2017 Annual Compliance and Water Quality …s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/adani/pdf/2017+Annual...Abbot Point Bulkcoal Report 2017 Annual Compliance and Water Quality Monitoring

2017 Annual Compliance and Water Quality Monitoring Report –

Stormwater Return Dam (2010/5561)

Effective: 30/01/2017

Owner: Environment and Community Coordinator

Abbot Point Bulkcoal Report

2017 Annual Compliance and Water Quality Monitoring Report – Stormwater Return Dam (2010/5561)

Owner: Environment and Community Coordinator Status:

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Uncontrolled unless viewed on the intranet

Table of Contents

Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 3

Monitoring Results ........................................................................................................... 3

Compliance Condition Checklist ..................................................................................... 4

Document Information ..................................................................................................... 9

Change information ................................................................................................................................... 9

Appendix A - Monitoring Data and Interpretations ............................................................. 10

Appendix B - Certificate of Analysis ..................................................................................... 15




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Introduction The stormwater return dam (SRD) was federally approved on the 2nd December 2011 (approval number 2010/5561). The federal approval was issued to Adani Abbot Point Terminal (AAPT). Abbot Point Bulkcoal (APB) operates and maintains the Abbot Point Coal Terminal #1 (APCT#1) on behalf of AAPT under the provisions of an Operations and Maintenance Contract. The SRD is critical to the Terminals ability to recycle water from the site’s existing water management system for use as process water around the site. Utilising the SRD, the APCT#1 will have enough water to process the nameplate capacity of the Terminal of 50 million tonnes per year.

The stormwater return dam is monitored and managed in accordance with the Operational Environmental Management Plan (OEMP) which includes responsibilities held by both AAPT and APB.

This report is prepared in accordance with compliance auditing and monitoring reporting requirements of the Department of Environment and Energy approval.

Monitoring Results Tropical Cyclone Debbie impacted the terminal on the 28 March 2017 resulting in an estimated rainfall of 500mm over 2 days. At this stage the SRD had not been commission and water had only been pumped to and stored in the SRD, with no water transferred to the Bald Hill Reservoirs or the Primary and Secondary Settlement Ponds (PSP and SSP respectively); water was subsequently released from the SSP after the cyclone under the provisions of APB’s Environmental Authority (EA).

The site received a further 100mm of rain in May 2017 over a 48 hour period which resulting in management decision to discharge water from both the SRD and SSP via the SSP discharge location. Subsequently a release via the SSP commenced on the 26th June 2017 with monitoring completed under the provisions of the OEMP. Water quality monitoring was conducted weekly by the APB Environment and Community Coordinators in accordance with the provisions of the OEMP and WQMP. The discharge ceased on the 10th August 2017. Water monitoring activities are summarised in Error! Reference source not found. below

Table 2-1 – Water Quality Monitoring

Monitoring Type Date

Prior to discharge 29/06/2017

During the discharge

6/07/2017

13/07/2017

20/07/2017

27/07/2017

3/08/2017

10/08/2017

Post Discharge 17/08/2017

24/08/2017

Water monitoring data and interpretations are provided in Appendix A – Monitoring Data and Interpretations. During each sampling round two samples of each laboratory analyte were collected at each monitoring location, the data provided in this report is an average of these two samples.




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Compliance Condition Checklist

No. Condition

Compliant

Comment Yes

No

NA

1 The person taking the action must submit a Construction

Environment Management Plan (CEMP) to protect the values

of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and National

Heritage Place. The CEMP must include but not be limited

to:

a. Detailed Sediment and erosion control measures

consistent with IECA (2008), Best Practice Erosion and

Sediment Control. International Erosion Control

Association (Australasia)

b. Detailed Acid Sulfate Soil management measured

consistent with the Guidelines for Sampling and

Analysis of Lowland Acid Sulfate Soils in Queensland

(1998) and the Queensland Acid Sulfate Soils (ASS)

Technical Manual- Soil Management Guidelines

(2002).

The person taking the action must not commence

construction unless the CEMP is approved by the Minister or

deemed acceptable by an appropriate Queensland

government agency as agreed by the department in writing.

