7.5 Land In preparing this application, consideration has been given to guideline ESR/2015/1839 – Application requirements for activities with impacts to land (DETSI, 2024c). DETSI is required to assess the application against the requirements stated in the Environmental Protection Act 1994 and the EP Regulation to meet the environmental objective and performance outcomes described below: Environmental Objective ‘The activity is operated in a way that protects the environmental values of land including soils, subsoils, landforms and associated flora and fauna.’ Performance Outcome There is no actual or potential disturbance or adverse effect to the environmental values of land as part of carrying out the activity, or All of the following: a) activities that disturb land, soils, subsoils, landforms and associated flora and fauna will be managed in a way that prevents or minimises adverse effects on the environmental values of land, and b) areas disturbed will be rehabilitated or restored to achieve sites that are: i. safe to humans and wildlife; ii. non-polluting; iii. stable; and iv. able to sustain an appropriate land use after rehabilitation or restoration. c) the activity will be managed to prevent or minimise adverse effects on the environmental values of and due to unplanned releases or discharges, including spills and leaks of contaminants. d) the application of water or waste to land is sustainable and is managed to prevent or minimise adverse effects on the composition or structure of soils and subsoils. Values The Project is located adjacent to a rural residential location. A “Resource Activity in a Priority Living Area” application was made under the Regional Planning Interests Act 2014 (RPI17/001). This application previously went through a public notification process where Rockhampton Regional Council had the assessing delegation. There were no relevant responses to the public notification. Land uses within the Mount Morgan general area are typically associated with agricultural production, particularly beef, dairy, horticulture and pasture cropping however a majority of the area remains undisturbed by humans. Small residential lots are also located within the township of Mount Morgan. The soils occurring across the mine site the region are not productive to support large scale agriculture or cropping as indicated by the land suitability “Class 4 unsuitable land with severe limitations” assigned in the EA. 7.5.1 The contamination due to past mining and mineral processing activities is the key issue relevant to land values which have been significantly degraded. Dumping of mine waste by previous site operators has resulted in land contamination across most of the Mount Morgan Mine. Contaminated runoff and seepage from existing mine infrastructure are actively contributing to land contamination both within and downstream of the Mount Morgan Mine.
Project number: 25B061
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