Veolia Environmental Services Pty Ltd Woodlawn Bioreactor Landfill Closure and Rehabilitation Management Plan 9 AUGUST 2016 Woodlawn Bioreactor Revision 2 Landfill Closure and Rehabilitation Management Plan August 2016 Page 1 of 31 Woodlawn Bioreactor Landfill Closure and Rehabilitation Management Plan Revision Revision Date Details 1 May 2007 2 8 August 2016 Revised to incorporate PA 10_0012 Woodlawn Bioreactor Revision E Post Closure Landfill Rehabilitation Management Plan May 2007 Page 2 of 31 Table of Contents Table of Contents 4 1 Introduction 5 1.1 Overview 6 1.2 Background 6 1.3 Objective 7 1.3.1 Licence for Closure Management 8 1.4 Site Description 8 2 Post Closure Environmental Monitoring 10 2.1 Site Closure 11 2.1.1 Revegetation 11 2.1.2 Stormwater 11 2.1.3 ED3 Management 11 2.1.4 Leachate 11 2.1.5 Groundwater 12 2.1.6 Landfill Gas 12 3 Site Rehabilitation Plan – Post Closure Management 13 3.1 Introduction 14 3.2 Objectives 14 3.3 Monitoring And Maintenance 14 3.3.1 Introduction 14 3.4 Records And Reporting 15 3.4.1 Monitoring Results 15 3.4.2 Records of Pollution Complaints 15 3.5 Staffing And Training Requirements 16 3.6 Environmental Review 16 3.7 Management System Audits 16 4 Financial Assurances 17 1.1 Bioreactor Rehabilitation 18 4.1 18 4.2 Whole of Mine Site Rehabilitation 18 5 Closure Strategies 19 5.1 Early Closure strategies 20 5.1.1 Early Closure Strategies: Mine Void 20 5.1.2 Early closure strategy: ED3 22 5.1.3 Maintenance 22 5.2 Final Closure of Bioreactor 23 5.2.1 Mine void 23 5.2.2 ED3 23 5.2.3 Rehabilitation of Plant/Office Area 23 6 Rehabilitation Standards and Schedule 25 6.1 Site Capping 26 6.2 Revegetation 26 6.3 ED3 28 6.4 Site Decommissioning 28 6.5 Rehabilitation Schedule 28 Woodlawn Bioreactor Revision E Post Closure Landfill Rehabilitation Management Plan May 2007 Page 3 of 31 Table of Contents 7 Integration of Rehabilitation Works 29 8 References 31 List of Figures Figure 10407001-560-A Map of Bioreactor Consent and Licence Area Figure 3.15 Proposed Mine Void Surface Water Management Early Closure of Bioreactor – Option 1 Figure 3.16 Proposed Mine Void Surface Water Management Early Closure of Bioreactor – Option 2 Figure 3.17 Proposed Mine Void Surface Water Management Early Closure of Bioreactor – Option 3 Figure 3.18 Proposed Mine Void Surface Water Management Completed Rehabilitated Bioreactor Figure 3.20 Proposed Surface Water Management at Woodlawn Mine Site at Completion of Rehabilitation of Mine Areas Woodlawn Bioreactor Revision E Post Closure Landfill Rehabilitation Management Plan May 2007 Page 4 of 31 1 Introduction Woodlawn Bioreactor Revision D Post Closure Landfill Rehabilitation Management Plan August 2004 Page 5 of 31 1 Introduction 1.1 Overview VES’s Development Consent for the Woodlawn Bioreactor covers the mine void, ED3, an area surrounding the administration buildings for offices and landfill infrastructure such as landfill gas generators. This area is shown in Drawing 10407001-560-A. VES’s EPA Licence for the Woodlawn Bioreactor (Licence number 11436) covers the same area as the Development Consent. This Post Closure Landfill Rehabilitation Management Plan (incorporating the required Rehabilitation Management Plan), covers the area regulated by the Development Consent and EPA Licence (as shown in Drawing 10407001-560-A). VES has taken over ownership of the whole of the Woodlawn property, most of which is covered by Special Mining Lease 20 (SML20). VES now becomes responsible for the rehabilitation of the entire Woodlawn mine site, in addition to the post-closure rehabilitation of the Bioreactor licenced area. The plan for rehabilitation of areas of the Woodlawn site which are outside of VES’s Development Consent are not covered in this Management Plan. The rehabilitation of these other areas (including plant area, tailings dams, ED1 and ED2) is being undertaken in accordance with the Mine Operations Plan (MOP) for Woodlawn Mine, under the guidance of the Mine Rehabilitation Environmental Management Process. For information about rehabilitation of the wider mine site areas outside of VES’s Woodlawn Bioreactor consent area, please refer to the Woodlawn Mine Operations Plan (2004). 1.2 Background This Post Closure Landfill Rehabilitation Management Plan (PCLRMP) describes the proposed post closure management and rehabilitation activities to be undertaken to manage the site following either early or final closure of the site. The site will be managed and maintained in accordance with VES environmental policies and the requirements of regulatory authorities, principally the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA). Note: Under the terms of the current Consent Conditions for the 20 year operation of the site, the mine void will not be filled to the level of the mine void rim. Refer to the Filling Schedule in this LEMP for details of approximate levels expected to be reached based on the maximum input rates in the current Consent Conditions. The Plan has been developed to reflect the requirements of the “Environmental Guidelines: Solid