Dust Up: Review of Harmful PM10 Dust Emissions in the Mackay ...

including and Environmental Management Framework (EMF), and will be subject to CumulativeImpact Studies.Summary and Submission on draft Queensland Ports StrategyIt is essential that impacts on air, noise, water pollution and community health from the coal portsbe understood and prevented through the EMF or a Health Impacts Assessment, and that includesthe impacts of particulates pollution, other toxics and and precursors to ground level hazardousozone pollution, such as oxides of nitrogen, sulphur oxides and volatile organic compounds onhuman health. Unfortunately current National Environmental Protection Measures (NEPM) forambient air quality are insufficient to protect communities from the adverse impacts of PM10 andfiner PM2.5 dust particulates (including coal dust for which there is no air quality standard). Weurge the community to make submissions on the strategy raising the need to ensure communityhealth is fully protected before any expansion occurs.The draft Queensland Ports Strategy does note the draft State Planning Policy (SPP). It states onpage 36 that the draft SPP aligns with and supports port master planning by ensuring developmentdoes not impact on the safe and efficient operation of Queensland’s ports, and that port operationsdo not result in unintended social and environmental impacts on communities surrounding ports.Human health impacts could be included in social impacts on communities, but would need toextend well beyond just the communities surrounding the ports, given the extent to which coal dustcan travel. If you are concerned about such impacts we urge you to put in a submission.Submissions on the draft Queensland Ports Strategy can be made in the following ways:1. Online survey ( http://www.dsdip.qld.gov.au/qpsonlinesurvey )2. Email: qldportsstrategy@dsdip.qld.gov.au(mailto:qldportsstrategy@dsdip.qld.gov.au )3. Post:Queensland Ports Strategy ManagerDepartment of State Development, Infrastructure and PlanningPO Box 15009City East QLD 4002Closing date for submissions is Friday, 13 December 2013.A written submission form ( http://www.dsdip.qld.gov.au/resources/form/draft-qps-writtensubmission-form.doc) ( 602 KB) is available and can be submitted by email, fax (07 3235 4563) orpost.Mackay Conservation Group. Dust Up Report. Oct 2013