Public to have further say on New Acland Coal project

The public is being invited to have its say on the environmental impact of the proposed New Acland Coal Mine expansion – a project which could create hundreds of regional jobs.

New Acland Coal has provided more information for the project’s Environmental Impact Statement in response to public consultation between January 18 and March 3 this year.

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney said the independent Coordinator-General’s new request for final comment on the project’s environmental impact was an important step in the assessment of the mine expansion proposal.

“The Queensland Government is committed to growing the state’s four pillar economy and ensuring successful co-existence between the agricultural and resource sectors,” Mr Seeney said.

“We also want to deliver more jobs for Queenslanders and this $900 million project could deliver 260 construction jobs and up to 435 operational jobs.”

Mr Seeney said the Newman Government had not supported New Acland Coal’s original 2007 expansion plan due to its effect on high quality agricultural land and proximity to local townships.

Since 2012, the proponent has reduced the project’s footprint by about 60 per cent and has now confirmed it will abandon 1,401 hectares of the mining lease area, including the town of Acland.

Other significant changes include:

• Preserving of the course of Lagoon Creek
• Moving the Jondaryan rail load-out facility eight kilometres from the town
• Moving mining 10 kilometres from Oakey
• Removal of the proposed relocation of a heritage listed item (the New Acland colliery)
• Reducing the impact on Strategic Cropping Land by around 2300 hectares
• Reducing throughput from up to 10 million tonnes a year to a maximum of 7.5million tonnes a year, reducing of the proposed mine life from 2042 to 2029.

The EIS and additional information can be viewed online from tomorrow, Saturday, August 30, at  www.dsdip.qld.gov.au/newacland or in hard copy from September 1 at Toowoomba Regional Council libraries, the State Library of Queensland, the National Library of Australia and the New Hope Community Information Centre in Oakey.

Submissions can be emailed to newaclandproject@coordinatorgeneral.qld.gov.au or posted to the Coordinator-General, c/- EIS Project Manager New Acland Project, Coordinated Project Delivery, Office of the Coordinator-General, PO Box 15517, City East Qld 4002.

Submissions close at 5pm on 29 September 2014. The Coordinator-General is assessing the project’s environmental impacts under a bilateral agreement between the State and Commonwealth.

[ENDS] 29 August 2014

Media Contact: Jane Paterson 0417 281 754 or Elizabeth Spry 0418 928 744

**Editor’s note addresses of where the EIS information can be viewed

• Toowoomba Regional Council libraries:
  618 Ruthven Street Toowoomba
  60 Campbell Street, Oakey
  89 Mocatta Street, Goombungee
• National Library of Australia, Parkes Place, Canberra
• New Hope Community Information Centre, Shop 90/88, Campbell Street, Oakey
• State Library of Queensland, Cultural Centre, Stanley Place, South Bank, Brisbane.