HVO 2009 Annual Environmental Management Report - Final

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Coal & Allied – Hunter Valley Operations Comparison of 2009 Groundwater Quality Data with EIS Predictions The Carrington EIS described the groundwater quality within the alluvial deposits as ‘mostly poor’ with an EC up to 9,780μS/cm. Observed data supports this observation. The long term average EC ground water results for Carrington area showed in Table 42. Table 42: Carrington groundwater results Year Electrical Conductivity S/cm 2009 6,757 2008 5,716 2007 6,045 2006 6,532 2005 7,149 2004 6,715 2003 6,899 The measured drawdown of the Hunter River alluvium adjacent to Carrington closely matches the predictions made in the groundwater model used for the various EIS documents. Monitoring of the Alluvial Lands Project water table recovery in the North Pit Void is at variance with the predictions made in the 1992 EIS. Modelling for the 1992 EIS did not envisage a tailings facility. The North Pit tailings facility was approved in 2003 and commenced operation that year. Since then, the water table in the North Pit Void has recovered much faster than predicted in the 1992 EIS. Licensed extraction bores have been installed to actively control the water table level in the North Pit Void as required. 3.6 CONTAMINATED POLLUTED LAND 3.6.1 Environmental Management and Performance Control strategies are in place at HVO to mitigate risk to the environment from contaminated land. Controls include infrastructure such as bunding and segregation systems as well as procedures for waste management, site contamination, prevention, control and remediation. A Contaminated Sites Register is used to record and ensure follow up of any contamination that occurs on site. A review of the contaminated sites register was undertaken during 2009, and actions identified in the review are currently being implemented. AEMR 2009 117
Coal & Allied – Hunter Valley Operations 3.7 THREATENED FLORA AND FAUNA 3.7.1 Environmental Management Coal & Allied has implemented flora and fauna management practices aimed at minimising the potential impacts on species and habitat resources as a result of mining and associated activities. These practices are documented in the Coal & Allied EMS Environmental Procedure 10.2 Flora and Fauna. The procedure incorporates the actions described in the flora and fauna management plans required by HVO’s development consents. It ensures the protection and management of threatened species within the development consent area through appropriate planning, pre-clearing surveys in areas where threatened species are known to occur, and monitoring. As part of this procedure, management of other key threatening processes is also undertaken such as weed management and feral animal control. HVO also ensures the extent of clearing is minimised and rehabilitation carried out progressively during pit operation. The effectiveness of the rehabilitation programme is reported in Section 5 of this report. A rehabilitation plan is developed and reviewed as part of the MOP, which is approved by DII. 3.7.2 Environmental Performance Coal & Allied’s EMS Environmental Procedure 13.3 Ground Disturbance Permit describes the GDP process. The GDP process is activated when any clearing is required to be undertaken on the mine site. The GDP follows a systematic process, which ensures that a range of environmental conditions and licences are checked for the specific area of land to be cleared. This is then followed by a site inspection by the environmental department. The GDP is issued with specific conditions that are required to be completed before any clearing may occur. Clearing is generally only permitted between January and May, to avoid the nesting and breeding times of threatened species. GDP requests that are submitted between May and December may require an independent ecologist to undertake site inspections for the presence of threatened species. Coal & Allied’s EMS Environmental Procedure 13.3 Ground Disturbance Permit describes the GDP process, which has been developed at HVO to ensure all employees are aware of the process to be followed. The GDP application requires details on the area to be cleared, the timing, and must be approved by specific Coal & Allied managers. The review of the application includes an assessment of the area to be cleared including, but not limited to: Compliance of the proposed disturbance with relevant statutory approvals and management plans eg Development Consent conditions, licence conditions, Flora and Fauna Management Plan (FFMP) and Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP); Status of identified archaeological sites; Presence of any threatened species; Location of monitoring sites; and Water management measures that may be required. Once a GDP is approved, the boundary of the agreed disturbance area is pegged and labelled by a qualified surveyor. At sites where threatened species are known to be present, a threatened species management protocol is also implemented. The key components of the protocol are site observations/surveys, threatened species management actions and reporting. A total of 43 GDP’s were approved for HVO in 2009. Two independent site inspections were conducted by AECOM to review sites being cleared during faunal breeding seasons. Any habitat trees were marked and exclusion zones were developed within these GDP’s until the completion of the breeding season to minimise any environmental effects. AEMR 2009 118
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HVO 2009 Annual Environmental Management Report - Final

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