abbot point - cumulative environmental impact assessment framework

DECEMBER 2011
ABBOT POINT - CUMULATIVE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK

DOCUMENT TRACKING
PREPARED BY: Peter Hemphill
VERSION: 23/ 12/ 11
DATE: December 2011
COORDINATED APPROACH TO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AT
ABBOT POINT
Prepared for BHP Billiton , HCIPL, Adani, NQBP
December 2011
Open Lines Environmental Consulting
openlines.com.au
ABN 90 150 901 965
The coordinated environmental assessment at Abbot Point is a joint initiative
between BHP Billiton, Hancock Coal Infrastructure Pty Ltd, North Queensland
Bulk Ports Corporation and Adani.
ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
DISCLAIMER
This document may only be used for the purpose for which it was
commissioned and in accordance w ith the contract between Open Lines
Environmental Consulting and BHP Billiton.
Open Lines Environmental Consulting accepts no liability or responsibility
whatsoever for or in respect of any use of or reliance upon this report and its
supporting material by any third party. Information provided is not
intended to be a substitute for legal advice in relation to any matter.
Unauthorised use of this report in any form is prohibited .
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Contents
ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................. 3
1.1 Projects at Abbot Point .......................................................................................................................................... 4
1.2 Environmental assessment requirements ............................................................................................................... 5
2. PROPOSED APPROACH ............................................................................................................................................... 6
2.1 Aims ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6
2.2 Use of project-by-project assessments................................................................................................................... 6
2.3 Key measures ....................................................................................................................................................... 7
3. CUMULATIVE IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT ........................................................................................................... 9
3.1 Content of the cumulative impact assessment report .............................................................................................. 9
3.2 Technical studies to inform cumulative impact assessment ................................................................................... 10
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1. Introduction
ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
The Port of Abbot Point is one of three major coal export ports on the Queensland coast (see Figure 1). Abbot Point has been
identified by the Queensland Government as critical to economic development in north and central Queensland. Land adjacent
to the port has been designated as a State Development Area. The port is currently the subject of a number of development
proposals with the main focus of these being the handling and export of coal. Table 1 sets out current known and anticipated
proposals, including several that have commenced their respective Commonwealth and State assessment and approval
processes. These proposals are being put forward by four key proponents – Adani, BHP Billiton, Hancock Coal and North
Queensland Bulk Ports (NQBP).
A well planned and timely environmental assessment processes is vital to:
� underpin economic investment, State development and future job creation; and
� protect the environmental values of Abbot Point, particularly within the context of the values of the Great Barrier Reef
World Heritage Area (GBRWHA).
In order that the projects can proceed through their respective assessments in suitable timeframes , it is important that the
necessary environmental information is available and that appropriate management measures are applied . To do this it is
evident that a coordinated and combined approach to environmental impact assessment is required. The purpose of this report
is to outline a coordinated approach to addressing the environmental assessment and approval requirements at Abbot Point
under the Environm ent Protection and Biodiversity Conservation A ct 1999 (EPBC Act) .
The approach recognises that, while individual project assessments are already underway, each of these project level
assessments will benefit from a collective set of information and management responses to assist the Commonwealth
Government in making informed decisions on individual projects at Abbot Point. The information gathered will also be able to
be used to inform State approval processes, contribute information to other Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area assessments
that may be undertaken in parallel or into the future. The information will provide the basis for ongoing coordinated
management and monitoring frameworks.
Figure 1: major coal export ports in Queensland
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1.1 PROJECTS AT ABBOT POINT
ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
The existing and proposed projects at Abbot Point are outlined in the table below and illustrated in Figure2.
