Moura Link-Aldoga Rail Project
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Connell Hatch ABN 21 646 421 651 433 Boundary Street Spring Hill Queensland 4004 Australia Telephone: +61 7 3135 8444 Facsimile: +61 7 3135 8445 Email: [email protected] www.connellhatch.com Initial Advice Statement Moura Link - Aldoga Rail Project Queensland Rail 13 September 2007 Reference HR8603 Revision 5 Document Control Document ID: V:\PROJECTS\QLD_RAIL\HR86 NORTHERN GSDA\ENVIRONMENTAL\IAS\REV 5\MOURA LINK-ALDOGA RAIL PROJECT IAS REV 5.DOC Rev No Date Revision Details Typist Author Verifier Approver 0 14 August 2007 Draft AW AW TM 1 23 August 2007 Draft for Client Comment MDP MDP TM 2 31 August 2007 Revised Draft TAS TC SAC 3 7 September 2007 Final to QR TAS TC SAC BDP 4 7 September 2007 Draft to CoG TAS TC SAC BDP 5 13 September 2007 Final to CoG TAS/MG TC SAC BDP A person using Connell Hatch documents or data accepts the risk of: a) Using the documents or data in electronic form without requesting and checking them for accuracy against the original hard copy version; and b) Using the documents or data for any purpose not agreed to in writing by Connell Hatch. Providing management and consulting services for infrastructure in the mining and industrial sectors throughout Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. A joint venture between Connell Wagner Pty Ltd ABN 54 005 139 873 and Hatch Associates Pty Ltd ABN 59 008 630 500 Moura Link - Aldoga Rail Project Queensland Rail Initial Advice Statement Contents Section Page 1. Introduction 1 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Queensland coal transport 1 1.2.1 Moura system 1 1.2.2 Blackwater system 2 1.2.3 Surat Basin 2 1.3 Purpose of the Initial Advice Statement 3 1.4 The Proponent 3 1.4.1 Queensland Rail 3 1.5 Outline of the proposal 3 1.6 Site location 4 1.7 Land tenure 4 2. Need for the Project 5 2.1 Overview 5 2.2 Existing capacity constraints 5 2.3 Export coal markets 5 2.4 Mine/customer requirements 7 2.5 National competition principles affecting this development 7 3. Project alternatives 8 3.1 Introduction 8 3.2 Alternative routes and railyard locations 8 3.3 No Action option 8 3.4 Summary of alternatives 9 4. Project description 10 4.1 Introduction 10 4.2 Rail infrastructure 10 4.2.1 Moura Link 10 4.2.2 Aldoga Rail Yard and new track to WICT loop 11 4.2.3 Turnaround loop 11 4.3 General infrastructure 11 4.3.1 Road infrastructure 11 4.3.2 Other onsite infrastructure 12 4.3.3 Offsite infrastructure 12 4.4 Cost estimate 12 4.5 Construction timeline 13 4.6 Employment generation 13 5. Existing environment 14 5.1 General 14 5.2 Climate 14 5.3 Soils and geology 14 5.4 Water quality 15 5.5 Air quality 16 5.6 Noise 16 5.7 Ecology 17 5.7.1 Protected areas 17 5.7.2 Vegetation communities 17 FILEV:\PROJECTS\QLD_RAIL\HR86 NORTHERN GSDA\ENVIRONMENTAL\IAS\REV 5\MOURA LINK-ALDOGA RAIL PROJECT IAS REV 5.DOC ⏐ 13 SEPTEMBER 2007⏐ REVISION 5 ⏐ PAGE i Moura Link - Aldoga Rail Project Queensland Rail Initial Advice Statement 5.7.3 Threatened species 20 5.7.4 Fauna assemblages 24 5.7.5 Clearing activities 25 5.8 Visual amenity 26 5.9 Traffic and transport 27 5.10 Cultural heritage 27 5.11 Socio-economic 27 6. Potential environmental impacts 29 6.1 Land use and tenure 29 6.2 Soils, geology and topography 29 6.3 Water quality 