Environment

Environmental Impact Assessment

Environmental assessment is being undertaken for the Lower Fitzroy River Infrastructure Project. The purpose of the assessment is to explore the potential environmental, social, cultural and economic impacts likely to be associated with the project.

The project was determined to be a ‘controlled action’ by the Commonwealth Environment Minister on 7 January 2010, under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cwlth) (EPBC Act) (EPBC Referral 2009/5173).

Controlling provisions under the EPBC Act are:

• World Heritage properties (sections 12 and 15(a))
• National Heritage places (sections 15B and 15(c)
• Listed threatened species and communities (sections 18 and 18(a)
• Listed migratory species (sections 20 and 20(a)

Assessment of likely impacts on Matters on National Environmental Significance (MNES) will be assessed by Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

In June 2010 the Commonwealth's Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (DSEWPaC) issued Guidelines for the preparation of an EIS pertaining to MNES

An Initial advice Statement (IAS) was submitted to the Coordinator General within the Department of Infrastructure and Planning (now the Department of Employment Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI)) in November 2010 seeking declaration as a 'significant project' under the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 (Qld) (SDPWO Act).

The Coordinator-General has assessed the IAS and has declared the project to be a 'significant project' under Section 26(1)(a) of the SDPWO Act. This declaration initiates the statutory environmental impact assessment procedure of Part 4 of the SDPWO Act, requiring preparation of an EIS for the project. DEEDI, on behalf of the Coordinator General, has developed draft Terms of Reference for the EIS.

DSEWPaC and DEEDI will administer the EIS process in parallel. The project will require approval from both the Commonwealth and State before it can proceed. The Proponents will prepare separate documents to address the Commonwealth and State requirements, as per the Guidelines and Terms of Reference, respectively. Separate assessment reports will be completed by each jurisdiction.

Administrative processes will however be undertaken in a coordinated manner by the State and Australian

Technical Studies

• Climate Change & Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Rainfall patterns, temperature and humidity, wind directions and speed, the risk of natural hazards, such as cyclones, thunderstorms, floods and, droughts.
• Land - Land use and zoning, potential change to land use, new permanent or temporary infrastructure
• Nature Conservation - Terrestrial, riparian and aquatic vegetation, loss of habitat,
• Water Resources & Water Quality - Runoff from adjacent grazing land, runoff from irrigated croplands, reduced flows from weirs and water extraction,
• Air Quality - Impacts of dust generation from construction activities and identification of climatic patterns that could affect dust generation and movement.
• Noise & Vibration - Key environmental noise, review of proposed construction plan based on noise of construction equipment to be used on site, including new access roads.
• Waste - Waste generated by delivery of material to site(s), chemical and mechanical processes conducted on the construction sites that produce waste, the amount and characteristics of solid and liquid
• Traffic & Access Arrangements - Road accessibility, temporary and permanent loss or inconvenience of access to local properties due to inundation from raising the weir(s), and construction traffic impact.
• Economic Assessment
• Hazard & Risk
• Cumulative and Indirect Impacts
• Native Title
• Cultural Heritage (Indigenous & non-Indigenous)
• Social Impacts