Sydney-based Cockatoo Coal has been goven the green light by the...

Sydney-based Cockatoo Coal has been goven the green light by the Qld government to prepare an environmental impact statement for the North Surat-Taroom coal project.
Deputy premier Jeff Seeney said 22 submissions had been received on the draft terms of reference (TOR) for the environmental impact statement (EIS) for the $1.12 billion project.
"This project has the potential to create up to 1000 construction and 550 operation jobs, with further regional jobs from flow-on economic development," Mr Seeney said.
"With the potential to operate for up to 20 years and export eight million tonnes of thermal coal a year, there's no doubt it will provide major economic benefits to Queensland."
"I welcome the Queensland Coordinator-General's approval of the final terms of reference for the EIS for the proposed coal project, which means we are one step closer to knowing if the project is fit to be approved."
Coordinator-General Barry Broe will assess the project through an EIS to be prepared in accordance with the bilateral agreement between the State and the Commonwealth.
Mr Seeney said public consultation of the draft TOR raised a number of issues, which had been incorporated into the final TOR.
These include cumulative impacts in the Surat Basin and Fitzroy Basin regions, groundwater impacts and environmental consequences, water related impacts on listed threatened species and communities, and migratory species, and the impacts of a pre-construction workforce on community and housing availability.
Mr Seeney said when the EIS was ultimately released in 2013-14 the community would again be able to have its say and provide submissions to the Coordinator-General.
Cockatoo Coal proposes to establish the North Surat-Taroom coal project, south of Taroom township, in partnership with MCH Surat Basin Investment, a subsidiary of Japan's Mitsui.
The project covers about 5800 hectares and in addition to mining infrastructure the proponent is seeking approval of a creek diversion, a rail spur to the proposed Surat Basin Railway and diversion of nine kilometres of the Leichhardt Highway.