5 August 2021
Mackay Conservation Group (MCG) is calling on the Queensland government to stop work on Adani’s rail line and investigate fresh erosion control breaches and sediment pollution.
Lawyers from Environmental Justice Australia (EJA), acting for MCG, have lodged a complaint with the Queensland Coordinator General and Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Stephen Miles. The complaint details continued erosion and sediment pollution and potential breaches of environmental conditions on the under-construction Adani rail line.
MCG is concerned the Queensland Government has failed to carry out commitments it made in May this year to monitor Adani’s erosion and sediment control measures in response to an independent investigation triggered by an MCG pollution incident report lodged with the Coordinator General in February. The investigation recommended the Queensland Government undertake regular site inspections, audits and water quality monitoring on the Adani rail corridor.
In June MCG received information that no erosion and sediment controls were in place on a section of Adani’s rail line, resulting in sediment pollution after recent wet weather. Fresh photos and footage of the site confirm widespread erosion and sediment control failings on the Adani rail line between Serpentine Creek and Chainage 2660.
The Office of the Queensland Coordinator General told the ABC "There will be continuing monitoring by the Office of the Coordinator-General to ensure full compliance.” Evidence provided in MCG’s latest complaint details extensive areas of the rail corridor where no erosion and sediment control measures are in place, raising serious doubts about whether monitoring has occurred at all.
Erosion and sediment control failings on the site include:
- A 2km stretch of land with disturbed, uncovered, light soils susceptible to erosion without any or appropriate sediment controls in place.
- Large amounts of turbid water ponding on the rail line without sediment traps on water entry and exit points, leading to a high risk of contaminated water running off and affecting neighbouring land and waterways.
-
No, or grossly inadequate, controls in place to prevent the water from running across the corridor and into the surrounding land and waterways.
-
Areas where it is clear that erosion has occurred, and water and sediment have broken through the inadequate bunding on the rail line, leading to water and sediment running onto the neighbouring land.
Tom Crothers, a soil erosion expert and former General Manager for Water Allocation and Planning in the Queensland Department of Environment, has reviewed photos and footage of the site and raised concerns about a lack of erosion and sediment control measures. Mr Crothers was able to identify several locations where sediment pollution has spilled from the rail corridor and onto the surrounding land.
Recent wet weather on the Adani rail line and a predicted early start to the wet season, has raised concerns that further environmental damage caused by Adani’s poor practices is imminent if no action is taken by the Queensland Government.
Peter McCallum coordinator at Mackay Conservation Group says:
“The Queensland Government said they would conduct ongoing monitoring of Adani’s erosion and sediment measures, but is instead allowing Adani to blatantly flaunt the rules. Minister for State Development, Stephen Miles and the Coordinator General must urgently intervene to halt Adani’s rail line construction until Adani can prove to Queenslanders it is complying to environmental protections.”
“Adani’s negligence and flagrant disregard for its environmental obligations is resulting in sediment loaded water polluting neighbouring land and contaminating waterways. With this sort of bare soil, it is common for the run-off water to become very salty and when salty water is allowed to spill out into the countryside, it contaminates the land, and can become so bad that grass and trees will die in the affected area. This is a 189 km long construction site. That's a huge amount of potential damage being done.”
“The Queensland government has allowed Adani to go rogue and do as it pleases. Adani is unable to run a project in line with even basic environmental standards, and the Queensland government is letting them get away with it. Community groups are being forced to act as unofficial watchdogs of this dodgy corporation that the Queensland government is allowing to do as it pleases and damage our environment and precious water.”
“The public has been repeatedly told that the project is subject to strict environmental conditions, while Adani is repeatedly breaching these conditions. Environmental conditions are meaningless if they are not enforced.”
ENDS
Talent:
Tom Crothers, Director of Water Resource Management and Rural Water Consulting Group, Stellar Advisory
Ph: 0418 155 661 [email protected]
Hollie Kerwin, Senior Specialist Lawyer, Environmental Justice Australia (EJA),
To arrange an interview contact Livia Cullen EJA Communications Director Ph: 0411 108 239 / [email protected]
Peter McCallum, Coordinator, Mackay Conservation Group
Ph: 0402 966 560 / [email protected]
Copy of letter to Queensland Government:
