The federal government has been urged to sign a new agreement to help fast track major resource projects in Western Australia.

The federal government has been urged to sign a new agreement to help fast track major resource projects in Western Australia.

Premier Mark McGowan has written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison calling on the Commonwealth to establish an environmental approvals bilateral agreement with WA. 

“This is a vital agreement that would slash approval times for major projects and unleash jobs,” Mr McGowan said in a statement on Wednesday.

“The current approvals process is too slow and there is too much duplication at state and commonwealth levels.”

The proposed agreement, under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, would significantly reduce major project timeframes, duplication and costs while maintaining high environmental standards.

The premier said it could cut approval times for major resource projects by about six months.

It would allow the state government to conduct all the necessary environmental assessments and then issue a single approval for specific projects.