Mining giant Glencore has blamed "a damaging misinformation campaign and political opportunism by multiple players," on the defeat of its planned carbon capture and storage plan for the Great Artesian Basin.
A Glencore spokesperson said the decision by the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation which announced its subsidiary CTSCo's Surat Basin Carbonplan CSS plan which it deemed "not suitable to proceed" was "disappointing" and in "direct opposition to the prime minister's ongoing support for CSS."
"The CTSCo Project was a test case for carbon capture and storage in Queensland and today's decision highlights the Queensland government's failure to reconcile conflicting legislative provisions to enable CCS projects in Queensland," the spokesperson said.
"With this decision the Queensland government has now effectively banned carbon capture and storage projects in Queensland.
"It's a missed opportunity for Queensland and sends mixed messages on emissions reduction to industry who are looking to invest in low emission technologies, including CCS.
"It is also in direct opposition to the Albanese Labor Government's ongoing support for CCS."
The spokesperson said if CCS was not available as an abatement option for industry it would have far-reaching ramifications for the resources sector which provides jobs for thousands of Queenslanders and is the cornerstone of the state economy.
"It's now up to the Queensland government to explain how it's going to meet its ambitious emissions reduction targets in the absence of CCS technology for heavy industry -and ultimately, how much more that is going to cost every Queenslander," the spokesperson said.
"CCS uses proven technology and is in operation elsewhere in Australia and around the world today.
"Glencore will continue to consider opportunities for investing in CCS as a low emission technology which both the UNFCCC and the International Energy Agency have indicated will be critical if the world is to achieve its climate change goals."
Glencore through its subsidiary CTSCo proposed to inject liquified carbon dioxide waste fro mhe Millmerran power station at the GAB at Moonie.
Last November the mining giant confirmed its CTSCo project was "seeking approval to injection test up to 330,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) into a high-fluoride, brackish water aquifer at depths of 2.3 kilometres in the Surat Basin over a three-year period."
In the DESI environmental impact statement, it reported 72 submissions including 20 from individuals had been received.
But Local Government Association of Queensland CEO Alison Smith said the state's environmental regulator's decision to reject a carbon capture and storage proposal for the GAB "was a huge win" for the liveability of local communities across large parts of Queensland.
The LGAQ was one of a number of ag and community groups which had strenuously protested to the state government about the
Ms Smith said while the LGAQ welcomed the DESI's decision not to allow the CCS proposal to proceed, the organisation nbow wanted the state government to introduce a moratorium to stop any further proposals.
"The need to protect the Great Artesian Basin has united councils across this state," Ms Smith said.
"It has also united sectors with farmers, conservationists and councils all coming together in a campaign to defend this precious natural asset."
Ms Smith said Queensland councils now wanted to see a moratorium in place to ensure the Great Artesian Basin is protected for future generations, ensuring the very existence of many rural communities is assured.
The decision follows calls as recently as this week from Queensland mayors for the state government to reject the carbon capture and storage proposal and a moratorium.
Maranoa Regional Council acting mayor Cameron O'Neil said the decision was "a win for this community and for common sense."
"Maranoa's residents, local businesses and the agricultural economy all depend on the GAB as a vital asset," he said.
"We joined the Western Queensland Councils to unanimously and loudly oppose this experiment, and congratulate the Queensland government on listening to those who stood to be irreparably affected."
Councillor O'Neil said that the decision was not only an important win for the community, but highlighted the power of the collective voice of regional councils.
"It's an important reminder to George Street to listen to us when we speak on important regional issues."
Murweh Shire mayor Shaun 'Zoro' Radnedge said the "state government and the premier needed to show common sense and protect the Great Artesian Basin for all the communities that rely on that all through Queensland."
Etheridge Shire mayor Barry Hughes said protecting the GAB was the only way forward.
"in my view, the Great Artesian Basin is non-negotiable when it comes to utilising it as a dumping point for carbon-impacted water," Cr Hughes said.
At Blackall-Tambo Regional Shire, mayor Andrew 'Marto' Martin said many rural communities relied on the GAB.
"If you poison our well, we can't drink it," Cr Martin said.
"Sixty per cent of the land mass of Queensland drink the water straight from the GAB."
Isaac Regional Council mayor Kelly Vea Vea said "legislation should be put in place to prevent this ever occurring, for the benefit of all the communities that thrive off the GAB," while Gladstone Regional Council mayor Matt Burnett said the GAB must be preserved form any CCS.
"From a Gladstone point of view, we are leading the way when it comes to renewable energy and energy transition", Cr Burnett said.
"But what we don't want to see is the GAB ruined on the way through to chasing net zero by 2050."
At Toowoomba Regional Council mayor Geoff McDonald said tinkering with the GAB with any level of risk of what it could end up like, the unknown, was just not worth it.
Longreach Regional Council Mayor Tony Rayner said the GAB was an essential resource.
"It's our lifeblood and we certainly don't want it to be put at any risk," Cr McDonald said.
"This is why it's critical the state make an urgent decision not to allow the injection of CO2 into the GAB."
But Nationals leader David Littleproud said the decision came after the federal Labor-Greens government quashed an attempt by the LNP to ensure important safeguards were in place to protect Australia's water aquifers.
While he displayed a show of bipartisanship at Beef 24 in Rockhampton, Mr Littleproud acknowledged that the last LNP Government got it wrong when it waived through an application by international mining giant Glencore to store waste carbon dioxide in Australia's largest underground freshwater system on February 9, 2022.
In response to the DESI announcement, Mr Littleproud said he previously moved an amendment to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act so the Commonwealth, as well as the state government would undertake appropriate assessments of carbon sequestration projects.
"The Nationals fought for a common-sense solution to ensure our farmers and communities have confidence in the approval process of carbon sequestration projects by asking for these projects to be assessed under the federal act as well," Mr Littleproud said.
"The Nationals fully support carbon sequestration projects as a method to support the coal and gas industries abate their emissions but only in the appropriate place and once there is confidence in the science.
"The Great Artesian Basin is an important water source for farmers and communities in Queensland.
"It's imperative we protect it and that proper, thorough assessments are undertaken for any sequestration project."
Glencore produces coal, copper, cobalt, nickel, zinc, lead and silver from 23 mining operations in Australia and operate metals processing assets in Queensland, NSW, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, including metals smelters, concentrators and refineries.
Know more about this issue? Contact Alison Paterson on 0437 861 082.
