegetation, without official approvals in place - without incurring the wrath of some powerful authorities, and the subsequent serious monetary and possibly freedom-restricting penalties.
The over-riding authority controlling the alteration of the landscape in Australia is the EPA. There are levels of landscape alteration that need EPA approval. You need to check with the EPA if what you plan requires an EPA permit.
The next level of authority is the Mining & Petroleum Depts or agencies of each State. These people have serious control of landscape alteration within the State. You may not dig a hole or knock down a tree in your search for minerals or oil and gas, without applying to them for approval. You have to submit plans for what you intend to do, meet the applicable laws and regulations - and once you have written M&P Dept approval - which often contains a list of restrictions on what you plan to do - you can then go ahead with digging holes and knocking down trees - within the strict limits of the Dept instructions.
The third layer of landscape control is with the relevant State Parks and Wildlife Depts. These Depts have strict and intensive control over vast areas of Australia. If you plan to do any landscape alteration in areas under P&W control, you need authorisation and approval.
The fourth layer of control - and this is for Aboriginal Lands - is with the State Govts Aboriginal Depts, Aboriginal Land Councils, and Aboriginal Land Trusts, who are administering the Aboriginal Lands.
All these bodies are instituted and operated under specific Acts of Australian Law. Landscape alterations and changes, developments, mining approvals, and roads within Aboriginal Lands are supervised and controlled by these Depts and Councils, and any plans for land alterations or changes, or plans for intensive development, within the Aboriginal Lands under the respective Depts and Councils control, must be presented to those Depts and Councils - whereby they are assessed, the Aboriginal Land owners consulted and their approval sought - and then, after the agreement of the land owners has been acquired, and all other law requirements met, then the alteration or development is approved.
There are sizeable numbers of mining, and oil and gas companies, who have agreements in place with Aboriginal Land Councils and Trusts to carry out
authorised mining and oil and gas activities on Aboriginal Lands.
These people submit their proposed plans to the Councils and Trusts and the ensuing agreement is thrashed out - taking into account, Aboriginal tribal agreement and sensitivities, Aboriginal sacred grounds, environmental protection laws, other specific laws relating to Mining and Petroleum Acts - and there is always a huge list of requirements to be met, if development approval is given.
A mining company proposing a pipeline will have to submit a huge development proposal that meets all the legislative requirements, and it has to be approved by various other State Depts, as well as the Aboriginal Lands Councils or Trusts.
The pipeline proposal will have to address how it will minimise flora and fauna destruction, minimise general environmental destruction, control runoff and pollution, and address revegetation issues during the construction and completion phases.
Failure to address or control any of the preceding issues, results in serious penalties of the monetary or freedom-restricting kind.
In reality, there isn't much difference to getting approval to carve a huge etching in the earth around Marree, than there is in, say, you getting approval to erect some monstrous outlandish development on your suburban property.
You still need to submit plans, and get approval from the various controlling authorities and departments, and meet all the relevant laws that cover planning, environmental conditions, and probably a dozen other conditions imposed by governing authorities - that have all been developed over many centuries, to ensure the smooth operation of our highly-developed society.
I have a feeling of foreboding that the people who re-instated the Marree Man without reference to any controlling authority will now be facing some serious penalties for environmental destruction.
In simple terms, I'd say the airborne ordure is about to hit a set of spinning propeller-like devices.
