Proposed Baralaba South Project Environmental Impact Statement

Environmental Protection Act 1994 – Sections 51 and 52

Notice of Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
Proposed Baralaba South Project

An EIS for the proposed Baralaba South Project (the Project) has been prepared by Baralaba South Pty Ltd. Baralaba South Pty Ltd (ACN 603 037 065) is a privately owned Australian metallurgical coal company; and a wholly owned subsidiary of Baralaba Coal Pty Ltd. The Project would be located approximately 8 kilometres (km) south of Baralaba, Central Queensland. The Project would be undertaken within the area of Mining Lease Application (MLA) 700057 within the Banana Shire Council local government area. The Project covers approximately 1,211ha along the eastern boundary of the MLA. The proposed mine plan has been revised from previous plans to reduce the proposed disturbance footprint and minimise activities on the Dawson River flood plain.

The Project would involve the development of up to 2.5 million tonnes (Mt) per annum of run of mine coal, to produce approximately 36Mt of product coal over the life of the Project. The expected life of the Project would be up to 23 years, including construction, operation, decommissioning and rehabilitation.

The Project would involve the development of pulverised coal injection resources, through open-cut mining methods that would be timed to commence operations as a transition from the existing Baralaba North Mine when it approaches the end of its operational mine life (estimated 2028 to 2030). Mining would involve overburden and interburden being moved to out-of-pit waste rock emplacements (WRE) located near the pit excavation; and in-pit WREs as part of ongoing progressive rehabilitation behind the advancing operations. Disturbed land will be returned to a safe and stable landform consistent with the post mine land use of grazing and include a residual void outside the 1 in 1000 flood area.

The peak estimated workforce required for the Project would be up to 521 workers. The Baralaba Workers Accommodation Village would be expanded to provide approximately 255 additional accommodation units to cater for the peak workforce. It is anticipated that workforce transport to the Project would be approximately 5% Fly-in-Fly Out, 70% Drive-In-Drive Out and 25% local.

Power to the site would be supplied via a new electricity transmission line from the Baralaba Substation. The Project would utilise the council controlled Baralaba – Moura Road and existing train loadout facility near Moura for coal haulage. Approximately 4.5km of Baralaba – Moura Road would require realignment. Coal road haulage and train loading activities would be of a similar scale to those currently being undertaken for the Baralaba North Mine.

The water management system for the Project would include water infrastructure to extract from and release to the Dawson River. Water extraction may be required via existing Dawson River water allocations held by Baralaba Coal Pty Ltd. The requirements for water extraction would be minimised through a water management system of preferential reuse and recycling of water.

Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Queensland)

Application was made by the proponent under section 70 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act) to prepare a voluntary EIS for the proposed Baralaba South Project. Under section 72 of the EP Act it was determined that assessment of the Baralaba South Project would be by EIS.

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth)

The Project was determined to be a controlled action (EPBC 2012/6547) under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). The controlling provisions are:

• listed threatened species and communities (section 18 and section 18A)
• listed migratory species (section 20 and section 20A); and
• a water resource in relation to a large coal mining development (section 24D and 24E).

The EIS process will assess potential impacts of the Project on the controlling provisions consistent with the bilateral agreement (section 45 of the EPBC Act) between the Australian and Queensland Governments for the purpose of the Australian Government’s assessment under part 8 of the EPBC Act.

The EIS can be viewed online at www.baralabacoal.com.au and at the Baralaba Coal Company Town Office at 27 Stopford Street, Baralaba. Electronic copies can also be ordered by phoning the proponent on +61 7 3088 4670 or emailing eis@baralabacoal.com.au.

Written submissions in relation to the EIS are invited from any person within the submission period. The submission period opens on 4 March 2024 and closes at 11.59pm AEST on 1 May 2024.

Submissions should be addressed to:

The Chief Executive
Department of Environment, Science and Innovation
Attention: The EIS Coordinator (Baralaba South Project)
GPO Box 2454, Brisbane QLD 4001
400 George Street, Brisbane QLD 4000

or by email to eis@des.qld.gov.au.

A properly made submission is one that:

• is written
• is signed by or for each person (“signatory”) who made the submission
• states the name and address of each signatory
• is made to the chief executive
• is received on or before the last day of the submission period.

For further information regarding the EIS process for this proposal, contact the EIS coordinator (Baralaba South Project) on 13 QGOV (13 74 68) or email eis@des.qld.gov.au.

Privacy Statement

Please note it is a statutory requirement that all submissions (including names and addresses) will be provided to the proponent as required under section 56 of the EP Act, so that they may consider them and provide a response to the department. This consultation is a public process, and any submission you provide may be published (including online) and may be transmitted outside of Australia. You may wish to bear this in mind when providing your submission. Your information will not be disclosed by the department to any other parties unless authorised or required by law.