The Commonwealth Government has approved the final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Abbot Point Gateway Project which determined that there would be no significant residual impacts on matters of national environmental significance, including the Great Barrier Reef.
The Queensland government’s proposal for the expansion of Port of Abbot Point includes dredging an area needed for a new export wharf and placing the dredged material on unallocated industrial land, known as T2, located next to the existing operational coal terminal.
The proposal stated that no dredging will occur in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and that no dredged material will be dumped in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park or in the Caley Valley Wetlands.
Commenting on the EIS approval, Queensland’s Development Minister Anthony Lynham said the decision meant that if one or more of the proposed Galilee Basin coal mine projects go ahead, the port could be developed to allow increased exports.
“The approval is another milestone towards realising the jobs and economic benefits that developing the Galilee Basin could bring to Queensland, while continuing to protect the Great Barrier Reef,” he said in a statement.
“As I have said previously, there will be no dredging at the port until Adani demonstrates financial closure.”
The EIS was open for public consultation for four weeks and received more than 55 000 submissions. In addition to this approval, the project also needs approval from state government agencies for the onshore construction works and the dredging works offshore.
Dr Lynham said those processes were already underway, with the decisions expected in early 2016.
According to him, the costs associated with approvals or dredging for this project will be covered by Galilee Basin project developers including Adani and GVK Hancock.