Waste Landfills” (EPA, 1996) and contains references to the Environmental Goals and Benchmark Techniques described in the guidelines. It provides a basis for the EPA to assess the environmental performance of the Woodlawn Bioreactor Revision E Post Closure Landfill Rehabilitation Management Plan May 2007 Page 6 of 31 1 Introduction bioreactor site and to review the management and monitoring activities that are carried out on site. This PCLRMP is based on a continuation of progressive rehabilitation compatible with long term use of the site. The document will be updated periodically in light of new information and new standards for environmental performance. Subsequent to the Development Consent granted for the Woodlawn Bioreactor, VES has taken over responsibility for whole-of-mine site rehabilitation. The involvement of VES in the planning and execution of both the Bioreactor post-closure rehabilitation and the whole-of-mine site rehabilitation will ensure that these rehabilitation efforts are integrated. 1.3 Objective The Plan addresses the rehabilitation and after care management issues associated with stormwater, leachate, biogas, management of ED3 and revegetation for the site. The staging of the rehabilitation works is dependent on the proposed filling plan. The operational phases of these issues are fully described in the Woodlawn Bioreactor Environmental Management Plan (LEMP). The primary objectives of this plan are to meet the requirements of Consent Conditions 15 and 22. These conditions call for the preparation of a PCLRMP and a Rehabilitation Management Plan (RMP) respectively. Due to the similarity between the two plans, they have been combined in one document, while still addressing all of the consent condition requirements. Consent Condition 15 specifies that this PCLRMP will address the following: a) Closure strategies in the event that landfilling activities conclude prior to filling of the mine void b) Site capping and revegetation in accordance with benchmark technique 28 of the Environmental Guidelines: Solid Waste Landfills c) Post closure environmental monitoring d) Post closure management of surface water in the event that the void is not filled with waste e) Post closure management of Evaporation Dam No3 (ED3) f) Post closure leachate management, including the management of the bioreactor processes g) Post closure maintenance h) The estimated costing for these works must be provided and should be based on a nominal period of at least 50 years after the landfill ceases to accept waste. The actual duration of this period will be determined from actual monitoring data at the time. Woodlawn Bioreactor Revision E Post Closure Landfill Rehabilitation Management Plan May 2007 Page 7 of 31 1 Introduction Consent Condition 22 requires the preparation and implementation of a Rehabilitation Management Plan (RMP). The RMP shall address, but not necessarily be limited to the following matters: a) Clear identification of the proposed new rehabilitation works to be undertaken by the Applicant, details of the Woodlawn Mine site rehabilitation works being undertaken by the mine leaseholder, and a clear definition of the respective obligations of the parties; b) An outline of financial arrangements for site rehabilitation works proposed in the plan; c) The rehabilitation standards to be adopted; d) A rehabilitation schedule (to be reviewed on a regular basis); e) A post-establishment maintenance and monitoring program for rehabilitated areas; f) Procedures for the removal of all derelict buildings and infrastructure; g) Closure strategies in the event that landfilling activities conclude prior to the capacity of the mine void being filled; and h) Integration of rehabilitation works with the rehabilitation of the Woodlawn mine site. The Environmental Guidelines (EPA, 1996) adopt a performance based approach. The performance outcomes are defined as Environmental Goals and include Benchmark Techniques appendices. The Benchmark Techniques applicable to rehabilitation and after care have been addressed in this document. 1.3.1 Licence for Closure Management Prior to closure, VES will need to obtain a licence under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 to cover closure and post closure management of the facility. The Application for the licence by VES will be based on the proposals set out in this PCLRMP to cover post closure management. 1.4 Site Description Bioreactor Site The Woodlawn mine site is located approximately 7km (10km by road) west of the township of Tarago in the Mulwaree LGA. The mine void is located in a 3,000 ha property owned by Veolia Environmental Services Pty Ltd. In addition to the void, the property contains waste rock dumps, tailings dams, evaporation ponds, disused mine buildings and infrastructure and surrounding rural land and pine plantations. Areas of the site subject to the DA include the void, the access road into the site and an area to the northeast of the void where facilities such as a weighbridge and site office will be located, and Evaporation Dam 3 (ED3).