At least 8 coalmining projects in Great Barrier Reef catchments and floodplains have been exempted from requiring environmental impact statements (EIS) by the Queensland government, with 6 already gaining state environmental approval.
Bowen Coking Coal’s Isaac River mine, would produce 0.5 million tonnes of coal a year for five years. Others squeaked in just under the 2 million tonne threshold that would require the miner to prepare an EIS.
The nearby Vulcan South project is set to produce 1.95 million tonnes of coking coal every year and would clear 1,000 hectares of koala and at least 75 hectares of greater glider habitat to do so. The adjoining Vulcan Complex, also owned by Vitrinite, would dig up 1.95 million tonnes of coking coal every year as well.
Another to come in just under the 2 million tonne threshold is Magnetic South’s Gemini mine, which would produce 1.9 million tonnes of coal a year for 25 years.
Other projects not required to produce an EIS include the proposed extensions of the Meandu thermal coalmine until 2039, the Caval Ridge mine until 2056 and the Middlemount coalmine until 2044.
Collectively, these eight projects represent approximately 1,866 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions across their lifespans.