Queensland Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Stephen Robertson announced that the South-East Queensland Water (Distribution and Retail Restructuring) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2010 would achieve a balance between environmental sustainability and economic development by protecting the interests of primary producers and of natural resources.
The new bill makes amendments to the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EPA), the Water Act 2000 and the Water Supply Act (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 in a move that Mr Robertson said would provide greater certainty for CSG operators and land owners.
Mr Robertson said that amendments to the EPA would require CSG operators to evaluate and adapt their management practices to ensure there was minimal impact on surrounding land and water.
“CSG operators will no longer be allowed to construct large evaporation dams except in exceptional circumstances,”? he said. “[They] will also need to submit environmental management plans to demonstrate how they will manage water from projects and evaluate the effectiveness of their operations on a yearly basis.”?