Western Surat Gas Project Public Environment Report ATTACHMENT D WESTERN SURAT GAS BIODIVERSITY ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES REPORT (ERM, 2017) Western Surat Gas Project February Page 209 of SENEX-WSGP-EN-REP-033 Revision 1 Public Environment Report 2018 255 UNCONTROLLED WHEN PRINTED Senex Energy Limited Western Surat Gas Project Biodiversity Environmental Values Report ERM Ref. 0386887 May 2017 The business of sustainability Document Control: 0386887 Biodiversity Environmental Values ERM Approval to Issue Version Revision Author Name Date Draft D01 Katherine Taske David Dique 30 March 2017 Draft D02 Katherine Taske David Dique 24 April 2017 Draft D03 Katherine Taske David Dique 5 May 2017 Final F01 Katherine Taske David Dique 31 May 2017 Western Surat Gas Project Biodiversity Environmental Values Report Approved by: David Dique Senex Energy Limited Position: Partner Signed: Date: 31 May, 2017 May 2017 0386887 Final www.erm.com This disclaimer, together with any limitations specified in the report, apply to use of this report. This report was prepared in accordance with the contracted scope of services for the specific purpose stated and subject to the applicable cost, time and other constraints. In preparing this report, ERM relied on: (a) client/third party information which was not verified by ERM except to the extent required by the scope of services, and ERM does not accept responsibility for omissions or inaccuracies in the client/third party information; and (b) information taken at or under the particular times and conditions specified, and ERM does not accept responsibility for any subsequent changes. This report has been prepared solely for use by, and is confidential to, the client and ERM accepts no responsibility for its use by other persons. This report is subject to copyright protection and the copyright owner reserves its rights. This report does not constitute legal advice. CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 THE PROJECT 1 1.2 PURPOSE OF THE REPORT 2 1.3 SCOPE OF THE ASSESSMENT 2 2 RELEVANT LEGISLATION 3 ASSESSMENT APPROACH 3.1 OVERVIEW 5 3.2 DESKTOP SOURCES 5 3.3 FIELD SURVEY 7 3.4 THREATENED SPECIES AND COMMUNITIES ASSESSMENT 9 3.4.1 LIKELIHOOD OF OCCURRENCE ASSESSMENT 9 3.4.2 THREATENED SPECIES AND COMMUNITIES HABITAT 9 4 DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES 4.1 REGIONAL CONTEXT 11 4.2 VEGETATION COMMUNITIES 11 4.2.1 REGIONAL ECOSYSTEMS 11 4.2.2 THREATENED ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES 17 4.3 HABITATS 19 4.3.1 TERRESTRIAL HABITATS 19 4.3.2 AQUATIC HABITATS 20 4.4 CONNECTIVITY 25 4.5 THREATENED SPECIES 25 4.5.1 FLORA 25 4.5.2 TERRESTRIAL FAUNA 27 4.5.3 AQUATIC FAUNA 30 4.5.4 AQUATIC FLORA 31 5 SUMMARY OF CONSERVATION SIGNIFICANT MATTERS 5.1 ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS 32 5.2 MATTERS OF STATE ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE 35 5.3 MATTERS OF NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE 39 5.3.1 THREATENED ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES 39 5.3.2 THREATENED SPECIES 40 5.3.3 MIGRATORY SPECIES 41 6 CONCLUSION 7 REFERENCES CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1.1 WSGP PRODUCTION AREA 3 FIGURE 3.1 PRODUCTION AREA AND LOCATION OF FIELD SURVEY SITES 10 FIGURE 4.1 REGIONAL ECOSYSTEM MAPPING WITHIN THE PRODUCTION AREA 13 FIGURE 4.2 THREATENED ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE PRODUCTION AREA 18 FIGURE 4.3 WETLANDS AND WATERWAYS MAPPED WITHIN THE PRODUCTION AREA 24 FIGURE 5.1 ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS 34 FIGURE 5.2 MATTERS OF STATE ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE 38 FIGURE 5.3 MATTERS OF NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE 46 LIST OF TABLES TABLE 2.1 BIODIVERSITY VALUES LEGISLATION SUMMARY 4 TABLE 3.1 SPECIES DATABASES QUERIED IN DESKTOP ASSESSMENT 7 TABLE 3.2 FIELD SURVEY SUMMARY 8 TABLE 4.1 REGIONAL ECOSYSTEMS MAPPED WITHIN THE PRODUCTION AREA 12 TABLE 4.2 THREATENED ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE PRODUCTION AREA 17 TABLE 4.3 BROAD TERRESTRIAL HABITAT TYPES WITHIN THE PRODUCTION AREA 19 TABLE 4.4 RIVER HEALTH RATINGS FOR STREAMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRODUCTION AREA (SENEX, 2017; AND VAN MANEN, 2001) 21 TABLE 4.5 WETLANDS ON INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE IN PROXIMITY TO THE PRODUCTION AREA 22 TABLE 4.5 THREATENED FLORA SPECIES POSSIBLE TO OCCUR WITHIN THE PRODUCTION AREA 26 TABLE 4.6 RESTRICTED AND WONS RECORDED WITHIN THE PRODUCTION AREA 26 CONTENTS TABLE 4.7 TERRESTRIAL FAUNA GROUPS RECORDED WITHIN THE PRODUCTION AREA 27 TABLE 4.8 THREATENED FAUNA SPECIES CONFIRMED OR POSSIBLE TO OCCUR WITHIN THE PRODUCTION AREA 28 TABLE 4.9 MIGRATORY SPECIES CONFIRMED OR POSSIBLE TO OCCUR WITHIN THE PRODUCTION AREA 29 TABLE 4.10 RESTRICTED FAUNA SPECIES RECORDED WITHIN THE PRODUCTION AREA 30 TABLE 4.11 AQUATIC FAUNA GROUPS WITHIN THE PRODUCTION AREA 30 TABLE 5.1 SUMMARY OF ESAS FOR THE