Assessment of the Jabiluka Project - Report of the Supervising Scientist to the World heritage Committee. Supervising Scientist report 138

This report has been prepared in response to the request of the World Heritage Committee that the Supervising Scientist conduct a full review of scientific issues raised by the Committee's Mission to Kakadu National Park in October-November 1998. Perceived scientific uncertainty with respect to these issues had led to the Mission's conclusion that the natural values of Kakadu are threatened by the Jabiluka project. This detailed review has demonstrated that there were a number of weaknesses in the hydrological modelling presented by ERA in the EIS and the PER. Accordingly, a number of recommendations have been made which should be implemented by ERA in completing the detailed design of the Jabiluka project. On the other hand, the review has demonstrated quite clearly that, if the design of the water management system proposed by ERA in the PER had been implemented, the risk to the wetlands of Kakadu National Park, and the risk of radiation exposure to people of the region would have been extremely low. This conclusion is valid even in extreme circumstances leading to the complete failure of the structure of the water retention pond at Jabiluka. Copyright (2000) Commonwealth of Australia