Ministerial statement: Have your say on Alpha Coal's EIS

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http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=72448

Relevance to rail: this mine would be served by the 495km Galilee basin railway, which will be Queensland's first standard gauge coal railway.

Minister for Infrastructure and Planning
The Honourable Stirling Hinchliffe

Friday, November 05, 2010

Have your say on Alpha Coal's EIS

Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Stirling Hinchliffe today invited public comment on the environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed $7.9 billion Alpha Coal project in the Galilee Basin.

Mr Hinchliffe said the scope of the EIS included Hancock's 30 million tonne open cut Alpha mine and a 495-kilometre rail line from the Galilee Basin to the Abbot Point coal terminal.

"The development of the Galilee Basin as a major centre for coal mining, processing and exporting is important to the future economic prosperity of Queensland," Mr Hinchliffe said.

"If the Alpha coal project proceeds it could generate around 3740 construction jobs and more than 2600 during the operational life of the project, which is expected to continue for at least 30 years.

"If the project receives final approval, the coal would be transported via rail from the mine to a new stockpile and port facility at Abbot Point."

The railway line was approved as an Infrastructure Facility of Significance on 1 October 2010 to service Alpha and other mines in the region.

Mr Hinchliffe said Hancock was also well advanced in preparing an EIS for its proposed 30 million tonne open-cut and underground mine at Kevin's Corner, 55 kilometres north of Alpha.

"The capacity of the single line and port stockpile could be around 60mtpa plus, allowing access by the Kevin's Corner project and other third party users," he said.

"Infrastructure for the mining operations would include a run of mine facility, coal handling and preparation plant, storage facilities, access and haul roads, onsite raw water dams, an accommodation village, rail lineandnew stockpiling and ship loading facilities at the port of Abbot Point.

"It would also include the construction of a rail spur to connect to the proposed common user rail and port infrastructure at Abbot Point."

If the project proceeds, Hancock expects to start exporting coal from its Alpha project in 2014.

Coordinator General Graeme Newton said the scale and complexity of approvals for the Alpha project required a rigorous EIS to consider the potential environmental, cultural and socio-economic impacts on the local community.

"The release of an EIS recognises the complexity of a project, the substantial benefits it may bring and the need to carefully assess its environmental impacts and how they could be mitigated if the project was approved to proceed," Mr Newton said.

"The Alpha Coal EIS will be available for public comment until 20 December 2010.

"I encourage all interested persons to provide feedback on the proposed development, as part of this important project assessment."

The EIS is available to view online at the Department of Infrastructure and Planning website at www.dip.qld.gov.au/projects and will be on public display (subject to local opening hours) at:

Alpha Library, Tennyson Street, Alpha

Barcaldine Municipal Library, Ash Street, Barcaldine

Blackall Library, 108 Shamrock Street, Blackall

Bowen Library, Herbert Street, Bowen

Clermont Library, Herscel St, Clermont

Collinsville Library, Council Chambers, Collinsville

Emerald Library, 44 Borilla Street, Emerald

Jericho Library, Shire Office, Pasteur Street, Jericho

Moranbah Library, Grosvenor Complex, Batchelor Parade, Moranbah

National Library of Australia, Parkes Place, Parkes, Canberra

State Library of Queensland, Cultural Centre, Stanley Place, South Bank, Brisbane.

All public submissions must be in writing and received by the Coordinator General via by 5pm on 20 December 2010. Submissions can be sent to:

The Coordinator General

EIS Project Manager: Alpha Coal project

Significant Projects Coordination

Department of Infrastructure and Planning

PO Box 15009

City East Qld 4002

Fax: +61 7 3225 8282

Email: alphacoal@dip.qld.gov.au

Media contact: 3224 8750