Wednesday 31 July :00 am 12:30 pm

Transcription

1 AGENDA NSW Minerals Council UHMD Joint Water Working Group Singleton Visitor Information and Enterprise Centre, Town Head Park, New England Hwy, Singleton NSW 2330 Wednesday 31 July :00 am 12:30 pm 1. Welcome and Apologies 2. Confirmation of minutes and update on actions from previous meeting 3. Update on current projects 4. New project ideas 5. Other Business UHMD Water Joint Working Group 31 July

2 DRAFT Water Joint Working Group Meeting 22 April 2013 Actions Arising Action Responsible Progress Confirmation of minutes and actions arising NSWMC to amend Purpose in Terms of Reference to include the words NSWMC monitor progress, provide advice and receive feedback. Update on MCA Water Accounting Framework Implementation Mining operations to provide an update on what evaporative All companies practices are currently used. Mining operations to provide an update at the next joint working All companies group meeting on what water testing is undertaken prior to discharge. Other business The following should be added as an agenda for next joint working group meeting develop a paper outlining key issues to raise with NSW Office of Water, and then invite them to present on these issues. NSWMC Completed Update to be provided in meeting Update to be provided in meeting A list of issues will be maintined as they are raised at meetings. Bill Collins to provide the NSWMC with his water study proposal. Bill Collins Completed UHMD Joint Water Working Group Minute 22 April

3 DRAFT Joint Water Working Group Meeting 22 April 2013 Actions Arising DRAFT MINUTES Upper Hunter Mining Dialogue Joint Water Working Group Meeting Singleton Monday 22 April 2013 Present David O Brien (Chair) Peter Forbes Donna McLaughlin Greg Lamb Lesley Latter Chris New Dan Byrne Michael Moore Aled Hoggett Adrian Brown Rebekah Gomez-Fort Wendy Bowman Steve Clarkson Bill Collins Ron Fenwick Ken Bray Xstrata Coal Anglo American Metallurgical Coal BHP Billiton Mt Arthur Coal Bloomfield Collieries Peabody Energy Wambo Coal Rio Tinto Coal & Allied Industries Vale Integra Coal Operations Yancoal Ashton Coal Operations NSWFarmers Hunter Central Rivers CMA Department of Primary Industries NSW Mine Watch Singleton Council The University of Newcastle Wambo CCC - Singleton Hunter Valley Water Users Association In Attendance Arti Brown Claire Doherty NSWMC NSWMC Apologies David Frith Arthur Burns James Benson Chris Knight NSWMC Hunter Valley Water Users Association Anglo American Metallurgical Coal Muswellbrook Coal 1. Welcome and Apologies Dave O Brien welcomed attendees to the first meeting of the Joint Working Group Water and noted the apologies. 2. Confirmation of minutes and actions arising There was some discussion about the Purpose in the Terms of Reference of the Joint Working Group. It was agreed that they should be amended to better articulate the role of the group. Members of the joint working group agreed to the Terms of Reference. UHMD Joint Water Working Group Minute 22 April

4 DRAFT ACTION NSWMC to amend Purpose in Terms of Reference to include the words monitor progress, provide advice and receive feedback. 3. Update on MCA Water Accounting Framework Implementation Dave O Brien provided brief presentation on the MCA Water Accounting Framework how it works, what is involved in its implementation, and the long term benefits of implementing the Framework. Each of the nine mining representatives provided an update on their progress in implementing Stage 1 of the Framework. All operators indicated that they are on track to meet the commitment of implementing Stage 1 by June Members of the joint working group questioned what type of tesing is undertaken by mining operations before water is discharged into the river. The members want to understand what is present in the discharge water and at what levels. Mining operators advised that water discharge is already tested, particularly PH and salinity levels. After further discussion it was agreed that it would be useful to understand what heavy metals the discharge water is tested for by mining operations, as well as what else is tested for through the Hunter Salinity Trading Scheme. ACTIONS Mining operations to provide an update at the next joint working group meeting on what water testing is undertaken prior to discharge. Mining operation to provide an update on what evaporative practices are currently used. 4. Federal Independent Expert Scientific Committee - Letter Arti Brown provided an update on engagement to-date with the IESC. While engagement has been limited, more information has become available publicly about the proposed work of the IESC. The joint working group agreed that efforts should continue to be made to engage the IESC and provide them with a tour of the Hunter Region. In relation to the draft letter, it was decided that: A list of UHMD members and stakeholders involved in the UHMD should be added to the letter That the Hunter should be offered as a case study opportunity, due to the scale of mining and conflicting land use. Aled Hoggett advised that the mid-coast region of NSW has already been approached by the IESC as a potential area of research. 5. Other Business Several stakeholders provided ideas for new projects that could be undertaken by the Industry Working Group: Heavy metals in water discharge (associated action above) How does water flow through the valley? - What trace metals can be found along the way - A systematic study of how things change - What do we have ( before snapshot) - What do we have left ( after snapshot) UHMD Joint Water Working Group Minute 22 April

