EIS Supplement release date announced

INPEX will release the Supplement to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Ichthys LNG Project on Tuesday 19 April.

The Supplement reproduces all the public submissions on the Draft EIS received during the 8- week public review period from July 2010, and provides responses to all community concerns raised in the submissions.

The Supplement and the Draft EIS together form the final EIS to be assessed by both the Australian and Northern Territory governments.

INPEX General Manager Darwin Sean Kildare said that since releasing the Draft EIS, the Project had spent more than $3million on a wide range of additional studies to add to the Project’s understanding of the environment.

“We have been working closely with the Territory and Federal environment agencies to review the management plans for Ichthys and finalise the Supplement for public release,” Mr Kildare said.

“We have reviewed all the public comments and, where appropriate, provided additional information or undertaken additional research to confirm the conclusions in the Draft EIS regarding the Project’s anticipated limited environmental impact, particularly on Darwin Harbour.”

Additional studies to those already undertaken for the Draft EIS include:

• Mechanical hard rock removal techniques
• Coastal dolphins survey
• Sediment impacts on the lifecycles of mud crabs and barramundi
• Darwin Harbour water quality testing
• Underwater noise modelling
• Benthic (seafloor), coral and other marine communities surveys
• Water quality and coral surveys at Gunn Reef, Blue Holes and Howard River

The Commonwealth and Northern Territory environmental agencies will now independently consider the final EIS and prepare assessment reports and recommendations for consideration by their respective Ministers. A decision on the environmental acceptability of the Ichthys LNG Project and any conditions of approval will follow.

Mr Kildare said a community forum outlining key aspects of the Supplement will be held at Crowne Plaza Hotel in the Ambassador Room at 6pm on Tuesday 19 April.

“We want to give the community an opportunity to hear how we’ve addressed their concerns while answering any additional questions they might have about the Project.”

View video footage. (courtesy Channel 9)
http://www.inpex.com.au/news/video-gallery/channel-9-vision-%E2%80%93-seis-release-date.aspx