AAPT developed and hold the

responsibility for the CEMP.

AAPT are the company

responsible for the

construction of the SRD and

proponent of the approvals, as

highlighted in the OEMP.




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No. Condition

Compliant

Comment Yes

No

NA

2 The person taking the action must submit a Water Quality

Monitoring Plan (WQMP) to protect the values of the Great

Barrier Reef World Heritage and National Heritage Place.

The WQMP must include by not be limited to:

a. A minimum of three (3) baseline water quality reference

sites in Kaili (Caley) Valley Wetland (the wetland), as

minimum of one (1) baseline water quality reference

site in Sediment Pond 2, and one (1) baseline water

quality reference site within the stormwater return

dam;

b. A description of the biophysical character and

morphology of all baseline water quality reference

sites;

c. Baseline estimates for the 20th, 50th and 80th percentile

for all water quality parameters in the wetland and

Sediment Pond 2 in accordance with Queensland Water

Quality Guidelines (2009);

d. Provisions to monitor and annually report water quality

parameters in the wetland and Sediment Pond 2 before

and after a discharge event for a period of 5 years

e. Identify threshold triggers and the response activities

that will be implemented if a threshold is reached;

f. Measures to ensure that there is no net increase in

background levels of nitrogen, phosphorous, salts,

organic matter (measured by biochemical or chemical

oxygen demand) or other contaminants in the wetland

as a result of discharges from the stormwater return

dam

g. Reporting arrangements to the department,

management and external stakeholders including

procedures for reporting non-compliance; and

h. Monitoring that is in accordance with the relevant

methods described in the Queensland Water Quality

Guidelines (2009) and subsequent thereof.

Results of the Monitoring Programs (including data and its

interpretation) are to be provided annually, by 31st January

each year to the Department. These results, including data

and its interpretation, must be published on the proponent’s

website within 1 month of being approved and made

available for 6 months.

The person taking the action must not commence

construction unless the WQMP is approved by the Minister

or deemed acceptable by an appropriate Queensland

government agency as agreed by the department in writing.

The WQMP aspect of the

operation of the stormwater

management plan was

developed and included as

Appendix D in the OEMP. The

OEMP (and WQMP) was

submitted to the government

for review and approved on

the 26th June 2013.

All requirements are included

to the Ministers satisfaction,

as demonstrated through the

approval of the OEMP. It

should be noted there is no

baseline monitoring point for

the stormwater return dam, as

the water returns back

through the settlement pond

during a discharge from the

stormwater return dam.

Water quality monitoring was triggered during the reporting period and details are provided in this report

The project was approved on

the 2 December 2011 and

therefore the compliance

period for Condition 2d has

since expired. Subsequently,

no reporting has been made

for this sub-condition.

Construction commencement

of the stormwater return dam

and timing in relation to the

approval of the WQMP was the

responsibility of Adani Abbot

Point Terminal Pty Ltd,




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No. Condition

Compliant

Comment Yes

No

NA

3 The person taking the action must submit an Operational

Environmental Management Plan (OEMP) to protect the

values of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and

National Heritage Place.

The OEMP must address the matters listed below and state

the environmental objectives, performance criteria,

monitoring, reporting, corrective action, responsibility and

timing of each of these matters but not be limited to:

a. Detailed sediment and erosion control measured,

consistent with IECA (2008), Best Practice Erosion and

Sediment Control. International Erosion Control

Association (Australasia)

b. Detailed Acid Sulfate Soil management measures,

consistent with the Guidelines for Sampling and

Analysis of Lowland Acid Sulfate Soils (ASS) in

Queensland (1998) and the Queensland Acid Sulfate

Soil Technical Manual- Soil Management Guidelines

(2002);

c. Measures to deal with hydrocarbon , metals and other

contaminants;

d. Chemical and fuel management and spill response;

e. Measures to protect adjacent waterways; and

f. Emergency response measures.

The person taking the action must not commence operations

unless the OEMP is approved by the Minister or deemed

acceptable by an appropriate Queensland government

agency as agreed by the department in writing.

