The environmental authority and mining lease will now go to the Queensland Land Court, from which an outcome is required by mid-2016 to guarantee continuity of employment for those people currently working at the mine.
The current mine footprint runs out of coal in 2017-18. The project is also awaiting approval under federal environment law.
Acland’s $896 million stage 3 expansion will see developments of parts of the Manning Vale and Willeroo sites, upgrades to existing coal handling and preparation plant and supporting infrastructure, the relocation of the Jondaryan rail load-out facility and the creation of a rail spur.
“This represents a significant step forward in an ongoing approvals process which will continue until a mining lease is formally granted,” New Hope said in a statement.
“New Hope has been working through this process with successive Queensland State Governments since 2007.
“New Acland has played a key role in the Darling Downs region as an employer and economic contributor since it began operations in 2002. The revised New Acland Project plan will extend the life of the current operation to about 2029.”
Queensland Resources Council CEO Michael Roche said Acland mine workers are “people who live on the Downs, contribute to the local community, and send their children to local schools”
“If this mine were to close – as some are campaigning to achieve – it would be a savage blow to the economic prosperity of that community,” he said.
“The draft environmental authority sets down 68 pages of 137 strict conditions around matters such as water, air quality and noise and nearly an additional 1000 commitments to uphold.
“We fully expect all of the green activists’ bag of tricks will be deployed against the continuation of the New Acland Mine and the hundreds of jobs for locals it can deliver.”
The Lock the Gate Alliance President Drew Hutton came out against the approval stating that: “while it is still under a political donations’ cloud is a terrible decision that will have far-reaching repercussions”
“This is a very sad day for the people of Oakey and Acland – government after government has treated them with disregard and contempt,” he said.
“It’s incredibly disappointing that a government that promised to issue in a new era of accountability and transparency in Queensland has yet again chosen to rush through an outcome to suit the interests of big mining and shafted local communities and the environment.
“This mine will drain precious groundwater, destroy some of the best agricultural land in the country, and put at risk the health of local communities.”
