Environmental Management

NQBP is committed to a sustainable and responsible environmental approach that seeks to, where possible, prevent, and always to reduce and manage its impact on the environment.

As a port authority for some of Australia’s largest export ports, NQBP delivers an approach based on sustainable planning, leading environmental management in its dredging and other activities, and rigorous monitoring of its ports’ environments. NQBP has an Environmental Management System developed to comply with AS/ISO 14001:2004 to ensure continual improvement in environmental performance.

NQBP leases land or infrastructure to other organisations to carry out port-related activities and has a planning, coordinating, facilitation and development function in the port. Generally, NQBP only operates port facilities in the Port of Mackay. The operators of facilities in the port generally have control over potential impacts of their activities, and any environmentally relevant activities they undertake are licensed by either the Department of Environment and Resource Management or the local council.

In its coordination role, NQBP carries out monitoring of the whole port environment to complement any monitoring carried out by facility operators. NQBP manages the potential impact of new projects through appropriate management plans.

The main activities carried out by NQBP are dredging to maintain navigable depths for ships and construction of port facilities. The impacts of these activities are controlled through appropriate environmental management plans, extensive environmental monitoring and close consultation with stakeholders.

The major environmental issues facing NQBP are:

  • achieving effective management of dredging
  • achieving environmentally sustainable development on port land
  • achieving environmentally sustainable use of the port by shipping, lessees and operators.

Programs and Initiatives

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING

NQBP has a comprehensive program of environmental monitoring which is reviewed annually. It is developed on a port-by-port basis to ensure environmental issues in each port are being adequately monitored. The following monitoring is regularly carried out:

  • long-term seagrass monitoring in the Port of Weipa
  • survey of beaches for coal at Port of Hay Point
  • sediment sampling to support dredging activities
  • air and noise monitoring at Port of Hay Point
  • water quality monitoring to support specific port projects
  • baseline monitoring is carried out where appropriate.

ECOPORTS PROGRAM

The EcoPorts Program is a practical action plan to achieve NQBP’s long-term environmental goals and commitments.

The Program is updated and assessed annually by our dedicated Environment Group.  NQBP addresses all significant environmental risks within all areas of operations and within each port through EcoPorts.  Issues and actions are documented and monitored to ensure the short and long term sustainability of our ports.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT

Each year NQBP carries out environmental improvement projects. These vary year to year and include projects such as revegetation of port land, support of Clean Up Australia Day activities, local community environmental projects and developing new partnerships with customers and environmental groups.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF PROJECTS

All new projects on port land are assessed for potential environmental impacts as part of an internal approval process. The proponent is required to prepare an Environmental Management Plan which covers:

  • legislative requirements
  • water, air or noise impacts
  • stormwater management
  • waste management
  • flora and fauna management
  • incorporation of sustainability measures.

NQBP requires an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for major projects on port land.

A copy of NQBP’s environment policy can be viewed here.

Port of Abbot Point Terminal 0, 2, and 3 Capital Dredging Project

North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation (NQBP) is the port authority for the Port of Abbot Point and the proponent for the proposed Terminal 0, Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 (T0/T2/T3) capital dredging project, which comprises the capital dredging and offshore disposal of up to 3 million m3 of sediment to support development across the three coal terminals proposed for the port.

ENVIRONMENT ASSESSMENT

The proposed dredging and associated disposal is a ‘controlled action’ under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) (EPBC Reference Number 2011/6213; GBRMPA G34897.1).  As a result, NQBP was required to undertake an assessment of potential environmental impacts relevant to Matters of National Environmental Significance (MNES) under the EPBC Act and to have particular regard to the following provisions:

  • World Heritage properties (sections 12 and 15A)
  • National Heritage places (sections 15B and 15C)
  • Listed threatened species and communities (sections 18 and 18A)
  • Listed migratory species (sections 20 and 20A)
  • Commonwealth Marine areas (sections 23 and 24A)
  • Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (sections 24B and 24C).

NQBP’s rigorous environmental assessment informed the preparation of its Public Environment Report.

View a copy of the Draft Public Environment Report and Appendices.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON  PUBLIC ENVIRONMENT REPORT

In accordance with section 98 of the EPBC Act, NQBP released a Draft Public Environment Report (PER) for the project for public consultation from 4 January – 15 February 2013.  A total of 103 submissions were received during this period.

A Public Environment Report Supplementary has been developed to respond to the issues identified.  This Supplementary Report was lodged with the Commonwealth Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (SEWPAC) on 13 May 2013 in accordance with Section 99 of the Act.

Veiw a copy of the Supplementary Report and Q&As.