PRODUCTION AREA 32 TABLE 5.2 SUMMARY OF MSES FOR THE PRODUCTION AREA 36 TABLE 5.3 SUMMARY OF MNES FOR THE PRODUCTION AREA 39 TABLE 5.4 EPBC LISTED THREATENED SPECIES CONFIRMED OR POSSIBLE TO OCCUR WITHIN THE PRODUCTION AREA 42 LIST OF ANNEXURES ANNEX A DATABASE SEARCH RESULTS ANNEX B SPECIES ASSESSED FOR LIKELIHOOD OFO OCCURRENCE ANNEX C THREATENED SPECIES AND COMMUNITIES HABITAT CRITERIA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Senex Energy Limited (Senex) is currently authorised to conduct petroleum exploration activities in accordance with its Environmental Authority, EPPG00651513 (EA) within petroleum tenures ATP 767, 795 and 889. Senex proposes to develop a coal seam gas field within these ATP’s, referred to as the Western Surat Gas Project (WSGP), and will require documentation to be prepared to support project approval. This Biodiversity Environmental Values Report has been developed to document the baseline values that are associated with the WSGP Production Area (a subset of the WSGP area), with a focus on matters of national environmental significance (MNES) and matters of State environmental significance (MSES), in order to inform impact assessment for the development of EA amendment supporting documentation and EPBC Referral supporting documentation. The WSGP will involve development of up to 425 wells across the Production Area, three field compressor stations and one central processing facility. The exact location of the facilities is under development and will be finalised as the development progresses. The WSGP is located within a rural landscape dominated by grazing and other agricultural land uses. As a result the Production Area is largely cleared with 16% mapped as remnant vegetation. Vegetated areas are generally associated with riparian zones and other isolated patches. The Gubberamunda State Forest Areas are located within the Production Area and represent some of the larger vegetated areas. The biodiversity environmental values were assessed using a combination of desktop sources and field surveys. Desktop sources included a number of ecological studies undertaken since 2015 within the Production Area, targeting the verification of remnant vegetation type and extent and habitats, as well as the presence of MNES and MSES values. Desktop sources included previous studies, available mapping products and species records. Field surveys were undertaken across a number of events, focussing on a number of target areas within the Production Area and utilising methods consistent with Neldner et al (2012) and Eyre et al (2014). Eight broad terrestrial habitat types were determined to occur within the Production Area. The vegetation communities present includes two communities consistent with Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 listed threatened ecological communities, and three regional ecosystem types listed as Endangered under the Vegetation Management Act 1999. The waterways of the Production Area were also assessed although characteristics were largely ephemeral with very little permanent water located within the site, aside from dam storages. The outcomes of the desktop assessment and field surveys were analysed to inform a likelihood of occurrence assessment relating to threatened species and communities. Fifty-five species were analysed for likelihood of occurrence, with 23 species identified as ‘confirmed’ or ‘possible’ to occur based on the presence of records or suitable habitat features. ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA 0386887/FINAL/31 MAY 2017 I Overall, the assessment identified the following key environmental values as confirmed or potentially occurring within the Production Area: • Thirteen RE types including three RE types listed as Endangered (Biodiversity Status) under the VM Act and four RE types listed as Of Concern (Biodiversity Status) under the VM Act; • Three flora species considered possible to occur that are listed as Endangered, Vulnerable or Near Threatened under the NC Act; • Twelve fauna species confirmed or considered possible to occur that are listed as Endangered, Vulnerable or Near Threatened under the NC Act, as well as seven species noted to be Special Least Concern Species under the NC Act; • Category B and C Environmental Sensitive Areas as defined by the Environment Protection Regulation 2008; • A number of prescribed environmental matters as defined by the Environmental Offsets Regulation 2014; specifically endangered REs, of concern REs, REs intersecting a wetland, REs within a defined distance of watercourse, connectivity, and protected wildlife habitat; and • Habitat for two MNES: • Three threatened ecological communities listed under the EPBC Act confirmed or potentially occurring within the Production Area. Twelve EPBC Act listed threatened species confirmed or considered possible to occur; and • Nine migratory bird species. ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA 0386887/FINAL/31 MAY 2017 II 1 INTRODUCTION Environmental