To Members and Supporters,
EDO NQ Alert!
Alert 1
New Notice
Type
Rail freight use by Agriculture and livestock
industries
Environment Legislation Amendment Bill 2013
Quinkan Country, Saltwater Country of Groote
Eylandt Archipelago
Koala EPBC Act referral guidelines
North Galilee Basin Rail
Red Hill Mining Lease Project
List artificial watering points as threatening
process
Notices Still Open
Streamlining Offshore Petroleum
Environmental Approvals
Environmental Offsets Framework
Modernising Queensland’s Resources Acts
Regional Planning Interests Bill 2013
Queensland
Committee Enquiry
Qld Bill
National Heritage
assessment
Draft guidelines
EIS
EIS
EPBC Act
nomination
Type
Cth Program and
Strategic Asses.
Discussion Paper
Discussion paper
Qld Govt. Bill
The Government’s Direct Action Plan
Draft GBR Strategic Assessment
Senate Inquiry
Draft
Gulf Draft Resource Operations Plan
Amendment
Cape York Regional Plan
Draft Strategy for Delivering Water Resource
Management in Cape York
ROP Amendment
Regional Plan
Draft Strategy
6 January 2014
Lead Agency
making a
Submission
Due Date
21/2/14
17/1/14
7/3/14
7/2/14
11/2/14
142/14
14/2/13
Submission
ANEDO
EDO QLD/
EDO NQ
EDO NQ /
EDO QLD
Due Date
20/12/13
13/1/14
17/1/14
17/1/14
20/1/14
31/1/14
14/2/14
EDO NQ
EDO NQ
25/3/14
25/3/14
NOTICES, PROJECTS and EPBC REFERRALS
All of the information below is drawn directly from the Commonwealth Government’s website
(www.environment.gov.au/epbc/index.html) or Queensland Government websites and is provided for
information and summary purposes only; EDO NQ does not warrant or guarantee its accuracy or
correctness. In addition, the inclusion of this information in this newsletter should not be taken to
indicate that EDO NQ supports or has otherwise taken a position about the proposals which are the
subject of review.
Rail Freight use by Agriculture and Livestock Industries – 14 February
Queensland Transport, Housing and Local Government Committee are undertaking an inquiry
into opportunities to enhance the use of rail freight by primary producers, including planning for
future needs. The committee will consult with key industry groups and are inviting submissions
from members of the public. For further information…
Review of Commonwealth Laws for Consistency with Traditional Rights, Freedoms and
Privileges
Announced by Commonwealth Attorney General
Environment Legislation Amendment Bill 2013 – comments close 17/1/14
From the Parliament Bill homepage “The bill: addresses implications arising from the
Federal Court’s decision in Tarkine National Coalition Incorporated v Minister for Sustainability,
Environment, Water, Population and Communities [2013] FCA 694 by ensuring the validity of
specified decisions made prior to 31 December 2013 that require the minister to have regard to
any relevant approved conservation advice; and amends the Environment Protection and
Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 to provide
additional protection for dugong and turtle populations from the threats of poaching, illegal
trade and illegal transportation. Further information and copies of the bill are via the
parliamentary website.
Quinkan Country, and Saltwater Country of the Groote Eylandt Archipelago – comments
close 7 March 2014
The Australian Heritage Council is assessing whether Quinkan Country, and Saltwater Country
of the Groote Eylandt Archipelago meet any of the National Heritage criteria. The Australian
community is invited to comment on whether either or both of the places meet any National
Heritage criteria and whether they should be included in the list. The public comment period
closes on 7 March 2014.
At this stage limited information is available on the Australian Heritage Council
webpage.
Draft Koala referral guidelines – comments close 7 February 2014.
Public comment is sought on the draft referral guidelines used to determine when an action is
likely to require a referral to the Department under the EPBC Act. The guidelines expand on
the framework used since the combined koala populations of Queensland, NSW and the ACT
were listed as Vulnerable under the EPBC Act in May 2012. Further details…
North Galilee Basin Rail EIS – comments close 11 February 2014
The public are invited to comment on the Environmental Impact Statement prepared by the
proponent, Adani Mining Pty Ltd, for the rail project. The project is a 300 kilometre, 100 metre
wide new rail corridor connecting the northern Galilee Basin to the Port of Abbot Point. Further
details on the project webpage.
