Pilbara Iron Ore & Infrastructure Project: Cloud Break (Assessment No. 1577) Response to Submissions (And Additional Studies) November 2005 for Fortescue Metals Group Limited Fortescue Metals Group Limited P.O. Box 910 West Perth WA 6872 Australia Telephone: +618 9266 0111 Facsimile: +618 9266 0188 15 November 2005 (This page has been left blank intentionally) Response to Submissions (and Additional Studies) Pilbara Iron Ore and Infrastructure Project: Cloud Break November 2005 Fortescue Metals Group Limited Page i TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................... 1 2. OVERVIEW OF SUBMISSIONS .......................................................................................... 3 3. OFFSETS ................................................................................................................................. 5 3.1 STAGE B OFFSETS.................................................................................................. 5 3.2 MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING .............................................................. 5 3.3 PROPOSED CLOUD BREAK OFFSETS............................................................... 6 4. BIOPHYSICAL ........................................................................................................................ 9 4.1 FUTURE CONSERVATION AREAS....................................................................... 9 4.2 FORTESCUE MARSH ............................................................................................ 12 4.3 SURFACE WATER.................................................................................................. 20 4.4 SHEET FLOW AND MULGA WOODLANDS....................................................... 29 4.5 GROUNDWATER .................................................................................................... 31 4.6 FLORA AND VEGETATION................................................................................... 41 4.7 WEED MANAGEMENT........................................................................................... 48 4.8 TERRESTRIAL FAUNA .......................................................................................... 48 4.9 NIGHT PARROT ...................................................................................................... 59 4.10 STYGOFAUNA......................................................................................................... 63 4.11 REHABILITATION AND CLOSURE...................................................................... 64 5. POLLUTION .......................................................................................................................... 69 5.1 AIR - DUST ............................................................................................................... 69 5.2 AIR – GREENHOUSE GAS.................................................................................... 70 5.3 NOISE........................................................................................................................ 72 5.4 ACID MINE DRAINAGE.......................................................................................... 73 6. SOCIAL .................................................................................................................................. 75 6.1 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION ...................................................................... 75 6.2 IMPACT ON PASTORAL ACTIVITIES ................................................................. 79 7. OTHER ................................................................................................................................... 82 7.1 ASSESSMENT UNDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT (1986)82 7.2 CUMULATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS..................................................... 84 7.3 SITE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT........................................................... 85 7.4 OFFSETS.................................................................................................................. 86 7.5 INTERACTION WITH STAGE B PROJECT COMPONENTS .......................... 87 Response to Submissions (and Additional Studies) Pilbara Iron Ore and Infrastructure Project: Cloud Break November 2005 Fortescue Metals Group Limited Page ii 8. SUMMARY TABLE OF SUBMISSIONS ........................................................................... 95 9. REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 97 Response to Submissions (and Additional Studies) Pilbara Iron Ore and Infrastructure Project: Cloud Break November 2005 Fortescue Metals Group Limited Page iii LIST OF TABLES Table 1 CALM Exclusion Areas on Mulga Downs and Hillside Stations and the impacts of FMG operations Table 2 Comparison of levels of conservation significance for native fauna LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Cloud Break and Christmas Creek Projects with CALM Exclusion Areas and Pastoral Lease Boundaries LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix A Re-establishing Sheet Flow - Report on field trials for water redistribution conducted at Woodie Woodie Appendix B Summary of Changes to Stages A and B Appendix C Record of Consultation with Mulga Downs Partnership Appendix D Cloud Break Consultation Process Response to Submissions (and Additional Studies) Pilbara Iron Ore and Infrastructure Project: Cloud Break November 2005 Fortescue Metals Group Limited Page iv (This page has been left blank intentionally) Response to Submissions (and Additional Studies) Pilbara Iron Ore and Infrastructure Project: Cloud Break November 2005 Fortescue Metals Group Limited Page 1 1. INTRODUCTION The public submission period for the Pilbara Iron Ore and Infrastructure Project: Cloud Break Public Environmental Review (PER) commenced on 12 September 2005 for a period of six weeks, ending on 24 October 2005. The EPA accepted submissions up to 2 November 2005. Ten submissions were received by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). Submissions were made by State Government bodies, organisations and individuals. The issues raised within the submissions have been classified as biophysical, pollution, social or other issues (Sections 4-7). They have been further sorted into various subcategories for ease of response. A summary of the topic areas covered by each submission is given in Section 8. This report also includes a report on further investigations into re-establishment of sheet flow and the details of related offset packages. These have been completed since the release of the Public Environmental Review (see Section 3 and appendices). Response to Submissions (and Additional Studies) Pilbara Iron Ore and Infrastructure Project: Cloud Break November 2005 Fortescue Metals Group Limited Page 2 (This page has been left blank intentionally) Response to Submissions (and Additional Studies) Pilbara Iron Ore and Infrastructure Project: Cloud Break November 2005 Fortescue Metals Group Limited Page 3 2. OVERVIEW OF SUBMISSIONS A total of ten submissions were received. Of these, six opposed the Project in its current form (see Section 9). The remainder, whilst raising some issues of concern, could be regarded as neutral. The submissions covered a wide range of issues. Some issues received attention in more than one submission or were the subject of significant commentary within individual submissions. The main issues included: • Fortescue Marsh and future conservation areas: Five submissions highlighted the regional and national importance of the Fortescue Marsh which supports a rich diversity of waterbirds when in flood. Three of these submissions also expressed concern that a portion of the Cloud Break Project area overlaps an area of proposed conservation estate for the protection of the Fortescue Marsh and surrounding Mulga lands. These issues are addressed in Sections 4.1 (Future Conservation Areas) and 4.2 (Fortescue Marsh). • Surface water impacts and associated vegetation impacts: Seven submissions discuss the potential impacts of the Project on surface water flows, with four expressing concern over the potential disturbance to surface water sheet flows, and resultant impacts on vegetation communities that are dependent on these sheet flows (e.g. mulga grove communities). Two of these submissions also highlighted the importance of designing the Project to withstand expected flood events. These issues are addressed in Sections 4.3 (Surface water) and 4.4 (Sheet flow and Mulga woodlands). • Groundwater abstraction and associated impacts: Dewatering of the pits will be required as mining progresses. Eight submissions expressed concern over the abstraction of groundwater and the disposal options for this water. There was concern that lowering the watertable during abstraction may alter the hydrodynamics of the Fortescue Marsh, remove large areas of stygofauna habitat and adversely affect phreatophytic vegetation. These issues are addressed in Sections 4.5 (Groundwater and phreatophytic vegetation) and 4.10 (Stygofauna). • Vegetation impacts, particularly large-scale clearing, weed management and rehabilitation: Six submissions discussed the potential impact on flora and vegetation including one submission concerned over the potential introduction and spread of weeds from Project areas. Five submissions stated the need for appropriate rehabilitation measures, some of which noted the limitations of conventional rehabilitation techniques. These issues are addressed