Metropolitan Coal Project Independent ... - Peabody Energy

METROPOLITAN COAL PROJECT INDEPENDENT ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT
Area
Cliffs and Steep
Slopes
Rehabilitation Objective and Rehabilitation
Management Plan
pools and rock-bars.
Section 5.2 outlines the rehabilitation
objectives and performance indicators for
these values.
Specifically, Table 11 of the plan identifies that
the rehabilitation objective for the area of
Waratah Rivulet between the downstream
edge of Flat Rock Swamp and the full supply
level of the Woronora Reservoir must be
rehabilitated such that the project will “restore
surface water flow and pool holding capacity
as soon as reasonably practicable”.
Section 7.2 of the Rehabilitation Management
Plan outlines the approach to the rehabilitation
of streams, pools and rock-bars.
Monitoring performance measures are outlined
in Section 8 of the plan.
Section 4.3 of the Rehabilitation Management
Plan addresses the remediation of cliffs and
steep slopes.
Section 5.3 outlines the rehabilitation
objectives and performance indicators for
these values.
Specifically, the Project Approval identify that
rehabilitation of cliffs should be undertaken “to
ensure that there is no safety hazard beyond
that existing prior to mining”.
Monitoring performance measures are outlined
in Section 8 of the plan.
Rehabilitation Measures
has been limited and localised.
Remediation measures associated with
subsidence have been carried out using
polyurethane (PUR) injection at rock bars
(WRS3 and WRS4) in the Waratah Rivulet.
For the purposes of completeness, steep
slopes have been included in this
assessment of terrestrial ecological values
as they provide habitat to a number of flora
and fauna of conservation significance.
Further, in the unlikely event of larger scale
slope or cliff failure, dislodged debris has
the potential to impact water quality.
There have been no impacts to steep
slopes or cliffs to date. No remediation
works have been required.
The rehabilitation strategy and program of rehabilitation monitoring and proposed works is appropriate
for the likely impacts of the approved mining activity.
However, it is suggested that the wording of the rehabilitation objective in Project Approval Schedule
6 condition 1 that requires the work to restore “ecosystem function, including maintaining or
establishing self-sustaining ecosystems” through the use of native plant species on landforms that
have been re-contoured, consistent with the surrounding environment”, be reworded or the process
for achieving these outcomes be described in the Rehabilitation Management Plan in a manner that is
achievable.
Suggested action:
It is suggested that the condition be reworded or the Rehabilitation Management Plan procedure be
modified to include provision for the revegetation of disturbed areas using appropriate local source
native seed/plant material and the instigation of a longer term monitoring program that focusses on
monitoring self-sustaining biological processes (e.g. flowering, seed set, seed viability, germination
and establishment, and generational succession) to determine if they are occurring. If these
processes are not seen to be evident in the rehabilitated areas, further investigation into the
ecosystem function should be considered.
4.13 Research Program 6
[Project Approval Schedule 3 condition 9]
The Research Program developed to satisfy Project Approval Schedule 3 condition 9 was submitted
to DoP on 4 November 2010. The Research Program was approved by DP&I on 27 May 2011.
6 Steve Ditton – DgS; Matthew Richardson – Niche Environment and Heritage
31 trevor brown & associates
applied environmental management consultants
aemc