Photo by: Reuters
PERTH (miningweekly.com) – A rare bird could threaten the development of the $16.5-billion Carmichael coal project, in Queensland, project owner Adani has revealed.
The Queensland Department of Environment and Science in December told the Indian major that it was referring Adani’s Black-throated Finch management plan to an external panel for review, despite an assessment process that had already spanned 18 months.
However, Adani raised concerns that five out of the six review panel members were part of the Threatened Species Recovery Hub, which had in the past made anti-coal and anti-Adani statements.
The panel has now released the draft report, which Adani says reads “like an anti-coal, anti-mining, anti-Adani lobbying brochure”.
“This draft report contains false and inaccurate statements about the management plan, includes sections that directly contradict advice from the Queensland government itself, and even contains unverified opinions regarding climate change and other projects in the Galilee basin, which are completely outside the scope of the Black-throated Finch management plan,” a spokesperson for Adani said.
“The point of a management plan is to demonstrate how a business will meet the conditions of its Environmental Authority. This draft report has strayed so far beyond this requirement that the report is of no value. The draft report represents nothing more than a shopping list of ideas and suggestions that do not correspond with the Environmental Authority conditions or the relevant legislative framework.
“It also demonstrates the lack of capability of the panel to assess such a management plan, when they have no idea of its purpose in practice,” the spokesperson said.
“If the Queensland government accepts any part of this report, it means their own Department of Environment’s work over the past 18 months is at best, incompetent, and at worst, using purposeful delay tactics to slow down the delivery of the Carmichael project and the thousands of jobs it will provide in the process.”
The spokesperson said that Adani had written to the Department of Environment and Science to once again express its “serious concerns” regarding this review process and the draft report attached to it.
“We are now waiting to hear from the Department of Environment and Science as to their own feedback on the report. We are still waiting on advice from the Queensland government on timing to finalise this plan.
“The Queensland government keeps shifting the goal posts for Adani. Adani needs clarity on timing and process from the Queensland government so it can get on with delivering thousands of jobs for regional Queenslanders who desperately need them. We are simply seeking a fair go.”
The Carmichael project was granted its Environmental Authority in 2016, and has been granted mining leases, water licences and several other approvals, including federal approval from the Department of Environment and Energy.
Meanwhile, the Greens party is also trying to block the development of the Carmichael project, through the Resources (Galilee Basin) Amendment Bill (Qld), which is currently being assessed by a Parliamentary Committee.
If passed, the legislation would ban coal mining in the Galilee basin.
Adani is planning to develop a A$16.5-billion opencut mine to produce 27.5-million tonnes a year. Last month, the company reported that about 14 500 people had registered to work on the project.