Red Hill Mining Lease Project EIS – comments close 14 February 2014
BM Alliance Coal Operations is proposing a new underground coking coal mine with a yield of
14 Mtpa and the expansion of two existing coking coal mines. Located 20 kilometres north of
Moranbah the project also includes a processing plant and accommodation village. Copies of
the EIS and how to make submissions are on the project website.
EPBC Act nomination to list artificial watering points as threatening process –
comments close 28 February 2014
Members of the public are asked to comment on the nomination to the committee to include
“Biodiversity decline and habitat degradation in the arid and semi-arid Australian rangelands
due to the proliferation, placement and management of artificial watering points” as a key
threatening process requiring the implementation of a threat abatement plan. Further
information on the proposal is available and the committee welcomes comments to assist with
this assessment.
Still open for comment:
Streamlining Offshore Petroleum Environmental Approvals – comments close 20 December
Currently, petroleum activities in Commonwealth waters that are likely to impact on matters of national
environmental significance - as defined in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation
Act 1999 (EPBC Act) - are subject to regulation under both the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse
Gas Storage Act 2006 (OPGGS Act) and the EPBC Act. The Australian Government are streamlining
the environmental approval processes applying to offshore petroleum projects.
The Program and draft Strategic Assessment Report are available for public consultation. Further
information and reports are available via the Department of Industry website.
Queensland Government Environmental Offsets Framework – comments close 13 January 2014
The offsets framework discussion paper has been released for consultation. Please find attached a
copy as it does not appear to be available on the website as yet.
Modernising Queensland’s Resources Acts - 17 January 2014
A discussion paper is released for comment seeking feedback on the migration of five resource Acts
into one common resources Act. The Department of Natural Resources and Mines is developing a
single legislative framework for five existing resources Acts and their supporting regulations. Further
information is available on the DNRM website.
Regional Planning Interests Bill 2013 - comments close 17 January
"The Bill provides the ability to manage the impacts of resource activities and related activities in areas
of regional interest that are likely to contribute to Queensland’s economic, social and environmental
prosperity.” The Queensland Government are preparing new regional plans to identify areas such as
priority agricultural, strategic cropping land and living areas and strategic environmental areas. Further
information is available on the Queensland Parliament website.
The Government’s Direct Action Plan – comments 20 January 2014
On 10 December the Senate referred the Government’s Direct Action Plan to the Environment and
Communications References Committee. The inquiry is into the Abbott Government’s failure to
systematically address climate change under the terms of reference found on the webpage.
Gulf Draft Resource Operations Plan Amendment – comments 14 February 2014
Amendment to ROP for existing water license’s to support development in the Flinders and Gilbert river
catchments. It is proposed water license’s will be tradable and transferable and is to update the plan.
For more information and to access the survey.
Draft GBR Strategic Assessment - open until 31 January 2014
The Australian and Queensland Government have released a draft strategic assessment and program
reports. A comprehensive website (www.reefhaveyoursay.com.au) providing the draft reports of the
GBR coastal zone strategic assessment and marine component; FAQs; Resources and access to the
Online survey.
Cape York Regional Plan - have your say until 25 March 2014
The draft plan is part of the new Queensland Government regional plans. Whilst acknowledging the
areas of high conservation value, Indigenous heritage the plan’s key drivers are to improve the
economic development, secure land use certainty for landholders and investors, attract resource sector
development and facilitate tourism.
Factsheets, FAQs and further information is available on the DSDIP website.
Cape York Draft Strategy for Delivering Water Resource Management - close 25 March 2014
Queensland Government proposal for management and use of water resources for agriculture, tourism
and other industries in the Cape York area. A short-term framework is proposed for water resource
management while water resource planning is undertaken. It is proposed to remove the Cape York
Moratorium notice currently applying to Jardine, Jacky Jacky, Dulcie, Olive-Pascoe, Watson, Holroyd,
Coleman and Jeannie river basins. Details on the long-term planning process are included in the
document.
Further details on the DNRM site….