29 6.4 Proposed Castle Hope Dam 30 6.5 Air quality 30 6.6 Noise and vibration 31 6.7 Ecology 32 6.7.1 Protected areas 32 6.7.2 Vegetation 32 6.7.3 Fauna 32 6.8 Visual amenity 33 6.9 Traffic and transport 33 6.10 Cultural heritage 33 6.11 Socio-economic 34 7. Environmental and risk management 35 7.1 QR Environmental Policy and Environmental Management System (EMS) 35 7.2 Project environmental management 35 7.3 Environmental Design Report 36 7.4 Construction Environmental Management Plan 36 7.5 Current QR environmental approvals 36 7.6 Hazard, risk and health and safety issues 37 8. Environmental and planning approval process 38 8.1 Overview 38 8.2 State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 38 8.3 Commonwealth approvals 39 8.3.1 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 39 8.4 State approvals 39 9. References 42 Appendix A Ecological Searches Appendix B Castle Hope Dam - Inundation Area Appendix C QR Environmental Policy FILEV:\PROJECTS\QLD_RAIL\HR86 NORTHERN GSDA\ENVIRONMENTAL\IAS\REV 5\MOURA LINK-ALDOGA RAIL PROJECT IAS REV 5.DOC ⏐ 13 SEPTEMBER 2007⏐ REVISION 5 ⏐ PAGE ii Moura Link - Aldoga Rail Project Queensland Rail Initial Advice Statement 1. Introduction This Initial Advice Statement (IAS) has been prepared on behalf of Queensland Rail Limited (QR) identifying the potential environmental impacts associated with the construction and operation of the Moura Link - Aldoga Rail Project. 1.1 Background To cater for new tonnages from existing and new coal mines, QR is proposing a major expansion of its rail network in the less populated areas to the immediate north of greater Gladstone. This will include the construction of a new rollingstock maintenance facility, provisioning facility, new rail corridor and expansion of existing rail corridor. These works will be developed in parallel to and service a number of facilities, including the new Wiggins Island Coal Terminal (WICT) located in the Port of Gladstone. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared for the WICT included rollingstock maintenance and provisioning facilities, and new rail works, but at a location closer to the proposed coal terminal. In response to feedback received during the EIS consultation phase, QR has decided to proceed with a revised concept for the proposed rail works. The revised rail concept has the proposed rollingstock maintenance facility, provisioning facility and associated infrastructure located away from the WICT in the north of the Gladstone State Development Area (GSDA). The WICT Supplementary EIS therefore proposed a corresponding reduction in the scope of the WICT rail works. The WICT rail works now include only a rail loop to service the terminal, and the quadruplication of the North Coast Line (NCL) between the new rail loop and the north-western edge of the Mount Stowe State Forest (just east of Yarwun township). The proposed rollingstock maintenance facility and provisioning facilities are now to be constructed alongside the NCL, within the northern GSDA at Aldoga. The new rail corridor will extend north from the Moura Short Line (MSL), with a link to the East End Mine Branch Line (EEMBL) and into the existing NCL. Additional tracks are proposed to be added to the NCL between Mount Larcom and Yarwun. The proposed project area is shown in Figure 1. 