Project name Proponent Description EPBC status
T0 & associated rail Adani Additional expansion relating to T1 of approximately 35mtpa Referred
T1 (existing operation) Adani Existing 50mtpa coal export terminal and associated rail -
T2 & associated rail
T3 & associated rail
T4-T9 & Multi User
Infrastructure Corridor
BHP
Billiton
Hancock
Coal
60mtpa expansion
60mtpa expansion
TBC Indicative only (6 terminals up to 240mtpa)
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Separate referrals for p ort
and rail
Separate referrals for p ort
and rail
T0 / T2 / T3 dred ging NQBP Com bined dred ging proposals Referred
Multi Cargo Facility (MCF) NQBP
Further coal export capacity and capacity for other large scale
industries
Figure 2: overview of current and proposed projects at Abbot Point
Referral expected mid
2012
Decision Pending

1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS
The need for a coordinated assessment stems from the need to:
ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
� determine the scale of cumulative impacts on Matters of National Environmental Significance (MNES) from existing and
planned projects in the Abbot Point area;
� identify where modifications to individual projects may be required, and to establish performance requ irements for
future development;
� identify appropriate mitigation and management measures that can be undertaken in a combined manner;
� provide a platform for ongoing collective monitoring and management responses; and
� address concerns raised by UNESCO about development near to the Great Barrier Reef in a coordinated manner.
The four proponents at Abbot Point are committed to delivering positive environm ental outcomes for MNES and see
coordination of the environmental assessments as a best practice approach to delivering these outcomes.
The potential activities that may lead to cumulative impacts on MNES are illustrated in Figure 3.
Figure 3: indicative representation of activities that may lead to cumulative impacts and the relevant MNES
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ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
The Commonwealth Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (SEWPaC)
has stated that it is seeking a „strategic‟ approach to the handling of the individual environmental assessments at Abbot Point.
Benefits of a more strategic approach would include the ability to understand the potential cumulative impacts, as well as to
develop common or consolidated measures between proponents to avoid, mitigate and offset impacts.
The proponents at Abbot Point are supportive of an approach that achieves these outcomes and notes the difficulty of
commencing a statutory strategic environmental assessment when a number of the proposed projects are well underway with
existing approval processes that have been designed to meet strict timeframes. In proposing this coordinated approach to
environmental assessment at Abbot Point, the proponents have sought to take advantage of the benefits of a strategic
assessment, while avoiding difficulties and delays that may arise due to:
� the complexity of the current state of project assessments and the uncertainty associated with establishing a strategic
assessment agreement at this point;
� the lack of legislative timeframes within the strategic assessment process and the experience to date which suggests
strategic assessments take a minimum of two years to complete; and
� the time that would be required to initiate such an approach.
Accordingly, this report proposes a voluntary, proponent led approach that would provide the Commonwealth Environment
Minister with the same cumulative impact information necessary to make informed decisions over time. The information that
would be provided through this approach will demonstrate the rigour of the environmental assessments undertaken and the
totality of impacts occurring at the Port of Abbot Point.
2. Proposed approach
This section outlines the proposed approach for coordinating the environmental assessments at Abbot Point. The proposed
scope for this work includes the known proposals within the Abbot Point State Development Area and Strategic Port Land, and
their related offshore components.
2.1 AIMS
The aims of the proposed approach are to:
1. understand the cumulative impacts of known projects operating and proposed at Abbot Point;
2. determine individual and joint management and mitigation actions required to avoid, minimise and manage impacts;
3. develop a framework for joint mitigation of impacts and, if necessary, offsets to address residual impacts such that there
will be a “maintain or improve” outcome for MNES;
4. allow timely assessment and approval processes to continue for the individual proponents; and
5. use project-by-project assessment mechanisms to deliver these outcomes.
2.2 USE OF PROJECT-BY-PROJECT ASSESSMENTS
Coordination of project-by-project assessments, being considered through Part 9 of the EPBC Act, provides the opportunity to
consider the cumulative impacts at Abbot Point and deliver strategic outcomes for MNES. Figure 4 illustrates a potential
framework for such an approach.
This approach is supported by:
1. Coordination between proponents and regulators on all of the key issues.
2. Preparation of a platform of information to understand the potential cumulative impacts on MNES (e.g. potential
impacts on migratory shorebirds from impacts relating to dust, light, noise and construction).
3. Delivery of positive outcomes for MNES through coordinated:
a. avoidance of impacts at Abbot Point;
b. mitigation of impacts (e.g. through a whole of port environmental monitoring and management program );
c. management and monitoring measures to maintain and improve the environment; and
d. offsets (e.g. coordinated offsets for the cumulative impacts at Abbot Point).
