PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Queensland government has called for public comment on its Abbot Point port and wetland strategy.
The plan involved dredging material, which would be used to enhance the existing port land, and replaced the previous government’s plan to dredge and dump 38-million cubic metres of material at sea.
Preliminary work undertaken during the past couple of months had allowed the current government to reduce the amount of dredged material from its previously planned three-million cubic meters to 1.7-million cubic metres, all of which would be placed onshore and reused to support future port expansion.
Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney said the Abbot Point port and wetland strategy was a critical component in the government’s plan to open up Galilee basin mining projects and create tens of thousands of new jobs in the state.
“We believe this project strikes the right balance for Queenslanders who want to see the Great Barrier Reef protected but understand the important role that ports play in supporting our resources industry and the jobs it provides.
“The Port of Abbot Point will be the gateway for Queensland coal to be exported to the world and this strategy will allow necessary dredging to take place and offer an option for that material to be beneficially reused on land instead of being dumped at sea,” he added.
Seeney said the government had also confirmed that less than 5% of nearby wetlands would be affected by this strategy, and had committed to a detailed offset strategy, which would deliver a net gain for the environment.
The public consultation formed part of the commonwealth’s assessment and approvals process for the strategy. Interested persons had until December 18 to comment on the documentation.