Baseline ecology services, approvals pathway navigation and Environmental Authority application.
The Cowie Environmental (Cowie) team have so far provided project management, field coordination, ecology services and approvals pathway advice for the development of the Yellow Jack Project. Cowie are currently completing an Environmental Authority application for this greenfield gold mine Project, which is located approximately 40km south of Greenvale in northern QLD.
Project management, field planning and specialist sub-contractor management.
Desk-top planning and searches of the utilization of the Protected Matters Search Tool, Wildlife Online, and MNES data bases to identify the likelihood of occurrence of EPBC Act listed flora and fauna, and other matters of environmental significance.
Investigation on relevant legislation including the Vegetation Management Act 1999, and navigation of the approvals pathway.
Field ecology surveys for both fauna and flora, Regional Ecosystem ground truthing, bird utilization surveys, camera trapping and call play back for mammals, frogs, birds, and bats.
Protected Plants Survey for Croton magneticus which was compliant with the requirements of Department of Environment and Science (DES) Flora Survey Guidelines - Protected Plants under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.
Data compilation and subsequent preparation of an Ecological Assessment Report to inform the environmental authority application.
Currently developing EA Supplementary Document including the introductory chapters, description of the environmental values of the project site, potential impacts to air, water, wetlands, groundwater, noise, waste and land along with proposed management and mitigation of the impacts.
Currently developing a Progressive Rehabilitation and Closure Plan for submission alongside the site specific EA.
Future submission of site specific EA, and PRCP to DES.
This role included undertaking the initial desktop planning and environmental searches for the project including the Protected Matters Search Tool, Wildlife Online, and MNES data bases. The outcome of these searches was identification of an Of Concern vegetation community and a trigger for a protected plant survey. These factors were considered in the mine plan, eliminating the need for offsets. They investigated relevant state and federal legislation to confirm the correct approvals pathway to be a site specific environmental authority, requiring the development of a PCRP to be submitted alongside the EA application.
This team member planned, conducted, and reported the baseline ecology assessment in the ecological assessment report. Current work includes the completion of the EA application, developing the EA Supplementary Document and finally creating the PRCP plan.
Cowie is gaining valuable experience in applying legislation and navigating approvals pathways to take a greenfield mine from project plan to production.
Development on an in-house ecology team and capabilities and broadening of ecology experience.