RECENT PROJECTS

EMCA was responsible for the management and delivery of land and water aspects of the revision to a pre-existing EIS for a new 10 Mtpa coking coal project on the central Queensland coast. Key works included surface and groundwater, water monitoring program and database setup and management; mine planning and environmental design; determination of Environmental and Guideline Values; Supplementary EIS chapter delivery (surface water, groundwater, land, waste rock, rehabilitation); Environmental Management Plan; surface and groundwater technical reports; and GIS data management.

Part of the EIS team for three of the sites for this very large proposed prawn farming operation, involving a number of sites across northern Australia. The works involved preparation and lodgement of the EIS for two of the sites, focusing on soil/land, water, decommissioning plan, groundwater, acid sulfate soils, marine/estuarine waters, waste, and including presentations to government and subsequent SEIS works. EMCA developed a project wide Environmental Management System (EMS) with a site specific Environmental Management Plan for each site, including specialised Water Quality Monitoring and Management Plans involving estuarine and marine monitoring programs for each of the sites. The above required independent peer review and approval from State and Commonwealth agencies, which were all obtained. The Project is currently in the early stages of construction, having achieved all pre-start approvals.

EMCA were recently engaged on this project, undertaking Gold Coast Airport Pty Ltd's site wide water quality monitoring program, including surface and groundwater sites, for a range of analytes including hydrocarbons, metals, phys-chem and PFAS - this requires a detailed monitoring program and strict adherence to dedicated Sampling and Analysis Quality Plan (developed by EMCA) for trace PFAS analysis.

This project included coordination of specialist consultants, liaison with government agencies, preparation of soil and water components of the supplementary EIS, exploration tenement compliance and EM Plan (mine). Following approval, EMCA were again engaged to manage the surface and groundwater monitoring program, and the GIS and spatial data / analysis for this 40 million tonne per annum thermal coal project in Queensland’s Galilee Basin.

This site had operated as a sand mine, transitioning across to a Resource Recovery Facility as part of an integrated state approvals process. Land use approval was required, and EMCA prepared a Site Environmental Management Plan covering all environmental aspects of the site, including Environmental Authority compliance. EMCA continue to undertake the surface, groundwater and dust monitoring program, and provide ongoing compliance advice.

EMCA has provided ongoing environmental compliance advice, monitoring (surface, groundwater and dust), and approvals management services to this aggregate recycling facility for around 10 years, including development of the Site Environmental Management System, EA Amendments, Beneficial Reuse Approval and compliance management with State departments and Council, including ongoing monitoring and compliance works.

We undertook a range of works for the Flagstone WWTP, including an EA amendment application to increase the capacity of the plant from 2550 to 4000EP, and irrigation scheme from 38 to 70ha, including site and soil investigation, assessment of existing soil and water data, calculation of hydraulic loading, risk assessment and MEDLI nutrient and water balance modelling, and a design summary for the recommended approach. This was followed by soil sampling as part of the Contaminant Release Area Monitoring Program over the existing 38ha irrigation area. Soils were identified  and recommendations were provided for soil amelioration.