Queensland's Coordinator-General invites you to have your say on the draft terms of reference (TOR) for an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Blackwater South Coking Coal project.
Prepared by the Coordinator-General, the draft TOR sets out the matters to be studied within the EIS. You are invited to comment on whether the draft TOR adequately covers all the matters BM Alliance Coal Operations Pty Ltd (BMA) must address when preparing the EIS.
About the project
The proponent, BMA, proposes to construct and operate an open cut metallurgical coal mine 50 kilometres south-west of Blackwater and 80 kilometres south-east of Emerald, within the Bowen Basin. The proposed mine would extract up to 8 million tonnes of product coal per annum over 90 years. The proposed mine will produce predominately metallurgical coal to be used for steel-making, with the potential for secondary production of export thermal coal. The proposed project includes a mine infrastructure area, a new rail loop and train load-out facility and supporting infrastructure including an access road, a water supply pipeline, a workers’ accommodation village, and telecommunication and electricity transmission lines.
A delegate of the Australian Minister for the Environment and Water determined that the Blackwater South Coking Coal project is likely to have a significant impact on matters of national environmental significance and will require approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) before it can proceed. The controlling provisions include listed threatened species and communities (sections 18 and 18A of the EPBC Act), and a water resource in relation to coal seam gas development and large coal mining development (sections 24D and 24E of the EPBC Act). The project will be assessed by accredited assessment under the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 (Qld). The draft TOR includes requirements to address impacts on matters of national environmental significance.
How to make a submission
There are different options available to provide comments on this draft TOR. You only need to provide comments using one of these methods. Replicated responses received through different methods will only be counted as one submission.
Note: If you wish to attach anything (e.g. maps, images or supporting documents), please use the email option instead of the online form.
While you are encouraged to use the submission form, it is not mandatory. Your submission, including any personal information you provide in connection with your submission, may be disclosed by the Coordinator-General to the project proponent and to other local, State and Commonwealth government agencies. Your personal information will otherwise be dealt with in accordance with the Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld). If you have special communication needs, telephone the EIS project manager on 1800 011 048 to make alternative submission arrangements.
Following the end of the comment period for the draft TOR, the Coordinator-General will consider any comments on the draft TOR received during the comment period.
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