UNITY Mining’s proposed modification to its Dargues Gold Mine at Majors Creek has been referred to the federal government for consideration.
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It follows environmental protection concerns from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage.
In documents submitted to the federal Environment Department, a report prepared in May by consultant EnviroKey on behalf of Unity Mining, states OEH raised concerns the modification might require approval under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.
Specifically, these included whether a regenerating wattle community within the project site corresponds to the Tablelands Basalt Forest endangered ecological community (EEC) and whether additional species should be considered in the assessment of impacts.
OEH also reportedly raised concerns in regards to the potential cumulative impacts associated with the original approval and modification.
In a “referral of proposed action” to obtain approval from the Environment Minister, Unity Mining CEO and managing director Andrew McIllwain refers to an EnviroKey study which found regenerating wattles restricted to areas of prior agricultural disturbance would be disturbed in the project.
He said native-dominated pasture had also previously been disturbed by “extensive” grazing.
While two Aboriginal heritage sites would be disturbed, the Aboriginal community did not object to their salvage and reburial.
“It has been assessed that there would be no significant impacts on matters of national environmental significance,” Mr McIllwain states in the referral.
“In particular, EnviroKey considers that the proposed modification would not significantly impact any EPBC Act-listed threatened or migratory species or EECs.”
Two EECs previously identified in the project area were assessed in the report; lowland grassy woodland and natural temperate grassland, however in more recent surveys were not to occur within or near the project site.
The threatened spotted-tailed quoll was likely to occur within the site, however significant impact was unlikely, as was significant impact to migratory species, the cattle egret and Latham’s snipe.
A spokeswoman from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage said OEH’s comments on the Environmental Assessment for the proposed modification on Dargues Reef Gold Mine related to the potential impacts on fauna accessing the tailings dam and potential impacts on Aboriginal cultural heritage.
"OEH’s role is to provide advice to the Department of Planning and Environment on threatened species, biodiversity and Aboriginal cultural heritage issues for major planning projects," she said.
She said OEH had no role in approving the projects nor any role in referring the proposal to the Commonwealth Government.