1.2 Queensland coal transport QR is the provider of major linkages in the coal supply chain. QR’s Coal Fact Sheet (2007) states that QR has grown its coal tonnages in Queensland: • From 96 million tonnes (Mt) in 1997/98 to 164.7 Mt in 2006/07 • 7% more than the 2005/06 figure of 153.7 Mt • This figure could increase to 240 Mt by 2010 Major Queensland coal rail systems are shown in Figure 2. Gladstone is the hub for the Blackwater and Moura rail systems and accommodates both electric and non-electric locomotive haul trains. QR aims to upgrade the Moura and Blackwater systems from the current 55 Mtpa to approximately 90 Mtpa in the future. The ultimate capacity will be further refined during the Preliminary Engineering and EIS phase. 1.2.1 Moura system The Moura rail system is a non-electrified line that connects the Moura, Callide and Boundary Hill mines to the RG Tanna and Barney Point coal export terminals at Gladstone. It also links the three mines with domestic coal users such as Queensland Alumina Limited (QAL) and the Gladstone Power Station. FILEV:\PROJECTS\QLD_RAIL\HR86 NORTHERN GSDA\ENVIRONMENTAL\IAS\REV 5\MOURA LINK-ALDOGA RAIL PROJECT IAS REV 5.DOC ⏐ 13 SEPTEMBER 2007⏐ REVISION 5 ⏐ PAGE 1 Moura Link - Aldoga Rail Project (CAIRNSCAIRNS ( QUEENSLQUEENSL AND AND MACKAYMACKAY ( GLADSTONEGLADSTONE ( BRISBANEBRISBANE BOATBOAT CREEK CREEK DEFINED LIMIT OF WORKS OF LIMIT DEFINED MM OUNT OUNT LARCOMLARCOM GGLLL LLLAAA DDSSS SSSTTTOO OONN ALDOGAALDOGA NNEEE ALDOGAALDOGA MMOO OOUU UUNN TTT L LL LLLAAA AAARRCC CCOO MM RROO OOAAA AAADD NORTHNORTH COAST COAST NORTHNORTH COAST COAST YARWUNYARWUN LINELINELINE IVERIVERIVER RRRIVERIVERIVER R RR EEE EASTEAST END END MINE MINE EEE BRANCHBRANCH LINE LINE CCC ALALAL LIOP LIOP LIOP CCC CCCALALAL LIOP LIOP LIOP AAA CCC LLL LLL LLLIII IOIIOO PPP EEE R RR III IVIIVV GLADSTONEGLADSTONE EEE RRR R RR OOO AAA DDD GLADSTONE BBB BBB RRR RRR UUU CITY COUCIL UUU CCC CCC EEE EEE H H H HHH III IGIGIG GGG HHH HHH WWW WWW AAA AAA YYY YYY CALLIOPE SHIRE DDD DDD AAA AAA COUNCIL OOO OOO RRR R RR AAA AAA MMM MMM LLL LLL AAA A A A TTT TTT NNN NNN UUU UUU OOO OOO MMM MMM LARCOMLARCOMLARCOM CREEK CREEKCREEK MOURAMOURA SHORTSHORT LINE LINE BBRR BBRRUUCCEE HHIIIGGHH CE HHIIIGGHHWWAAYY MOURAMOURA SHORT SHORT LINE LINE CASTLECASTLE HOPE HOPE DAM DAM SITESITE MOURAMOURA SHORT SHORT LINE LINE ( CALLIOPECALLIOPE RIVER RIVER GLADSTONEGLADSTONE MONTOMONTO BRANCHBRANCH DDAAWW AAWWSSOO CALLIOPECALLIOPE OONN HHIIIGG IIIGGHHWW WWAAYY V:\Projects\Qld_Rail\HR86 Northern GSDA\GIS\Workspaces\HR86_04.wor By: SLG Date: 05/10/07 Version 05/10/07 By: Date: 3 GSDA\GIS\Workspaces\HR86_04.wor SLG V:\Projects\Qld_Rail\HR86 Northern LEGEND LOCALITY PLAN Rail o Gladstone State Development Local Government 05 (km) Area Boundary Area Boundary Watercourse FIGURE 1 Cadastre Mt Larcom Ranges Scale 1:100 000 (m) (@ A3 size) Wiggins Island Coal Terminal Proposed Infrastructure Project Area Moura Link - Aldoga Rail Project Queensland Rail Initial Advice Statement Figure 2 Queensland Rail Coal Rail Network 1.2.2 Blackwater system The Blackwater rail system is an electrified line that connects coal mines in the southern Bowen Basin, from Gregory in the north to South Blackwater in the south, to the RG Tanna and Barney Point coal export terminals at Gladstone, and domestic coal users.