Alcoa Fined A$55M for Illegal Land Clearing in Western Australia

Alcoa, a US aluminium company, has agreed to pay A$55 million (approximately $38.9 million) to remediate native forest it illegally cleared in Western Australia for bauxite mining. The clearing of nearly 2,100 hectares in the Northern Jarrah Forest occurred between 2019 and 2025 without government approvals. This payment, the largest of its kind, will fund conservation initiatives, including ecological offsets and programs to protect endangered black cockatoos. Despite the fine, Australia's Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt granted Alcoa a national interest exemption, allowing the company to continue limited land clearing for 18 months while a strategic environmental assessment is completed. This exemption aims to ensure the continued supply of bauxite and sustain Alcoa's operations, which employ a significant workforce in Western Australia. Alcoa has also pledged an additional A$4.2 million in offsets for activities covered by the exemption.