The West Australian government has decided to allow Buru Energy to frack for gas in the Kimberley region without an Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) assessment. The Perth-based company plans to test tight gas flows using hydraulic fracturing stimulation at four existing wells along its Laurel Formation prospect in the second half of 2014. The EPA told the company in January that the proposal raised several environmental issues but it had decided against subjecting it to an impact assessment process. "The EPA considers that this small scale, 'proof of concept' exploration drilling proposal is unlikely to have a significant effect on the environment," it said. Potential impacts such as vegetation clearing and pollution of groundwater due to well failure could be monitored and mitigated by the Department of Mines and Petroleum and the Department of Water, the EPA said. On Tuesday, the WA environment minister, Albert Jacob, said the EPA's decision was justified and dismissed 48 appeals.