Grosvenor West project (lapsed)

Project summary

Carabella Resources Limited’s proposed Grosvenor West Project (GWP) would mine coal resources from within exploration permit for coal (EPC) 1069, located approximately 10 kilometres (km) north-west of Moranbah, and 160 km south-west of Mackay, in Central Queensland. Coal extraction would be by either open-cut or underground mining, producing approximately 3.5 million tonnes of product coal per year.

Associated infrastructure would include a coal handling and preparation plant (CHPP), rail and road infrastructure, water storage facilities, CHPP waste storage facilities, waste rock emplacements, and administration and maintenance buildings. The GWP site is located adjacent to the Goonyella/Riverside/Broadmeadow, Goonyella North/Eaglefield and Moranbah North coking coal mines and may access existing power and water infrastructure located within or adjacent to the proposed mine site.

Total mine life is expected to be up to 20 years, with first coal production proposed from late 2015.

Queensland environmental impact statement (EIS) process

Environmental Protection Act 1994

On 8 March 2012, Carabella Resources Ltd under sections 70 and 71 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act) applied for approval to voluntarily prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS). On 16 March 2012, the department approved the application under section 72 of the EP Act.

Commonwealth assessment process

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

On 1 June 2012, the then Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities determined the proposed project to be a controlled action under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The controlling provisions are sections 18 and 18A (listed threatened species and communities), 12 and 15A (World Heritage Properties), 15B and 15C (National Heritage Places), 24B and 24C (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park), and 20 and 20A (listed migratory species) as set out in the decision notice (EPBC 2012/6281).

The potential impacts of the project on the controlling provisions will be assessed under the state’s EIS process which has been accredited for the assessment under the EPBC Act in accordance with the Bilateral Agreement between the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of Queensland (2012).

Current status of the EIS process

The final TOR for the EIS was issued to the proponent on 18 October 2012. The proponent originally had until 18 October 2014 to prepare the EIS and submit it to the department for assessment, but the proponent requested, and was granted, an extension of a year. However, the EIS was not submitted by the due date, 18 October 2015. Consequently, the terms of reference have ceased to have effect and the EIS assessment process has lapsed.

Documents

Further information

For further information about the EIS process for this proposal, contact the EIS Coordinator on 13QGOV (13 74 68) or email eis@des.qld.gov.au.