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- 1. Environmentalconditions COMMUNITY FACTSHEET Water QualityMonitoring 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 CURTIS ISLAND FACING ISLAND Heron Island North West Island Masthead Island Masthead Island (appox 56.5km from Gladstone) North Reef IslandGreat Keppel Island Seventeen Seve Agnes Water Tannum Sands N CURTISCHANNEL KEPPEL BAY GLADSTONE HARBOUR 0 5 10 Scale (km) 16 Continuous water sampling sites 16 Manual water sampling sites GLADSTONE CURTIS ISLAND FACING ISLAND One Tree Island Heron Island North West Island Masthead Island Masthead Island (appox 56.5km from Gladstone) North Reef Islandt Keppel sland Seventeen Seventy Agnes Water Tannum Sands N CURTISCHANNEL PEL AY GLADSTONE HARBOUR 0 5 10 Scale (km) 16 Continuous water sampling sites 16 Manual water sampling sites 6 Seagrass light monitoring sites
- 2. COMMUNITY FACTSHEET Seabed soiltests 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 basin P:GISProjects202708_GPCWB_SDA_048.mxd06/10/201116:18 Coordinate system: GDA_1994_MGA_Zone_56 Mapby:by:PIC Figure X.X: Sample Locations within the Western Basin Sea Disposal Applica ° Source: Aerial: Bing Maps, 2 GeoCoastal Group, Marine Sediment Inv Investigations of Pro China Bay and Pipe Gladstone. Prepared January 2009. Raw Data xls provid – Sediment samples 2010 Australia Pacific LNG Worley Parsons Oct Queensland Curtis L Queensland Sedime Jetty Optimisation P Geocoastal operatio provided by Queens samples taken betw 2009. Qld Curtis LNG Proj Marine Structures – Factual Report. Prep Bechtel Australia Pty 06/10/20Date: Job No: 217460-2-1 ") ") ") " " " " " " " " " "" "" " "" " " """ " ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! !!! ! !!! ! !!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! !FL-144 FL-143 FL-142 FL-141 FL-140 FL-139 FL-138 FL-137 FL-136 FL-135 FL-134 FL-133 FL-132 FL-131 FL-130 FL-129 FL-128 FL-127 FL-126 FL-125 FL-124 FL-123 FL-122 FL-121 FL-120 FL-119 FL-118 FL-117 FL-116 FL-115 FL-114 FL-113 FL-112 FL-111 FL-110 FL-109 FL-108 FL-107 FL-106 FL-105 FL-104 FL-103 FL-102 FL-101 FL-100 FL-099 FL-098 FL-097 FL-096 FL-095 FL-094 FL-093 FL-092 FL-091 FL-090 FL-089 FL-088 FL-087 FL-086 FL-085 FL-084 FL-083 FL-082 FL-081 FL-080 FL-079 FL-078 FL-077 FL-076 FL-075 FL-074 FL-073 FL-072 FL-071 FL-070 FL-069 FL-068 FL-067 FL-066 FL-065 FL-064 FL-063 FL-062 FL-061 FL-060 FL-059 FL-058 FL-057 FL-056 FL-055 FL-054 FL-053 FL-052 FL-051 FL-050 FL-049 FL-048 FL-047 FL-046 FL-045 FL-044 FL-043 FL-042 FL-041 FL-040 FL-039 FL-038 FL-037 FL-036 FL-035 FL-034 FL-033 FL-032 FL-031 FL-030 FL-029 FL-028 FL-027 FL-026 FL-025 FL-024 FL-023 FL-022 FL-021 FL-020 FL-019 FL-017 FL-016 FL-015 FL-014 FL-013 FL-012 FL-011 FL-010 FL-009 FL-008 FL-007 FL-006 FL-005 FL-004 FL-003 FL-002 FL-001 E F I G H D FL-018 A1 scale: 1:9,742 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000250 Meters Legend ! SampleLoc ") Western B October 20 QC LNG Je Study Sam Constructio Sediment Q ! Western B Sampling L " AP LNG EI Dredging P Dredging P Disposal in FL153 Rec Western B Fisherman 1991 – 1994 Curtis Coast Study Resource Report (Environmental Scan) 1998 – 2005 Contaminate pathways in Port Curtis – a CRC study in metals & dissolved metals in Gladstone harbour by CSIRO, University of Queensland and CQ University 2002 – Present Annual and now monthly Seagrass Monitoring 2001 – Present Port 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 – 2010 Detailed testing of harbour environs for Western Basin Dredging Project and LNG projects marine studies and Envrionmental Impact Studies 3DecadesofGladstoneHarbourHealthChecks westernbasinportdevelopment.com.au