Director, Environment

Certificate in Forestry Field Work
Bachelor of Science
RABQSA Registered Environmental Auditor

John's diverse experience over 22 years in environmental consulting, environmental regulation, mining, road construction and maintenance, wildlife research, land management and forestry spans Australia, Myanmar, Mongolia, China and Indonesia. His services have been used for the permitting of small and large scale mining and industrial projects throughout Australia and Asia.

Before joining Sustainability, John spent time on short-term contracts as a technical specialist to SGS Certification Services for ISO14000 environmental management systems certification audits of an Asian mining operation.

Environmental consulting

At Sustainability, John manages and coordinates the work undertaken by the Environment business unit. His core expertise covers the following areas:

• Management of environmental approvals and EIA
• Assessment of pollution issues and contaminated sites
• Resolution of conflicts and facilitation of sustainable outcomes
• Environmental auditing, management and assessment
• Environmental management system development
• Environmental reporting (public and statutory)
• Community and stakeholder consultation
• Accredited environmental auditor training
• Sustainability planning for government and private sector organisations.

John undertakes environmental audits against international standards for mining, industrial and civil engineering projects, as well as environmental compliance audits in accordance with requirements of the Western Australian (WA) Department of Environment and the Australian Department of Environment and Heritage.

In addition, John project manages environmental, health, safety and community services to Ivanhoe Mines for the Oyu Tolgoi Project in southern Mongolia.

Major projects and achievements

• Environmental approvals, establishment of environment and community programs, government liaison for mining operations including environmental impact assessment (EIA), environmental management planning and closure bonding for the Oyu Tolgoi Project, Ivanhoe Mines, Mongolia
• July 2005: awarded medal of merit by Government of Mongolia for above work
• Project management of the development and implementation of a fully-integrated Environmental Management System for Main Roads WA

Gold operations

Eight years experience with the WA Department of Environment in the Goldfields and MidWest Regions of WA regulating mining operations, mainly gold operations. Experience includes licensing of gold processing plants and tailings facilities; enforcement of regulations and license conditions, environmental assessments; participating in industry/government working groups on environmental policy and industry guidelines for Cyanide tailings management.

Six years experience as an environmental consultant including environmental impact assessment of mining projects, compliance audits, environmental management systems and environmental management plans. Specific consulting experience with the gold industry includes:

• Barrick Lawlers Gold Mine: Groundwater contamination strategy development
• Gold Fields Agnew: Internal gap analysis against the International Cyanide Code
• Sino Gold: Guizhou Jinfeng Mine: Environmental Management Plan and Procedures
• Sino Gold White Mountain Gold Project: Environmental Impact Assessment Review
• Ivanhoe Mines Mongolia: EIA and Environmental Management of the Oyu Tolgoi Copper/Gold Project
• Newmont Batu Hijau Sumbawa: Environmental Audit Training and Hazardous Materials Compliance Audits
• Myanmar Ivanhoe Exploration: Environmental baseline studies and EIA of the Modi T

Audit experience

Lead Auditor for Environmental Compliance Audits, including preparing the audit plans, protocols, and reports, for:

• Woodside Phase V Karratha Gas Plant Expansion
• Roe Hwy Extensions; Roe 7 Alliance, Main Roads WA
• Environmental Due Diligence – Sons of Gwalia Operations
• Western Power; Generation Business Unit

Environmental Management Systems Audits – on behalf of SAI Global (approximately 10 audits as lead auditor per year for the past 3 years), Includes:

• Alcoa Australia: Pinjarra, Kwinana and Wagerup Refineries
• Western Power Kwinana Power Station and Muja Power Station
• Millenium Chemicals
• Woodside Offshore and Onshore gas facilities
• BHPB Petroleum
• Wesfarmers Coal
• Wesfarmers Kleenheat Gas
• Water Corporation of Western Australia

These audits included management and leading of the audit team, development of audit protocols/plans, audit reports and liaison with the clients.

John is an accredited Environmental Auditor with RABQSA for environmental management systems and compliance audits.