FELTON'S key mining protest group has expressed "serious concerns" about an important document released by Ambre Energy.
The Initial Advice Statement (IAS) gives details on the $3.5 billion coal-to-liquid project planned for rural Felton.
The State Government will use the IAS to determine if the open cut coal mine and petrochemical plant should be given "significant project" status.
Ambre CTL plans to mine four million tonnes of coal per year and convert that to unleaded petrol, aiming to supply 20 percent of the domestic market by 2014
NO INFORMATION. Friends of Felton spokesman Rob McCreath said there were huge question marks over the lack of detail in the IAS provided by the company.
"They don't provide any more information than they ever have in the past," he said.
"For example they haven't put a figure on how much water this plan would need. The process fuel out of coal is very heavy user of water.
"In some places around the world it needs five litres of water to make one litre of fuel.
He said the company was also vague on their carbon dioxide emissions but revealed a greater figure than before.
"It is now 4.2 million tonnes a year of CO2 which they say would be safely vented on site - in other words emitted into the atmosphere.
CARBON COMMITMENTS. "That is just horrific. I can't believe that any state or federal government would permit this to go ahead because it will just be a significant international embarrassement for Australia.
"When you commit to a low-carbon economy, and the government makes lots of noises about that at both state and federal level, how can we cut our carbon emissions if we move to production of fuel from coal. It just doesn't add up."
Ambre Energy Manager of Business Development Matt Adams said if the Government wanted more detail during their decision making process they could ask the company, who would provide answers.
SCEPTICAL. Mr McCreath said if the project were given significant project status by the State Government it would allow the project to be fast-tracked through the approvals process.
"The Government will say it's not like that, they always use words like rigorous and robust, but we are sceptical about that," he said.
"It is a fast-track process, lets be clear. It takes control of the EIS away from DERM and gives it to the Co-ordinator General."
Mr McCreath said despite the Co-ordinator General's "grave" concerns about underground aquifers and disposal of salty water the State Government gave environmental approval to Santos and British Gas coal seam projects.
"Also, indications are the government's strategic cropping land policy, which is coming soon, may give preferential treatment to state significant projects. If a project is granted that status, it may be exempt from strategic cropping land policy," he said.
SPONSORS. Mr McCreath said it was "rotten" that Ambre Energy were announced as a sponsor of the Government's major project conference in October.
"How can the government take sponsorship money from a company that is trying to seek approval for a very controversial project. It just brings the whole development assessment process into disrepute," he said.
Ambre Energy Manager of Business Development Matt Adams said the Major Projects Conference was an opportunity for government and industry to share project information and for industry to be aware of government expectations and initiatives.
“Funding from the private sector makes an important conference like this possible. We don’t believe that Queensland taxpayers should foot the bill for this conference, or that the Department of Infrastructure and Planning’s approval processes for a $3.5 billion project would be influenced by such a small financial contribution.
“As an industry player, Ambre Energy is entitled to support discussions of best practice and opportunities that lead to information sharing and learning.”
“We believe that government will make an assessment on ambreCTL based on the project’s merits, not on Ambre Energy being one of 20 companies sponsoring the Major Projects conference.”