Hervey Bay Gossip

The talk over the last few years of renewed coal mining in the Howard and Torbanlea area has been of great interest to many people here in Hervey Bay. Few though would have heard much of the Tiaro Coal Company

The Tiaro Coal Company is an ASX listed company that’s exploring an area of around 2,200 square kilometres that stretches from around Dundathu in the north to south of Gympie and well to the west of the Bruce Highway. You can find a map of the Tiaro Coal tenements by following the link.

A hat tip to Roger Currie’s interesting blog for the link to Tiaro Coal. Interestingly Roger sees that some of these coal tenements may be affected by the Traveston Dam. If the Dam will flood some valuable coal deposits it will be interesting to see what unfolds as the State Government decides whether water is more important than coal.

A decision to extend the public comment period on the proposed Traveston Crossing Dam proves the Queensland Government is serious about hearing people’s views, Deputy Premier Paul Lucas said today.

Mr Lucas was speaking after the State’s Coordinator-General, Colin Jensen, decided people would now have until 14 January, 2008, to comment on the Environmental Impact Statement for the dam.

Mr Jensen extended the submission period after the project’s proponent, Queensland Water Infrastructure, advised of variations in the publication of the EIS for the dam.

“I am advised that an addendum has been prepared that contains 20 variations between the online, CD/DVD and hard copy of the environmental impact statement as published,” Mr Lucas said.

“The variations are of a minor nature but, we want to be sure that everyone has the chance to comment on the correct version.

“As a result people wanting to comment on the EIS now have until January 14 to provide their feedback - an extra 42 days.

(more…)

Suddenly the Queensland Government is thinking about the shallow water and the fish 

The Queensland Government has provided another 1200 pages of additional information for the Senate’s Traveston Crossing Dam Inquiry, Deputy Premier and Infrastructure Minister Anna Bligh said today.

“The additional information was contained in 21 volumes that provided some of the early draft work that informed thinking on projects that now form Australia’s largest urban drought response,” said Ms Bligh.

“The information covers a range of data from records of the proposed Traveston Crossing Dam’s detailed geological assessments to preliminary environmental advice on potential dam sites in South East Queensland.

“There is also draft information and early reports on the management of SEQ’s water supply and planning for its future. I have instructed all of this to be placed on my department’s website”

http://www.coordinatorgeneral.qld.gov.au/about/seq_water_submission.shtm

“Some of the reports identify sensitive issues and raise aspects that are critical of the project, but they also offer strategies for mitigation. For example, criticism of the dam’s shallowness can be mitigated, if needed, by use of destratifiers [a mechanism to mix dam water]; and installation of a fish lift and fishway have been included to mitigate impacts on fish movements.

“Our efforts sit against the Federal Government who last week refused to release documents on the Prime Minister’s floundering $10 billion Murray Darling scheme. We’ve cooperated and released all documents sought.”

While we’ve heard a lot about the impact that the building of the Traveston Crossing Dam will have on people around the region not a great deal has been said about the impact on the environment.

I guess that’s only to be expected. People can make a lot of noise while the environment makes none - it just suffers in silence. But that doesn’t mean that the environment won’t be affected because it will.

In fact it looks as though the building of the dam will destroy the habitat of one very ancient and very unusual fish. You might not think that the fate of one endangered fish species is of much concern when there is a need for Brisbane to be kept in a regular supply of drinking water but when there are alternatives to the dam then perhaps we should be thinking more seriously about the Queensland lungfish.

Andrew Bartlett wrote a very interesting piece in his blog about why this fish is important and it’s well worth reading. You will find it here.

Of course the environment isn’t just the Queensland lungfish. If the dam is built there will be a major impact on Great Sandy Straights and that will impact on us here in Hervey Bay. Mr Beattie is trying to tell us that there won’t be an impact that we will feel … but I wonder what he’ll say when irreversible problems do arise?

Oh … that’s right, he will probably have retired by then and there’s no accountability for retired politicians - just a lot of lurks and perks that the rest of us can’t enjoy.

Like the Queensland lungfish the Great Sandy Straights doesn’t have a voice of its own but some people are trying to remedy that and ourgreatsandy.com is telling the world about the damage that the dam will bring.

Traveston Dam comes to Hervey Bay and the Fraser Coast

The Fraser Coast community is being encouraged to attend an information day to learn more about how they can have their say on the proposed Traveston Crossing Dam.

