BREC Submission on BRMG Extractive Industry Program

MEMO

July 13^th - 16^th 1999

webink@pasdex.com.au

http://users.pasdex.com.au/~webink

Comments to Extractive Industries Working Group BRMG

The current program fails to address any of our substantive concerns with the extractive industries in SEQ. Our major concern is the lack of recognition of an environmental allocation of both sand and gravel reserves and material flows.

We believe the best way to manage the environmental impacts on these values is avoidance of mining not management of mining impacts.

The implementation program in its current form doesn't give enough emphasis on the critical necessity of demand management.

The inclusion of sand for both the Port expansion and second Airport runway in the projection makes a mockery of Environmental Impact Assessments and development approvals which HAVE NOT been given for these projects.

The alarming and unsustainable expectations created by the RFGM extractive resources map are not addressed.

We have consistently advocated for these factors to be considered during the last four years, to date the response from the DME has been lacklustre.

These positions we have advocated are based on sound science and established hydrological and ecological theory, ignoring them wont make them go away.

Further Submission of 16^th July To BRMG Extractives Industry Group

STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

OF EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES

Some factors to consider in assessing total development impacts of extractive industries planning
HARD ROCK EXTRACTION

Cultural values, Aesthetic values

• Springs - cultural values and water for wildlife

• Aquifer values - recharge and baseflow contribution

• Landsystems - Pullenvale landsystem and others have distinct vegetation communities and landcsapes - habitat values(reptiles, amphibians) scenic values

• Operating Impacts - fractures and erodibility

• Acid Mine Water potential

• Contributions to material flows - erosion rate and replenishment of downstream sand beds

• Noise and transport issues - both onsite and off site

• Other Hydrological Impacts

• Water Quality

• Flora and Fauna Impacts

SAND AND GRAVEL EXTRACTION

• Role in groundwater - baseflow contribution

• Instream and Offsteam habitat values

• Water quality - Instream filtration values

• Material flows - replenishment of downstream and coastal beds

• Other Hydrological Impacts changes to "river styles"

• Noise and transport impacts - both onsite and off site

• Landscape Values - Riverine

• Cultural Values

• Water Quality - Minerals and acids

• Flora and Fauna Impacts

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STEPS IN STRATEGIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT

This process should be done with the active involvement of a wide range of stakeholders

Map possible extractive industry areas,
Assess total cumlative impacts of using identified sites,
Identify impacts that comprise the ecological sustainability on biodiversity and ecological processes,
Identify other unacceptable impacts on cultural/social values,
Avoid unsustainable/unacceptable impacts through exclusion of sites
Identify generic impacts, short and long term, of individual sites,
Minimise these impacts through Codes, Guidelines and conditions, including the requirement of progressive rehabilitation,
Endorsement of remaining areas,
EIS of individual application as they arise.

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