A new coal mine in central Queensland has been given provisional approval, becoming the first since the Labor government came to power.
Bowen Coking Coal was told yesterday federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek intended to approve their plan for the Isaac River Mine near Moranbah.
One of the conditions for the mine to open is to minimise the impact on a native snake species, with the mining company to ensure it does not clear more than 25 hectares of the reptile's habitat.
The company must also employ a fauna spotter catcher, and the quality and extent of the habitat must be maintained or improved.
Final approval expected
According to a project decision document, other conditions include providing an offset area detailing a monitoring plan for the snakes, identifying suitable offset sites, and committing to "achievable ecological outcomes for the offset, which regard the habitat requirements specific to the ornamental snake and its habitat".
The plan must be submitted to the department for approval of the minister before any construction of the mine can commence.
Bowen Coking Coal executive chairman Nick Jorss says he expects it will take about 10 days for the formal approval to come through.
The approval for the mine is also conditional on an unusually short five-year operational period.
Comparatively, the Carmichael Mine approved in 2015 had an operational approval of 25 to 60 years.
Bowen Coking Coal operates two other Bowen Basin metallurgical mines — Bluff and Burton — which employ about 700 people.
Mr Jorss said the metallurgical coal mine would create 200 jobs.
"It's a fairly modest mine … half a million tonnes or so for four or five years," he said.
"We're not going to build a whole whack of infrastructure.
"The demand for steel continues to grow based on both industrialisation in the developing world but also decarbonisation in the developed world."
Approval 'out of the blue'
Christine Carlisle, the president of the Environmental Council of Central Queensland (ECoCeQ) said the provisional approval was disappointing.
"It's very clear that we should not be opening new coal, whether it's in a new coal proposal or an expansion of an existing proposal," she said.
Environmental Justice Australia, on behalf of ECoCeQ, has submitted 19 requests to the minister to not approve pending new coal and gas projects.
Ms Carlisle said the Isaac River Mine was not one of the reconsideration requests they put forward.
"That one came a little bit out of the blue," she said.
"I'm not sure how many all together in central Queensland are on the minister's desk at the moment … we have a lot of those in our reconsideration requests, but not all of them.
"Last federal election is called the climate election. So those people who voted in favour of climate action, I think they've got a right to feel betrayed by the decisions coming down the line."
A spokesperson for Minister Plibersek said the government made decisions in accordance with facts and national environment laws.
"The government will continue to consider each project on a case-by-case basis," the spokesperson said.
"Since the election we've doubled renewable energy approvals to a record high."