Acting Premier Anna Bligh and Member for Hervey Bay Andrew McNamara encouraged residents, community groups and other interested stakeholders to attend an information day in Maryborough on Saturday January 20.

“This is the community’s chance to find out more about the proposed dam and how they can have input into the Terms of Reference which will govern the wide range of environmental and other technical studies to be undertaken on the dam,” Ms Bligh said.

“The objective of these studies is to ensure all potential environmental, social and economic impacts of the project are identified and assessed and that steps are outlined about how to mitigate against any adverse impacts,” she said.

“The draft Terms of Reference for the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) were released for public comment by the Coordinator-General on December 9 last year.”

Mr McNamara said he was pleased that communities in the Fraser Coast area would have the opportunity to learn more about the EIS process and how they can contribute.

“I recognize there are some very strong feelings and views on the dam within some parts of the Fraser Coast community,” he said.

“That’s why it’s important that everyone who wants to, has the opportunity to help shape the Terms of Reference.

“The Terms of Reference currently cover the potential impact of the dam on the downstream environmental flow of the Mary River and any potential issues associated with noxious plants or weeds downstream.

“The terms of reference also cover potential impacts on the water quality and habitats of the Great Sandy Strait Ramsar Wetland and World Heritage-listed Fraser Island.

“These are important issues for the local community. That’s why I would encourage individuals and groups with an interest in the project to make a submission on the draft Terms of Reference by 19 February.”

The community information day, which is being run by Queensland Water Infrastructure, will be held at Brolga Theatre lawns, Walker Street, Maryborough on Saturday January 20, 11am-3pm.

Members of the community will have the opportunity to speak with project team members to ask questions or seek clarification about information that is on display.

Are we shuffling deck chairs here?

The Deputy Premier Anna Bligh announced some major changes to the Traveston Dam proposal in Parliament this morning.

The capacity of the first stage of Traveston Dam will now be 153,000 megalitres, down from the original 180,000 megalitres. Because of this 16 properties that have already been purchased are now no longer required and will be offered back to the original owners.

However, the catch is that a further 18 properties that were not originally required will now be resumed by the the Queensland government.

Acting Premier Anna Bligh this morning visited the Traveston Crossing Dam site near Gympie.

Ms Bligh inspected the dam site and also met with affected land owner Rick Elliot.

“I was really keen to get a first-hand look at the site and to also gain an insight into the issues of landowners affected by the dam,” she said.

Ms Bligh was accompanied by Graeme Newton, head of the Queensland Water Infrastructure Company which is responsible for delivering the dam, Major-General Peter Arnison, head of the Community Futures Taskforce which is helping communities affected by the dam, and Coordinator-General Ross Rolfe.

“Visiting the site was one of my first priorities as the Minister for Infrastructure and Minister responsible for delivering the South-East Queensland water grid.

“The dam is an important part of shoring up the south-east’s water supplies in the face of the worst drought on record.

“I know it’s not a popular decision but it’s a necessary one to ensure we have water flowing through our taps into the future.

“My visit to the dam site today gave me a personal opportunity to get a handle on the size and scope of one of the state’s largest water infrastructure projects.”

Hervey Bay City Council has joined with the councils of Maryborough, Tiaro, Woocoo, Cooloola, Kilkivan, Noosa and Maroochy to commission a report into alternatives to the proposed Traveston Dam.

The report will be prepared by Dr Stuart White from the University of Technology in NSW.

The Queensland Government has released the proposed timeline for the Traveston Dam.

The proposed dam project timeframe is as follows:

·Commence detailed environmental studies by August 2006

·Project of significance declaration by end 2006

·Draft Environmental Impact Study (EIS) Terms of Reference prepared by late 2006

·Commonwealth (Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act) referral by end 2006

·More detailed dam design is ongoing

·More detailed affected infrastructure design is ongoing

·EIS research, monitoring, reporting to be conducted during 2007

·EIS available for comment by early 2008

·State and Commonwealth assessment by mid 2008

·Tendering for construction by early 2009

·Construction commences by mid 2009

·Construction complete by end 2011

Of course the dam has to ‘pass’ the environmental studies but you do have to wonder whether that’s just a foregone conclusion when the Premier declares that the ‘the dam WILL be built”.

Warren Truss, the federal member for Wide Bay, has declared that the environmental impact studies that must be done before the Commonwealth gives approval for the Traveston Dam could take years to complete.

Mr Truss suggests that the Federal Government may not be in a position to make a ruling on it until 2008.