It was commissioned by the Commonwealth Department of the Environment.

Whitehaven Coal CEO Paul Flynn said the company also welcomed advice that departmental inquiries into allegations that the Maules Creek offsets package was based on false and misleading information had been finalised, and that no further action would be taken by the department in relation to this matter.

“We welcome the fact that the government has dismissed the claim that our offsets package was based on false and misleading information,” he said.

The department has concluded its review of the Independent Peer Review of Offsets for the Maules Creek Mine Project, prepared by the independent reviewer approved by the Department of the Environment.

The department also considered the subsequent Verification Report for Additional Offsets, prepared by the same author as the independent review.

The department has advised that the findings of both reports are sound based on the data and information provided, and that both reports adequately review both the originally proposed offsets and the additional offsets, verifying the total quantity of CEEC (Box Gum Woodland) and threatened fauna habitat.

The quantity and quality of the offsets for the threatened fauna species meets the requirements of the conditions of the approval.

“Today’s outcome is a very significant endorsement of the robustness of the scientific methodologies applied by both the company and the independent reviewer, and the substantial overall adequacy of the offsets package being offered,” Flynn said.

“The department has indicated that it will work with Whitehaven to ensure that the final offsets package reflects the overall proportion of the derived native grassland and woodland forms of Box Gum Woodland in the areas being cleared, including, where necessary, the acquisition of additional offset property.

“While we continue to work with the government on the implementation of our offsets plan it is business as usual at the Maules Creek site, with work progressing in accordance with our schedule.”

Whitehaven’s approved offsets package provides for the conservation in perpetuity of approximately 13,000 hectares of equivalent or better quality land in exchange for the disturbance of approximately 1600 hectares of land.

Depending on the conservation attribute being addressed, this represents an offset ratio to disturbance of five times in less sensitive areas and over ten times in more sensitive areas.