OEMP reviewed and submitted

to the Adani Abbot Point

Terminal Pty Ltd for review

and approval in December

2016.

All aspects of condition 3 were

included in the OEMP which

was approved by the Minister

1st July 2013.

4 The person taking the action must submit for the Minister’s

approval a Decommissioning Management Plan.

Decommissioning must be done in a manner that does not

cause significant environmental impacts and leaves the sites

free from encumbrances (i.e. buildings, plant, equipment,

concrete slabs, toxic chemical residues etc).

Decommissioning cannot commence until the plan is

approved by the Minister. The approved plan must be

implemented.

This is currently not relevant

but will be the responsibility of

Adani Abbot Point Terminal

Pty Ltd, as the proponent of

the approval.

5 Within 10 days after the commencement of the action, the

person taking the action must advise the department in

writing of the actual date of commencement.

The SRD construction

commencement and

notification to the department

was the responsibility of Adani

Abbot Point Terminal Pty Ltd,

the proponent of the

approvals, as highlighted in

the OEMP.




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No. Condition

Compliant

Comment Yes

No

NA

6 The person taking the action must maintain accurate records

substantiating all activities associated with or relevant to the

conditions of approval including measures taken to

implement the management/monitoring plans required by

this approval, and make them available upon request to the

department. Such records may be subject to audit by the

department or an independent auditor in accordance with

Section458 of the EPBC Act, or used to verify compliance

with the conditions of approval. Summaries of the

Information relevant to all

activities associated with the

approval conditions (since the

operational handover to Abbot

Point Bulkcoal Pty Ltd on the

1st September 2013) has been

kept onsite and is managed

through Abbot Point Bulkcoal

Pty Ltd’s document control

system.

To date the department has

not requested any records or

an independent audit of these

records.

7 By 28 February of each year, the person talking the action

must publish a report on their website addressing

compliance with the conditions of this approval over the

previous 12 months, including implementation of any

management/monitoring plans as specified in the

conditions. Non-compliance with any of the conditions of

this approval must be reported to the department at the

same time as the compliance report is published.

Publishing reports associated

with this approval is the


Point Terminal Pty Ltd, the

proponent of the approval, as


8 Upon the direction of the Minister, the person taking the

action must ensure that an independent audit of compliance

with the conditions of approval is conducted and a report

submitted to the Minister. The independent auditor must be

approved by the Minister prior to the commencement of the

audit. Audit criteria must be agreed to by the Minister and

the audit report must address the criteria to the satisfaction

of the Minister.

To date the Minister has not

requested an independent

audit in relation to compliance

with the approval conditions.

9 If the person taking the action wishes to carry out any

activity otherwise in accordance with the

management/monitoring plan as specified in the conditions,

the person taking the action must submit to the department

of the Minister’s written approval a revised version of that

management/monitoring plan. The varied activity shall not

commence until the Minister has approved the varied

management/monitoring plan in writing. The Minister will

not approved a varied monitoring/management plan unless

the revised management/monitoring plan would result in an

equivalent or improved environmental outcome over time. If

the Minister approves the revised management/monitoring

plan, that management/monitoring plan must be

implemented in place of the management/monitoring plan

originally approved.

The variations on the OEMP

has been in relation to:

The frequency of SRD

inspections, from fortnightly

to monthly inspections. This

was included in the 2014/2015

OEMP review process and

approved by the Minister on

the 23rd March 2015.

The 2016 OEMP review has

requested a change in relation

to the upper limit pH trigger

value to be changed from 8 to

9 to align with the site’s

Environmental Authority

(EPPR00577113). This has not

been approved.




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No. Condition

Compliant

Comment Yes

No

NA

10 If the Minister believes that it is necessary or convenient for

the better protection of the Great Barrier Reef World

Heritage Area and National Heritage Place, the Minister may

request that the person taking the action make specific

revisions to the management/monitoring plan specified in

the conditions and submit the revised

management/monitoring plan for the Minister’s written

approval. The person taking the action must comply with any

such request. The revised approved

monitoring/management plan must be implemented. Unless

the Minister has approved the revised

management/monitoring plan, the person taking the action

must continue to implement the management/monitoring

plan originally approved, as specified in the conditions.

