More comment sought on Kevin’s Corner project

The State Government is seeking additional feedback on the environmental investigations into a proposal for the $4.2 billion Kevin’s Corner Coal Project in the Galilee Basin.

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney said interested parties had four weeks to comment on supplementary information to the environmental impact statement (EIS) to be released by Coordinator-General Barry Broe on 5 November 2012.

“The project has the potential to deliver thousands of jobs in the Galilee Basin including 1800 jobs during construction and 1600 once operational,” Mr Seeney said.

“Add to that, the sheer size and long lifetime of this project means jobs created during production and the overall effect on the State’s economy will be felt for decades to come.”

“While coal market conditions have declined during the last twelve months, it remains important to facilitate an efficient and rigorous environmental assessment process so that projects such as this can be ready for an investment decision as soon as possible”.

Hancock Galilee Pty Ltd’s proposed coal mine has an estimated 30 year lifetime and would produce 30 million tonnes of thermal coal per year for the export market.

Mr Seeney said the underground and open-cut coal mine will be located 65 kilometres north-west of Alpha and 160 kilometres west of Emerald in Central Queensland.

“The project would utilise the rail and port facilities proposed as part of the Alpha Coal project, with the Alpha mine to be situated immediately to the south of the Kevin’s Corner site,” Mr Seeney said.

Queensland Coordinator-General Barry Broe said the supplementary information addressed issues raised in the 22 submissions received during the public consultation on the EIS.

“Some of the key issues raised in the submissions included the impact of subsidence from underground mining, impacts to flora and fauna, and cumulative impacts to groundwater and surface water,” Mr Broe said.

“The supplementary information that is available for consultation addresses these issues and we encourage stakeholders wishing to make a submission to do so in writing.”

Mr Broe said the project is being assessed under the bilateral agreement with the Australian Government.

He said the Federal Environment Minister would also consider the Coordinator-General’s EIS Evaluation Report, especially the matters of national environmental significance, before considering the project’s approval under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

The Kevin’s Corner project supplementary information on the EIS will be available for public comment from Monday 5 November until 5pm Monday 3 December, 2012.

To view the supplementary information on the environmental impact statement and information on how to comment, visit www.dsdip.qld.gov.au/kevinscorner  

[ENDS] 30 October 2012

Media Contact: John Wiseman – 3224 4600