NEW ACLAND MINE STAGE 3 EIS EVALUATION REPORT NEW ACLAND MINE STAGE 3 EIS EVALUATION REPORT ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW REPORT 9 June 2015 NEW ACLAND MINE STAGE 3 EIS EVALUATION REPORT ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Overview ................................................................................................................ 6 1.1 The scope of this review ......................................................................................... 6 1.2 The documents or other material this review considered ....................................... 6 1.3 What this review does do ........................................................................................ 7 1.4 What this review does NOT do ............................................................................... 8 1.5 Structure of this review ........................................................................................... 8 1.5.1 Chapter 2 – Statutory framework ............................................................................ 8 1.5.2 Chapter 3 – History of the Project .......................................................................... 8 1.5.3 Chapter 4 – Legal questions considered ................................................................. 8 1.5.4 Chapter 5 – What must the ‘evaluation of the project EIS’ involve to comply with Part 4 of the Act. ..................................................................................................... 9 1.5.5 Chapter 6 – Consideration by Coordinator–General of submissions received after the AEIS .................................................................................................................. 9 1.5.6 Chapter 7 – Framework of analysis ........................................................................ 9 1.5.7 Chapters 8 to 12 – Summary of the EIS evaluation process ................................... 9 1.5.8 Chapter 13 – Conclusion ....................................................................................... 10 2. Statutory framework .......................................................................................... 13 2.1 Environmental coordination ................................................................................. 14 2.2 The EIS assessment process ................................................................................. 15 2.2.1 Notice of EIS and draft terms of reference ........................................................... 15 2.2.2 Final TOR ............................................................................................................. 15 2.2.3 Information to assist preparation of EIS ............................................................... 15 2.2.4 Preparation of EIS ................................................................................................. 15 2.2.5 Public notification of EIS ..................................................................................... 16 2.2.6 Report evaluating the EIS ..................................................................................... 16 3. History of the Project ......................................................................................... 19 3.1 The importance of the history of the Project ........................................................ 19 3.2 The environmental coordination process .............................................................. 19 3.3 Declaration of the Project ..................................................................................... 21 3.4 Notice of EIS and draft TOR for the initial Project .............................................. 23 3.5 Final TOR for the initial Project ........................................................................... 24 3.6 Preparation of EIS for the original Project ........................................................... 24 3.7 Public notification of EIS for the original Project ................................................ 25 3.8 Proponent revised the Project ............................................................................... 26 3.9 Notice of requirement for EIS and draft terms of reference for the revised Project .............................................................................................................................. 28 3.10 Final TOR for the revised Project ......................................................................... 31 3.11 Preparation of EIS for the revised Project ............................................................ 32 3.12 Public notification of EIS for the revised Project ................................................. 35 3.13 Report evaluating the EIS for the revised Project ................................................. 38 3.13.1 Consideration of the submissions ......................................................................... 38 3.13.2 Request for additional information from the Proponent ....................................... 47 3.13.3 Consideration of EIS and other material ............................................................... 53 3.13.4 Report .................................................................................................................... 54 2 3.14 The briefing note process ...................................................................................... 58 3.15 Observation about the history of the Project ........................................................ 67 4. Legal questions considered ................................................................................ 68 4.1 The validity of the declaration .............................................................................. 68 4.2 The change to the Project scope ........................................................................... 70 5. What must the ‘evaluation of the project EIS’ involve to ‘comply with part 4 of the Act’? ........................................................................................................... 78 5.1 What ‘must’ the Coordinator-General do? ............................................................ 78 5.2 Section 35(1) – ‘The EIS’ ..................................................................................... 79 5.3 Section 35(1) - ‘All properly made submissions and other submissions accepted by the Coordinator-General about the EIS’ .......................................................... 79 5.4 Section 35(1) - ‘any other material the Coordinator-General considers is relevant to the project’ ........................................................................................................ 80 5.5 Previous submissions ............................................................................................ 80 5.6 Submissions made after the AEIS ........................................................................ 81 5.7 The law on obligations to ‘consider’ identified material ...................................... 81 5.8 The content of the obligation to consider the material listed in section 35(1) ...... 84 5.9 Effect of Coordinator-General’s status as corporation sole .................................. 85 5.10 Additional information or comment under section 35(2) ..................................... 86 5.11 Scope of the obligation to prepare report evaluating EIS ..................................... 86 5.12 What must the Coordinator-General do personally for the preparation of the report? ................................................................................................................... 88 5.13 That which the Coordinator-General ‘may’ do under section 35(4) ..................... 89 5.14 The ‘environment’ ................................................................................................ 89 5.15 Summary of evaluation requirements ................................................................... 90 6. Consideration by Coordinator-General of submissions received after the AEIS ..................................................................................................................... 92 6.1 Section 35(1) - the EIS .......................................................................................... 93 6.2 Section 35(1) - properly made submissions .......................................................... 93 6.3 Section 35(1) - other submissions accepted by the Coordinator General about the EIS ........................................................................................................................ 93 6.4 Section 35(1) - other material the Coordinator-General considers relevant ......... 93 6.5 The further submissions are other submissions accepted by the Coordinator- General about the EIS ........................................................................................... 94 7. Framework of analysis ....................................................................................... 97 8. Environmental impacts ...................................................................................... 99 8.1 Land impacts ......................................................................................................... 99 8.1.1 What was the evidence or other material held by the Coordinator-General on land impacts? ................................................................................................................ 99 8.1.2 Summary of the process of evaluation of the Project regarding land impacts as described in the report evaluating the EIS .........................................................