4. Development of a cumulative impact assessment report for Abbot Point (discussed further in Section 3) that will be
included by proponents in their individual assessment documentation.
5. Use of port wide environmental controls (NQBP) and project-by-project legislative measures (e.g. approval
conditions) to deliver the required outcomes.
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ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
This approach will provide the decision maker with the ability to understand the potential cumulative impacts at Abbot Point,
how each project fits into that context, and the proposed avoidance, mitigation and offset measures that will deliver benefit s for
MNES in a coordinated manner. Individual projects can then be considered for approval within this context.
It is envisaged that the information gathered and the management standards and measures adopted will also provide a
platform that future development at Abbot Point can also use in project specific assessments. This will include the opportuni ty
to participate in established joint monitoring and management frameworks.
2.3 KEY MEASURES
In order to successfully deliver on a coordinated environmental assessment, it is essential that the following measures are put in
place.
� Commitment to the process from all parties.
� Agreement on priorities and timeframes.
� Agreement on a decision making process to ensure issues can be resolved and assessment processes kept moving.
� The development and review of information to meet critical timeframes.
� Peer review mechanisms built into the development of information to ensure robust and acceptable outcomes are
delivered.
� Development and implementation of an agreed approach to regulator liaison. This should include:
o a proponent steering group and working group to which regulators would be invited to attend as observers when
appropriate; and
o engagement with regulators at key milestones in the process to ensure the cumulative assessment delivers the
required information and outcomes. Key milestones include:
� finalisation of the scopes of technical studies to inform the cumulative impact assessment report (see
Section 3.2);
� finalisation of the technical studies;
� the draft structure of the cumulative impact assessment report;
� the draft cumulative impact assessment report; and
� the final cumulative impact assessment report.
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Figure 4: outline of the proposed coordinated assessment approach
ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
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3. Cumulative impact assessment report
ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Preparation of the cumulative impact assessment report will be a critical step both in synthesizing the overall assessment of
impacts on MNES and communicating the outcomes of the process. It is this report that will provide regulators with a clear
view about:
� the MNES values of the area;
� predicted cumulative impacts;
� proposed avoidance, mitigation, management and offset measures; and
� overall outcomes for MNES (e.g. World Heritage, threatened species and migratory species).
The report will be informed by a number of technical studies designed to provide detailed analysis of key assessment issues
(e.g. shipping, underwater noise, dredging impacts). The proposed technical studies are outlined in Section 3.2.
3.1 CONTENT OF THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT
The cumulative impact assessment report will incorporate the following information:
INTRODUCTION
� Context for the assessment
o Abbot Point as a State Development Area (including background to this decision)
o Existing industrial port
o Strategically located to provide export capacity from the northern Bowen Basin and Galilee Basin
� Objectives of the cumulative assessment
� Parties (Adani, BH B Billiton, GVK/ Hancock Coal, NQBP)
� Projects
o T0 & associated rail
o T1 (existing operation)
o T2 & associated rail
o T3 & associated rail
o T4-T9 & Multi User Infrastructure Corridor
o T0 / T2 / T3 dredging
o Multi Cargo Facility (MCF)
SCOPE
� Detail about the various projects
� Scope of cumulative impact assessment
o clarity about the spatial and temporal nature of the projects
o the scope of cumulative impacts being assessed
� Scope of the technical studies that are informing th e cumulative impact assessment
APPROACH
� Outline of the approach to the assessment process
o overall coordinated assessment process
o approach to the studies
o coordination between proponents, State Government and Commonwealth Government
o links to individual project approvals
STUDIES
� Outline the results of each of the studies in terms of predicted impacts and potential mitigation measures
� Study reports to be appended
MNES IMPACT ASSESSMENT
� MNES relevant to the assessment including the process used to determine these
� For each relevant MNES (e.g. GBRWHA, listed threatened species, listed migratory species)
o general background information
o details of information sources
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o known or potential values for each MNES
o potential direct and indirect cumulative impacts
o avoidance, mitigation and management measures proposed in relation to each MNES
o residual impacts and proposed offsets
o overall outcomes for each MNES
CONCLUSION
ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
� Summary of the outcomes of the cumulative impact assessment
o how requirements for avoiding, mitigating and managing impacts will be built into individual projects
o outline of joint monitoring framework
o discussion of joint offsets program
3.2 TECHNICAL STUDIES TO INFORM CUMULATIVE IMPACT ASSESSMENT
The table below outlines the information and technical studies that will be used to inform the cumulative impact
assessment.
