Port of Hay Point Capital Dredging Project

Project overview*

EIS status: EIS complete

The Ports Corporation of Queensland proposes to undertake apron area and departure path capital dredging to increase the allowable draft of departing vessels from the Port of Hay Point, south of Mackay.

The project will involve increasing existing ship maneuvering apron areas and creating a 9.5 kilometre long, 300-500 metre wide departure path from the apron areas to the open ocean. Approximately 14 million cubic metres of capital and maintenance dredged material will require disposal over a five year period.

Environmental Impact Statement process

On 16 September 2004, the Queensland Coordinator-General declared the project a 'significant project' and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was released for public and Advisory Agency comment in August 2005.

The Federal Minister for the Department of Environment and Heritage determined the project constitutes a controlled action in October 2004 under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Applications for permits under the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 and the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981 for relevant parts of the project were referred to the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment and Heritage and was again determined to be a controlled action.

The EIS process was coordinated to satisfy both State and Commonwealth requirements.

A supplementary report to the EIS was developed in September 2005 after the Coordinator-General concluded that the EIS documentation met impact assessment requirements. The Coordinator-General reviewed the EIS and supplementary documentation and concluded that the dredging project could commence subject to conditions as outlined in the Coordinator-General's Report released in October 2005.

Resources

The EIS for the project is available for viewing or download through the Environmental Review document on the Ports Corporation of Queensland website. The Terms of Reference for the project and the Coordinator-General's Report are available for viewing or download using the following links:

* Project information supplied by proponent and subject to change.