CENTRAL EYRE IRON PROJECT Environmental Impact Statement Response Document This page is left deliberately blank Table of Contents 1 Executive Summary ..................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Joint Consultation Process ................................................................................................... 2 1.2 Submissions ......................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Response Documents .......................................................................................................... 2 2 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 4 2.1 Background .......................................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Multi-user Infrastructure ..................................................................................................... 4 3 Results of the Public Consultation Process ................................................................... 5 3.1 Out of Scope Comments ...................................................................................................... 5 3.2 Content of Submissions ....................................................................................................... 6 3.3 Notes to Consider ................................................................................................................ 6 3.4 Summary of Issues Raised.................................................................................................... 7 4 Issues raised by SA Government Agencies ................................................................... 9 4.1 DEWNR Comment # 33 – Modelling Review, Appendix V ..................................................... 9 4.2 DEWNR Comment # 36 - Modelling Review, Appendix V ................................................... 10 4.3 DEWNR Comment # 37 - Appendix V .................................................................................. 10 5 Issues Raised by the Commonwealth ......................................................................... 12 6 Correction to Information ......................................................................................... 13 7 Out of Scope Questions/Comments ........................................................................... 14 8 Master Index of Responses ........................................................................................ 19 9 Glossary .................................................................................................................... 23 List of Figures Figure 1: Overview of the CEIP components .................................................................................................1 Figure 2: Model Output for Drawdown ...................................................................................................... 11 Figure 3: Updated Mineral Resources for the CEIP .................................................................................... 13 List of Tables Table 1: Summary of Issues Raised per Chapter ...........................................................................................8 Table 2: Detailed Water Budget (Base Case Model) .....................................................................................9 Table 3: Quaternary Sediment Intersection ............................................................................................... 10 List of Attachments Attachment A: CEIP EIS – Responses to Public Submissions Attachment B: CEIP EIS – Government Issues/Comments and Iron Road’s Responses Attachment C: CEIP EIS – Issues/Comments on EPBC Act and Iron Road’s Responses Environmental Impact Statement Response Document Updated October 2016 Page i This page is left deliberately blank Page ii Updated October 2016 Environmental Impact Statement Response Document 1 Executive Summary The Central Eyre Iron Project (CEIP) is located on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia and comprises: • A proposed magnetite mining and minerals processing operation (CEIP Mine) near Warramboo, approximately 28 km south east of Wudinna; and • Significant infrastructure (CEIP Infrastructure) required to support the CEIP Mine and to provide the logistics chain to enable the export of magnetite concentrate to market (CEIP Infrastructure). This infrastructure comprises a long term employee village, water borefield, railway line, power line and deep sea port. On 5 November 2015 Iron Road Limited (Iron Road) lodged an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) with the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) pursuant to section 46B of the Development Act, 1993 (SA). The EIS covers all aspects of the CEIP Infrastructure and was prepared in accordance with the Guidelines issued to Iron Road by the SA Planning Minister in November 2014. As Iron Road’s proposed port at Cape Hardy is deemed to be a ‘controlled action’ under the Commonwealth Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, 1999 (EPBC) the requirements under that Act have been incorporated into the EIS process and will be assessed in accordance with the Bilateral Agreement between the Commonwealth and South Australian Governments. At the same time the EIS was lodged, IRD Mining Operations Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Iron Road, submitted an application for a Mineral Lease (ML) over the entire area of Mineral Claim (MC) 4383, together with a Mining Lease Proposal (MLP), to the Department of State Development (DSD) pursuant to section 35 of the Mining Act, 1971 (SA). The MLP covers all social, economic and environmental aspects of the proposed CEIP Mine. Figure 1: Overview of the CEIP components Environmental Impact Statement Response Document Updated October 2016 Page 1 1.1 Joint Consultation Process On 19 November 2015, DPTI and DSD commenced a joint consultation process in respect to both the EIS and MLP concluding on 2 February 2016, a period of almost 11 weeks. The SA Government facilitated three public forums in the key towns of Port Neill, Cleve and Wudinna, all of which were attended by representatives from DPTI, DSD and Iron Road. The forums provided interested parties with an opportunity to hear directly from SA Government about the respective application and assessment processes and how they could make submissions relating to the EIS/EPBC or MLP (or both) during the public consultation period. Each forum took place over a five hour period (2pm – 7pm) and included presentations from DPTI, DSD and Iron Road. Comprehensive guidelines for the application, public consultation and assessment processes relating to the CEIP were prepared by SA Government and made available to interested parties at the public forums and online. In addition, and in accordance with legislation and / or Government policy, DPTI and DSD distributed hard copies of the EIS and MLP, together with USB memory sticks containing electronic copies, across the Eyre Peninsula to landowners, local DCSs and libraries. Hard copies were also available for viewing at both DPTI and DSD offices in Adelaide together with free electronic copies on USB memory sticks. The EIS and MLP were also available for downloading from a dedicated Government website for the CEIP (www.ceipconsultation.sa.gov.au), Iron Road’s website (www.ironroadlimited.com.au) and from the DSD and sa.gov.au websites. 1.2 Submissions At the conclusion of the public consultation period, a total of 105 public submissions were received by SA Government, 53 of those being supportive in nature and setting out numerous reasons why the CEIP is an important development to South Australia’s economic and social wellbeing. For example, submitters noted that the CEIP would: • Improve employment and career opportunities; • Provide a diversification of industries; and • Increase economic benefits and contribute to a reverse in the population decline across the Eyre Peninsula, particularly within the Wudinna DC area. Of those 105, 21 raised issues relating only to the EIS/EPBC while another 19 provided comment in relation to both the EIS/EPBC and the MLP. The remaining submissions either raised concerns purely in relation to the MLP or did not express any concerns or issues with the CEIP development and urged the Government to approve the project for the benefit of all South Australians. 1.3 Response Documents On 18 March 2016, DPTI and DSD jointly forwarded a formal “Request for Response” letter to Iron Road together with copies of all public submissions and Government comments received in relation to both the EIS and MLP. Guidance on how Iron Road should respond to each was also provided. All of the questions and areas of concern raised in the public submissions and by SA Government agencies that relate to the EIS/EPBC have been addressed in this Response Document (refer Attachments A and B respectively) and contributes directly to the assessment of the EIS by DPTI. In addition, comments received from the Commonwealth Department of the Environment (DotE) in relation to the EPBC have been addressed (refer Attachment C) and will also contribute to assessment of the EIS. Page 2 Updated October 2016 Environmental Impact Statement Response Document This Response Document will also assist in setting appropriate conditions should the Governor of South Australia approve the CEIP Infrastructure and consent under the