To date the Minister has not

requested specific variation be

made to the approved

monitoring/management plans

11 If at any time after 5 years from the date of this approval, the

person taking the action has not substantially commenced

the action, then the person taking the action must not

substantially commence the action without the written

agreement of the Minister.

This is not relevant as the

stormwater return dam has

been deemed operational, and

handed over on the 1st

September 2013.

12 Unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the Minister, the

person taking the action must publish all

management/monitoring plans referred to in these

conditions of approval on their website. Each

management/monitoring plan must be published on the

website within 1 month of being approved.

Publishing the

monitoring/management plans

on a website is the


Point Terminal Pty Ltd, the

proponent of the approval, as





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Document Information

Change information

Version Date Change Details

1.0 18th December 2014 Developed compliance checklist and monitoring data review

2.0 21st December 2016 Additional information regarding the OEMP changes




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Appendix A - Monitoring Data and Interpretations

A.1 pH The pH of the SSP remained below Background and Downstream 1 pH Trigger value for the duration of the release and during the two week Post Release Event monitoring, therefore compliant with the OEMP.

Release Monitoring

Dates SSP Background

Trigger Value (Background

+20%) Downstream 1

Trigger Value (Downstream 1

+20%)

Pre-Release Event

29-Jun 6.78 7.17 8.60 6.85 8.22

During Release Event

6-Jul 6.84 6.67 8.00 6.76 8.11

13-Jul 6.54 6.67 8.00 6.81 8.17

20-Jul 7.24 7.67 9.20 7.56 9.07

27-Jul 7.89 8.25 9.90 8.52 10.22

3-Aug 7.61 8.53 10.24 8.59 10.31

10-Aug 7.62 7.73 9.28 7.67 9.20

Post Release Event

17-Aug 7.49 8.2 9.84 8.23 9.88

24-Aug 6.96 7.36 8.83 7.39 8.87




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A.2 Electrical Conductivity (EC) - µs/cm The EC of the SSP remained below Background and Downstream 1 EC levels therefore below the EC Background and Downstream 1 Trigger values, for the duration of the release and during the two week Post Release Event monitoring, therefore compliant with the OEMP.

Release Monitoring



+20%) Downstream 1


+20%)

Pre-Release Event

29-Jun 768 8820 N/a 8268 N/a


6-Jul 802 9925 N/a 2485 N/a

13-Jul 830 10130 N/a 2465 N/a

20-Jul 888 12262 N/a 3265 N/a

27-Jul 1028 13401 N/a 4574 N/a

3-Aug 1021 14157 N/a 5678 N/a

10-Aug 984 14758 N/a 6680 N/a

Post Release Event

17-Aug 1021 18026 N/a 7862 N/a

24-Aug 1058 21451 N/a 9808 N/a

*NA – as SSP was below Background or Downstream 1 level




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A.3 Total Suspended Solids (TSS) - mg/L The TSS of the SSP remained below or equal to Background and Downstream 1 TSS levels therefore below the TSS Background and Downstream 1 Trigger values, for the duration of the release and during the two week Post Release Event monitoring, therefore compliant with the OEMP.

Release Monitoring



+20%) Downstream 1


+20%)

Pre-Release Event

29-Jun <5 6.50 N/a 2.68 N/a


6-Jul <5 <5 N/a 5 N/a

13-Jul <5 9.00 N/a <5 N/a

20-Jul <5 9.00 N/a <5 N/a

27-Jul <5 8.00 N/a <5 N/a

3-Aug <5 23.00 N/a 8 N/a

10-Aug <5 31.50 N/a <5 N/a

Post Release Event

17-Aug <5 20.00 N/a 8.5 N/a

24-Aug <5 19.00 N/a 12 N/a

*NA – as SSP was below or equal to Background or Downstream 1 level




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A.4 Total Nitrogen (TN) - mg/L The TN of the SSP remained below Background and Downstream 1 TN levels therefore below the TN Background and Downstream 1 Trigger values, for the duration of the release and during the two week Post Release Event monitoring, therefore compliant with the OEMP.