5 DRAFT Formation of local land services currently underway new projects may emerge through this process Expansion of aquifer mapping through Hunter Catchment Management Authority - NSW Office of Water needs to be developed and involved ACTIONS The following should be added as an agenda for next joint working group meeting develop a paper outlining key issues to raise with NSW Office of Water, and then invite them to present on these issues. Bill Collins to provide the NSWMC with his water study proposal. 6. Next meeting The next meeting date will be advised offline. The meeting closed at 12.05pm. UHMD Joint Water Working Group Minute 22 April

6 UPDATE ON CURRENT PROJECTS Issue NSW Minerals Council UHMD Joint Water Working Group 31 July 2013 Agenda Item 3 Progress has been made on the current Water Working Group projects MCA Water Accounting Framework and engagement with the Commonwealth Government Independent Expert Scientific Committee (IESC). Background MCA Water Accounting Framework As of 16 July 2013, nearly all operations have implemented Stage 1 of the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) Water Accounting Framework. One mine has some further water meters to install to complete implementation, which is expected to be done by the end of July. Some of the mines have produced accounts for the last 12 months, while others have set up the system to record data from this point on. A presentation outlining the industry s progress with implementing the framework will be provided at the meeting. The Industry Working Group is now working through the steps involved in implementing Stage 2 of the Framework. IESC Project It was agreed at the December Stakeholder Workshop that the NSW Minerals Council should contact the Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Mining Development (IESC), requesting them to engage with the Upper Hunter community. At the last Joint Working Group meeting, a draft letter was tabled for comment. NSWMC updated the letter in line with comments and sent it to the IESC on 24 June 2013, requesting the IESC engage with the Upper Hunter community through the Dialogue. A copy of the letter is attached. FOR INFORMATION 1

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9 NSW Minerals Council UHMD - Water Joint Working Group 31 July 2013 Agenda Item 4 NEW PROJECT IDEAS Issue The industry has reviewed feedback from stakeholders received throughout the Dialogue and has developed two new water-related project ideas on which we are seeking feedback from the Joint Working Group on Water. Background At a planning day in June, the industry discussed potential projects related to water that could be delivered through the Upper Hunter Mining Dialogue. Two new projects were identified for presentation to the Joint Working Group: Project Idea 1: Water Resources Map Web-based map to communicate information about the location of water resources, mines and other land marks in the region, which will provide a point of discussion from which further investigations can be undertaken. Project Idea 2: Hunter River Water Quality Assessment An analysis of existing water quality information to assess the health of the Hunter River in the Upper Hunter. Both projects relate to Goal 1 that was agreed at last year s workshop: To develop a better understanding of the region s water resources and the existing and potential impacts of development on the Hunter Valley catchment. However the outputs of both projects may develop actions relating to Goal 2. Goal 2 is: Demonstrate and promote responsible and efficient use and management of water in the Hunter Valley. Further, the ongoing implementation of the Water Accounting Framework contributes to Goal 2. A detailed discussion on each of the proposed projects is attached. FOR DISCUSSION 1

10 Project Idea 1: Water Resources Map Background Throughout the Dialogue, various types of water studies have been raised by stakeholders as important actions. An action that came out of the July 2011 Stakeholder Workshop was: NSW Minerals Council to facilitate a Working Group consisting of the Office of Water (regional), Catchment Management Authority (CMA), Water Users Association, Industry and State Water to collate existing information and identify the gaps to produce a hydrological map for the whole Hunter Catchment. The first meeting of the Work Group will be on 1 September The Commonwealth Independent Expert Scientific Committee (IESC) was subsequently announced and the project was modified to engage with the IESC because its responsibilities included preparing bioregional assessments and we did not want to duplicate the work that it was undertaking. However, there have been delays in having constructive engagement with the IESC and it is unclear when it plans to conduct any studies in the Upper Hunter. As a result, we are now proposing to progress a project to map water resources in the region. This will be a useful communication tool that could also inform future work by the IESC. The project contributes towards Goal 1: To develop a better understanding of the region s water resources and the existing and potential impacts of development on the Hunter Valley catchment. Water Resources Map Project Scope Project objective: The objective of the project is to develop an online map/information portal that: Provides the community, industry and government with easily accessible information about water resources in the Upper Hunter. Improves understanding and contributes to productive discussions about water management in the region. Project outcome: The final output will be a web-based map in which users can see: The location and extent of water resources in the region (e.g. alluvial aquifer boundaries, rivers). The location of industry (e.g. mines, power plants, sewage treatment plants). Significant landmarks (e.g. roads, towns). The location of surface water and groundwater monitoring points. The types of information that we will seek to incorporate are outlined in Appendix A. We will also investigate the possibility of being able to click on data points (such as monitoring sites) to link to external information sources (e.g. NSW Office of Water monitoring data). The tool would also allow printed posters to be developed to support mine tours, school handouts, community interest etc. 2

