Environmental conditions

COMMUNITY FACTSHEET

Water Quality Monitoring Programme

Since February 2010 water quality data has been collected to establish a baseline for the project monitoring programme. Over 190,000 records of water quality data have been collected to date.

Water quality monitoring is carried out by Vision Environment, University of Technology Sydney and Marine Ecology Group – at 16 continuous sites and 16 manual sites.

Who does the water quality testing?

GPC does not conduct its own water quality sampling or analysis. An external company, Vision Environment, (contracted to the project, independent of GPC and of all other regulatory bodies) carries out the data collection. This local company has extensive research and scientific expertise of many years in the Gladstone area and use worlds’ best research and methodology. GPC use this independent data to carry out the project ensuring minimal impact on the environment.

There are 52 Commonwealth Government and 143 Coordinator General conditions covering all aspects of the project.

The environmental conditions include an Environmental Impact Statement, water quality monitoring, seagrass monitoring, a flora and fauna management plan, air and noise limits, dredge management plan, and offsets for marine habitat and coastal biodiversity.

Who is involved in the environmental monitoring program?

Over 20 external organisations, including 4 Australian universities have been involved in the preparation, planning, implementation and assessment of the environmental programme.

Is there any independent oversight?

Independent panels of dredging specialists and environmental scientists work alongside

the project, routinely analysing water quality, seagrass, dredging operations, and marine ecosystem health.

The Dredge Technical Reference Panel (DTRP) and the Ecosystem Research and Monitoring Program (ERMP) Advisory Panel provide independent advice and guidance to the dredging project.

CSIRO Metals Report

CSIRO water quality scientist Dr Simon Apte and colleagues carried out work for a report on Metals Concentrations in the Waters and Sediments of Port Curtis, Queensland. CSIRO found there were no detectable elevations of metal concentrations at sites where dredging is being conducted and all concentrations of dissolved metals were below ANZECC/ARMCANZ guideline values.

CSIRO stated in their report Gladstone is a relatively clean industrial harbour compared to other Australian and international working ports.

westernbasinportdevelopment.com.au

GLADSTONE

CURTISISLAND

KeppelSands

FACINGISLAND

Lady Musgrave Island

Fairfax Islands

Hoskyn Islands

One Tree IslandHeron Island

North West Island

Masthead Island

Masthead Island(appox 56.5km

from Gladstone)

North Reef Island

Barren Island

Great KeppelIsland

North KeppelIsland

Seventeen Seventy

Agnes Water

Tannum Sands

Emu Park

Yeppoon

N

CURTIS CH

ANNEL

CAPRICORN CHANNEL

KEPPELBAY

GLADSTONEHARBOUR

0 5 10

Scale (km)

16 Continuous water sampling sites16 Manual water sampling sites

GLADSTONE

CURTISISLAND

KeppelSands

FACINGISLAND

Lady Musgrave Island

Fairfax Islands

Hoskyn Islands

One Tree IslandHeron Island

North West Island

Masthead Island

Masthead Island(appox 56.5km

from Gladstone)

North Reef Island

Barren Island

Great KeppelIsland

North KeppelIsland

Seventeen Seventy

Agnes Water

Tannum Sands

Emu Park

Yeppoon

N

CURTIS CH

ANNEL

CAPRICORN CHANNEL

KEPPELBAY

GLADSTONEHARBOUR

0 5 10

Scale (km)

16 Continuous water sampling sites16 Manual water sampling sites6 Seagrass light monitoring sites

COMMUNITY FACTSHEET

Seabed soil tests

Before the dredging began the entire Western Basin seabed was tested to determine the kind of soil for each area. This was done by collecting over 1000 samples of sediment and boreholes down to 25 metres deep. The samples were analysed to determine the chemical composition of the seabed as well as for the composition of the soils so the right methods and equipment are used during dredging. The borehole samples were also tested for Potential Acid Sulphate Soils (PASS).

Metals Tests

Over 10 years of surveys have been undertaken to determine the metal levels in Gladstone harbour. 17 different metals in sediment and dissolved metals in water are tested on a monthly basis and additional samples are taken if extra data is required. The majority of metals levels in Gladstone have remained within the Australian guidelines for marine water quality.

What is PASS and how is it removed?

PASS is soil that has the potential to release acid sulphates if oxidized by being exposed to air for more than 24 hours. In practical terms this means when these soils are dredged they must be kept wet and disposed of under water so those sulphates cannot oxydise.

Elutriate Testing

Prior to dredging samples were taken throughout the harbour to test the likelihood of metals and other chemicals changing under dredging-like conditions. Elutriate testing was carried out, disturbing sediment samples in water, simulating the treatment of these materials during dredging. The results of all these tests showed chemical composition of the seabed and water does not contain toxic chemicals or metals at levels that could be harmful to fish health or water quality when dredged. High levels of metals or toxins are not present in the seabed or in the water.

bOrEHOlE TEST SITES IN THE wESTErN bASINP

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Figure X.X: Sample Locations within the Dredge Phase AreaWestern Basin Sea Disposal Application Amendment°

Source:Aerial: Bing Maps, 2010.

GeoCoastal Group, October 2011.

Marine Sediment Investigation – EnvironmentalInvestigations of Proposed Capital Dredging atChina Bay and Pipeline Crossing at the Narrows,Gladstone. Prepared by URS for Santos LtdJanuary 2009.

Raw Data xls provided by Australia Pacific LNG– Sediment samples taken between April – May2010

Australia Pacific LNG – Dredge Area Option 1B.Worley Parsons October 2009

Queensland Curtis LNG Project Gladstone Harbour,Queensland Sediment Quality Assessment Report:Jetty Optimisation Program Volume 1. Geocoastal

Geocoastal operations / ERM Raw data xlsprovided by Queensland Curtis LNG – Sedimentsamples taken between November 2008 – June2009.

Qld Curtis LNG Project Geotechnical Data ReportMarine Structures – Geotechnical InvestigationFactual Report. Prepared by Golder Associates forBechtel Australia Pty Ltd, July 2009.

06/10/2011 1Version:Date:

Job No: 217460-2-1

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Legend

! SampleLocations_2009 selection

")Western Basin Sea Disposal ApplicationOctober 2011 Amendment Sampling Locations

QC LNG Jetty OptimisationStudy Sampling Locations

Construction Dock Cores

Sediment Quality Previous Studies

!Western Basin AddendumSampling Locations 2010

" AP LNG EIS Sampling Locations

Dredging Phase Areas for Sea Disposal

Dredging Phase Areas forDisposal in Western basin andFL153 Reclamation Areas

Western Basin Reclamation Area

Fisherman's Landing 153 Reclamation Area

1991 – 1994Curtis Coast Study Resource Report (Environmental Scan)

1998 – 2005Contaminate pathways in Port Curtis – a CRC study in metals & dissolved metals in Gladstone harbour by CSIRO, University of Queensland and CQ University

2002 – PresentAnnual and now monthly Seagrass Monitoring

2001 – PresentPort Curtis Integrated Monitoring Program GPC contribute $750,000 each year

PCIMP Ecosystem Health Report Card– water monitoring– seagrass monitoring– no sewerage effluent into

Gladstone harbour

2007 – 2010Detailed testing of harbour environs for Western Basin Dredging Project and LNG projects marine studies and Envrionmental Impact Studies

3 Decades of Gladstone Harbour Health Checks

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