Release Monitoring



+20%) Downstream 1


+20%)

Pre-Release Event

29-Jun 0.6 1.75 N/a 1.3 N/a


6-Jul 0.55 1.6 N/a 0.9 N/a

13-Jul 0.50 1.15 N/a 0.8 N/a

20-Jul 0.60 1.95 N/a 1.0 N/a

27-Jul 0.55 2.15 N/a 1 N/a

3-Aug 0.70 1.9 N/a 1.1 N/a

10-Aug 0.70 1.85 N/a 1.2 N/a

Post Release Event

17-Aug 0.75 1.9 N/a 1.65 N/a

24-Aug 0.85 1.7 N/a 1.7 N/a

*NA – as SSP was below Background or Downstream 1 level




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A.5 Total Phosphorus (TP) - mg/L The TP of the SSP remained below or equal to Background TP level therefore below the TP Background Trigger value, for the duration of the release and during the two week Post Release Event monitoring, except on three occasions which are discussed below.

On 6th July 2017 (During Release Monitoring) the TP of the SSP (0.035) was higher than Background TP level (0.020) and TP Background Trigger value (0.024), however below Downstream 1 TP level ( 0.04) and TP Downstream 1 Trigger value (0.048), therefore complying with the OEMP.

On 17th August 2017 (Post Release Monitoring) the TP of the SSP (0.165) was higher than Background (0.075) and Downstream 1 (0.110) TP levels and TP Background (0.090) and Downstream 1 (0.132) Trigger values, however below the 50th percentile Trigger value (0.190 (190µg/L)). The laboratory results indicating this higher level was received after the next round of weekly Post Release Monitoring was undertaken which substituted a re-sample as per dot point (a) of ‘What to do if a trigger value is exceeded’ section of the OEMP. This sample taken on the 24th August 2017 returned a TP level of the SSP (0.170) higher than Background TP level (0.140) and TP Background Trigger value (0.168), however below Downstream 1 TP level (0.190) and TP Downstream 1 Trigger value (0.228). It should be noted this increased level of phosphorus occurred once the discharge from the SSP has ceased.

Release Monitoring



+20%)

Downstream 1

Trigger Value (Downstream

1 +20%)

Pre-Release Event

29-Jun 0.020 <0.05 <0.6 0.045 0.054


6-Jul 0.035 0.020 0.024 0.045 0.054

13-Jul 0.045 0.080 0.096 0.020 0.024

20-Jul 0.035 0.060 0.072 0.020 0.024

27-Jul 0.040 0.090 0.108 0.025 0.030

3-Aug 0.065 0.070 0.084 0.020 0.024

10-Aug 0.135 0.150 0.180 0.075 0.090

Post Release Event

17-Aug 0.165 0.075 0.090 0.110 0.132

24-Aug 0.170 0.140 0.168 0.190 0.228

Phosphate is release from decaying plants and animals and broken down by bacteria into phosphorus, and is also naturally occurring precipitate from faeces. As the natural water level in the wetland receded the smell of decomposing vegetation increase. There is also a significant number of feral pigs within close proximity to the terminal which was evident as the natural water level in the wetland receded and exposed pig track and wallowing holes. It is therefore proposed the temporary increase in phosphorus on the 17th August 2017 captured a natural fluctuation caused by natural decomposing of organic matter potentially stirred up by the pig activity in the proximity to the sample locations.




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Appendix B - Certificate of Analysis

B.1 Pre Release – 29th June 2017




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B.2 During Release – 6th July 2017




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B.6 During Release – 3rd August 2017




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B.7 During Release – 10th August 2017




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B.8 Post Release – 17th August 2017




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B.9 Post Release – 24th August 2017

Documents

2017 Annual Compliance and Water Quality …s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/adani/pdf/2017+Annual...Abbot Point Bulkcoal Report 2017 Annual Compliance and Water Quality Monitoring