Winchester South project – draft environmental impact statement

Overview

Queensland's Coordinator-General invites you to have your say on the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Winchester South project.

Prepared by Whitehaven WS Pty Ltd, the draft EIS describes the project and its potential direct and indirect environmental impacts, both positive and negative.

You are invited to make a submission on the draft EIS, including on the project’s potential environmental impacts and the effectiveness of the measures proposed to manage those impacts.

The Coordinator-General will consider all submissions as part of the evaluation.

About the project

The proponent, Whitehaven WS Pty Ltd, proposes to develop the $1 billion Winchester South project. The project includes an open cut coal mine with a rail connection to the Norwich Park Branch Railway, a water pipeline to the Eungella pipeline network, an electricity transmission line and access road. The mine would produce up to 11 million tonnes per annum of primarily metallurgical coal used for steel making, for approximately 30 years. The proposed mine site is located approximately 30 kilometres south-east of Moranbah, Queensland, within the Isaac Regional Council local government area.

The proponent has lodged three referrals which comprise the Winchester South project for a controlled action decision under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) (EPBC Act) and will require approval before it can proceed (EPBC reference: 2019/8458, 2019/8459 and 2019/8460). The relevant controlling provisions are listed threatened species and communities (sections 18 and 18A), and a water resource in relation to coal seam gas development and large coal mining development (sections 24D and 24E) (EPBC 2019/8460 only).

The EIS will assess potential impacts of the Winchester South project on the controlling provisions consistent with the Bilateral Agreement (section 45 of the EPBC Act) between the Australian and Queensland governments for the purposes of the Australian Government’s assessment under Part 8 of the EPBC Act. The Coordinator-General’s EIS evaluation report will be provided to the Commonwealth Minister. The Commonwealth Minister may rely on the outcomes of the Coordinator-General’s assessment process, including any public submissions, in making a decision under the EPBC Act.

The draft EIS is available to view online from Wednesday, 4 August 2021. A copy is also available from the proponent via telephone (07) 3738 2000 or email winchestersouthcoal@whitehavencoal.com.au. If you need help reading the draft EIS, or if English is your second language, please call 131 450. This free service will help you read and understand the draft EIS and other relevant project information.

An electronic copy of the draft EIS will be available to view between Wednesday 4 August 2021 to 5pm on Wednesday 15 September 2021, during the venues’ business hours:

• Dysart Library, Shannon Crescent, Dysart
• Moranbah Library, Grosvenor Complex, Batchelor Parade, Town Square Moranbah
• Middlemount Library, Middlemount Shopping Centre, Carter Place, Middlemount
• Nebo Library, 10 Reynolds Street, Nebo
• State Library of Queensland, Cultural Centre, Stanley Place, South Bank, Brisbane
• National Library of the Australia, Parkes Place, Canberra.

How to make a submission

There are three different ways to make a submission on this draft EIS. You only need to lodge your submission using one of these methods. Replicated responses received through different methods will only be counted as one submission. 

1. Click on the ‘Make a submission’ link below
2. Email your submission to winchestersouth@coordinatorgeneral.qld.gov.au
3. Post your submission to:
   
   Attention: Coordinator-General
   C/- EIS Project Manager, Winchester South project
   Office of the Coordinator-General
   PO Box 15517
   City East QLD 4002 Australia

Note: If you wish to attach anything to your submission (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 +61 7 3452 7468 to make alternative submission arrangements.

What happens next

Following the end of the submission period for the draft EIS, the Coordinator-General will consider the following in deciding whether or not to accept the draft EIS as the final EIS:

• the draft EIS
• any properly made submissions for the draft EIS
• any other material the Coordinator-General considers relevant.

If the Coordinator-General decides to accept the draft EIS as the final EIS, the Coordinator-General will commence preparation of her evaluation report for the project.

If the Coordinator-General decides not to accept the draft EIS as the final EIS, the proponent will be required to provide additional information to address any further information requirements.