Activity Potential cumulative impacts Scope of cumulative assessment w ork
Dredging and Spoil Disposal Seabed / benthic loss 1. Com bined footprint, sediment plumes and other
Light penetration impacts on Seagrass
Turbidity and sedimentation impacts on seagrass,
corals other sensitive marine environments
Marine mam mals and reptile injury, loss or habitat
alienation
Land and ocean disposal impacts (eg w etland,
benthic sm othering)
impact assessment for MCF/ T0/ T2/ T3.
2. Addition of exiting information generated for
MCF d redging and land reclamation.
Options disposal stu dy for T0, T2 and T3.
Trestle/ MCF construction Underw ater noise Piling for T0/ T2/ T3, sheet piling and other piling for
Terminal Construction
(stockyards, sediment ponds,
w ater storage, roads and rail
loops)
MCF.
Temporal and spatial effects of overlapping activities
and/ or effects of consecutive activities.
Mitigation measures relevant for different scenarios
Seabed/ Habitat loss Com bined calculation of impacts.
Habitat loss and modification
Terminal Operation Operational noise
1. Com bined direct loss to migratory bird habitats,
threatened species and TEC (SEVT).
2. Habitat modification from light, noise and w ater
quality degradation on listed migratory birds etc.
3. Include impacts of T4-T9 on w etland.
Groundw ater changes 1. Interpretation of existing (limited) data to
determine impacts on w etland
2. Development of a groundw ater monitoring plan
3. Development of contingencies in the event that
adverse impacts occur
Calculation of noise envelope from T0, T1, T2, T3, T4-
T9, MCF and existing rail on w etland (listed migratory
birds) and nearby beaches (turtles).
Coastal process changes Build on MCF EIS to include impacts of T0-T3 jetties
and dredging.
Hydrology and w ater quality changes Include effect of sedimentation pond overflow s in 1 in
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ABBOT POINT CUMULATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Activity Potential cumulative impacts Scope of cumulative assessment w ork
10 year event
Include effects of reduction in inflow to w etland.
Visual aesthetics Expert view and rep resentation on w hether landscape
at Abbot Point is materially changed. Examine against
existing landscape character and values; human access
and appreciation; WHA values of u niversal
outstanding value as demonstrated in other parts of
Lighting effects Model light shed from T0-T9 and MCF on w etland,
GBR.
beaches and marine environment. Assess impacts to
birds, tu rtles other listed w ildlife.
Dust Model d ust deposition from terminal operation on
listed threatened and migratory species.
Shipping Transit impacts Based on projected shipping num bers for Abbot Point
examine the likely risk of:
� Groundings
� Vessel collisions
� Oil spill
� Marine mam mal / reptile strike
Consider implications of:
� GH G/ climate change
Anchorage im pacts Examine impacts of:
Regulatory regime
� Visual aesthetics against WHA values
� Waste (ship generated)
� Noise
� Visual aesthetics
� Fishing amenity
� Introduced marine pests
� Turbidity/ seabed / benthic disturbance.
� New anchorages (need, triggers, selection
criteria)
Examine existing regulatory regime; identify gaps and
risk. Develop mitigation measures to address risks.
Fishing Access restrictions Examine the implications for com mercial and
recreational fishers during construction and operation.
Joint Offsets Program Compensate for residual impacts Develop a coordinated offset program involving all
port operators at Abbot Point. Needs to:
� address all residual impacts
� provide a net gain
� enable proponents to contribute p roportionally
� scalability
� focus on Abbot Point, nearby locations and
MN ES
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