THE public exhibition period for a controversial CO2 project won't be extended, despite calls from the state's peak agricultural body.
AgForce called on the state government to extend the consultation period of Carbon Transport and Storage Co's (CTSCo) Surat Basin Carbon Capture and Storage project's environmental impact statement, which went on display in early December last year.
However, a Department of Environment and Science spokesperson confirmed to the Queensland Country Life the Environmental Protection Act of 1994 does not allow for the Department to extend the period once it has reached the EIS stage.
Subscribers have access to download our free app today from the App Store or Google Play
"The DES set a longer timeframe for submissions from the usual 30 business days due to the level of community interest in the project and the timing of the public notification over the Christmas period," the spokesperson said.
"DES can accept late written submissions as part of the EIS process, but those with an interest are urged to use the time remaining in the public notification period to make a submission."
A subsidiary of resource giant Glencore, CTSCo's project proposes to dispose of 110 million litres of liquified CO2 per year for three years into the Surat Basin.
If approved by an independent regulator, the project will capture CO2 from the Millmerran Power Station via CO2 capture technology and transport it via road to an injection site in the Surat Basin west of Moonie where it will be permanently stored at depths of more than two kilometres underground.
AgForce chief executive officer Michael Guerin said the organisation had arranged a meeting with the state government for later this week to discuss the project in detail.
"The advice we have been given is that the public exhibition period can't be extended, but we will most certainly be asking the state government to ensure the consideration period for the project is extended," Mr Guerin said.
"It seems to us that a project that could potentially have irreversible consequences to about 180 basin communities shouldn't be rushed into.
"We are all for co-existing with projects like these, but given the technology is still so new, we are urging for the consideration process to not be rushed.
"Approving the project would also set a concerning precedent for future impacts on a vitally important water source for basin communities, agriculture and other industries - not to mention the cultural and environmental importance of the Great Artesian Basin."
READ ALSO:
A Glencore spokesperson said the company had recently consulted with local landholders and would continue to consult with advocacy groups going forward.
"Two weeks ago we held community information sessions in Moonie and Westmar to provide information, seek feedback and address any questions and concerns," the spokesperson said.
"The EIS process itself involves considerable public consultation including providing public comment of the draft of the EIS, terms of reference and direct engagement on the draft EIS, via two rounds of public displays, briefings, face-to-face meetings, telephone and email enquiries.
"We will continue this engagement with local stakeholders for the duration of the environmental approvals process."
Last week, federal Flynn MP Colin Boyce took to Federation Chamber in Canberra to voice his opposition to the project.
"I am a landholder and I have agricultural businesses that rely on the Great Artesian Basin as their water source," Mr Boyce told the Chamber.
"Glencore-CTSCo has a proposal to change section 41 of the Queensland Environment Protection Regulation to further enable sequestering of carbon dioxide into the precipice sandstone water aquifer of the Great Artesian Basin.
"To allow Glencore to change the Environmental Protection Regulation to allow them to potentially pump millions of tonnes of hypercritical CO2 fluid into the precipice water aquifer of the Great Artesian Basin is totally outrageous."
In 2015, Mr Boyce helped lead an effort to get a similar project quashed near Wandoan, an effort he said may have to replicated to ensure this project wasn't given the go-ahead.
"Several years ago, Glencore-CTSCo had a proposal that was similar for its Glenhaven property near Wandoan adjacent to its coal lease," he said.
"That project was abandoned due to the significant angst it generated in the community with respect to polluting a potable water source, which the towns of Wandoan and Taroom and many farming families rely on as their principal water source.
"To give this project the green light is the equivalent to pumping CO2 into the Great Barrier Reef, which I think is unthinkable madness."
The project's EIS is on display until February 23.
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
