Call for comment on New Acland expansion

The Newman Government is calling for public comment on new draft terms of reference for a proposal to expand the New Acland Coal Mine in the Darling Downs.

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney said the release of the new draft terms of reference for community input followed New Hope Coal’s application for a smaller scale expansion.

“New Hope has revised its proposal to significantly reduce its impact on agricultural land, and moved it further away from local communities,” Mr Seeney said.

“The revised proposal is 63 per cent smaller with the project footprint reduced by 2,300 hectares.

“The reduced scope means mining over the town of Acland is no longer proposed and neither is the diversion of Lagoon Creek.

“After the public comment period, the Coordinator-General will release the final terms of reference for an environmental impact statement.”

Mr Seeney said the Jondaryan rail load out facility would also be moved eight kilometres from the town and mining would move 10 kilometres from Oakey.

He said the State Government understood that communities had strong views on the proposal despite the smaller scope.

“We acknowledge there will be a broad range of views on the proposal and that people will have concerns mine’s impacts on agricultural land, while others will be interested in the mine’s potential to make a huge contribution to the region’s economy,” he said.

“The release of the draft terms of reference allows these groups to provide their input and shape the scope of the project’s proposal.

“The project proposal will be subject to rigorous assessment under State and Commonwealth laws and the mine’s future will rest on whether it can meet all those strict requirements.

Mr Seeney said a project proceeding through the EIS process was not an indication of Coordinator-General approval or support.

“This is simply recognition of the project’s complexity and the undertaking of a comprehensive environmental assessment process that must address the key impacts of the proposal,” he said.

“While an EIS for the previous version of the project was released for comment in late 2009, a new EIS will now be required on the reduced project scope.

“By sending the proponent back to the terms of reference stage, I have taken into account that people may wish to make a submission on what the new project should address in a new EIS.

“Nine weeks, which is double the standard comment period, will be provided to allow people ample time to consider the document.”

The draft terms of reference are available for comment from Saturday 1 December 2012 to 5pm Monday 4 February 2013.

The proponent has prepared a project description document which details the new scope for the expansion project.

The terms of reference, project description document, and further information about the EIS process, can be viewed at www.dsdip.qld.gov.au/newacland or, from Monday 3 December 2012, in person at:

The following Toowoomba Regional Council service centres:

• Goombungee: 89 Mocatta Street, Oakey
• Oakey:  64 Campbell Street, Oakey
• Toowoomba: 4 Little Street, Toowoomba
• State Library of Queensland, Cultural Centre, Stanley Place, South Bank, Brisbane
• National Library of Australia, Parkes Place, Canberra

All public submissions should be made in writing and received by the Coordinator-General by 5pm Monday 4 February 2013.

Email: newaclandproject@coordinatorgeneral.qld.gov.au

Post: The Coordinator-General
c/- EIS project manager – New Acland Stage 3 project
Coordinated Project Delivery
Office of the Coordinator-General
PO Box 15517
City East QLD 4002 Australia

Fax: +61 7 3225 8282

[ENDS] 28 November 2012

Media Contact:  Kate Haddan – 0418 373 516