11 Project benefits: The benefits of the project include: Collating and communicating information on water resources that is currently held by different organisations and is not easily accessible. Improving understanding of the geographical context of water resources in the region. Producing a map from which issues can be identified for further investigation. Identifying potential gaps in information that need to be addressed. Boundaries of map: The map will cover the general area of the mines involved in the Upper Hunter Mining Dialogue, including the Singleton and Muswellbrook Local Government Areas and parts of the Upper Hunter LGA. Updates and maintenance: Since the map will link to regularly updated web pages, it will only require irregular update. The need for updates would be evaluated on an as needed basis. The irregular updates may include updated link addresses, new data points etc. Resources: GIS and water expert A GIS expert will be engaged to develop the portal and a water expert may need to provide input as well. Government and industry data Mines and government agencies will need to supply relevant data for incorporation into the tool. Joint Working Group on Water The Joint Working Group on water will help finalise the scope of the project and provide feedback on a draft version of the tool. Questions for the Joint Working Group How well does the project address the agreed goals? What do stakeholders want to see as outcomes from the project? Is there anything we ve missed? 3

12 Project Idea 2: Hunter River Water Quality Assessment Background Concerns around heavy metals and water quality have been raised through the Joint Working Group. The industry discussed potential projects around water quality in the Hunter River at the industry planning day. The industry felt that there is a need to gain a better understanding of what water testing is already performed by government and industry to see what information is already available and whether there are any gaps that may require further water quality testing or other initiatives. The project contributes towards Goal 1: To develop a better understanding of the region s water resources and the existing and potential impacts of development on the Hunter Valley catchment. Hunter River Water Quality Assessment Scope Project objective: The aim of the Hunter River Water Quality Assessment is to investigate current information collected by government, mining operators and other stakeholders on the Hunter River s water quality, to determine the state of knowledge about water quality in the Hunter River and identify any gaps that need to be addressed. Project outcome: The final output will be a document that outlines: A high level description of the Hunter River s water resources and impacts in the region (mining, power plants, STPs, agriculture). A summary of existing and current water quality studies and information in the Hunter River and their findings. An analysis/discussion on the results of the review, including: - Any conclusions about water quality in the Hunter River. - Potential contributors to any water quality issues identified. - Any significant gaps in data that could be addressed. Project benefits: The benefits of the project include: Collating information on the Hunter River s water quality that is currently held by different organisations and is not easily accessible. Identifying potential cumulative effects from mines and other industries that need to be considered at a strategic level. Avoiding duplication of work already undertaken. Identifying information gaps that could be addressed. Information sources: There is a range of water quality information collected by government and the various industries in the Upper Hunter that could be included in the assessment. Note that the EPA and NSW Office of Water have been invited to present to the Joint Working Group on water quality testing that they undertake to inform the working group s discussions on this project. 4

13 Boundaries of study: The boundaries of the assessment will be the Hunter River, focusing on the area between Singleton and Muswellbrook. Ongoing updates/maintenance: The project will provide an assessment of the current state of the water quality of the Hunter River. The need for any updates or other projects will be assessed following completion of the project. Resources: Water expert a water expert will be engaged to prepare the report. Existing data existing data will need to be sourced from government, industry and other stakeholders. Joint Working Group on Water the Joint Working Group on water will help finalise the scope of the project, identify information sources and provide feedback on a draft report. Questions for the Joint Working Group How well does the project address the agreed goals? What do stakeholders want to see as outcomes from the project? Is there anything we ve missed? 5

14 Preliminary Draft - Overview of Water Resource Data The NSW Office of Water provides a summary of the relevant data sources at the following location: :// An array of real time data is also available at: ://realtimedata.water.nsw.gov.au/water.stm?ppbm=ground_water&gw&3&gwkm_ Data Data Description Is data able to be easily obtained Source of data Data format Age of data Is data static Watercourse locations LPI - 1:25,000 map series. Yes LPI GIS layer 1980s Yes Aquifer boundaries NOW - mapping undertaken for macro groundwater water sharing plan for the Hunter (3 to 5 years ago). Yes NOW GIS layer ~2010 Yes Water Sharing Plan (WSP) water source boundaries WSP for Hunter Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources - map showing water source boundaries Yes NOW - Overview of plan and map showing water source boundaries is available. Electronic GIS layer 2009 (date of water sharing plan) Yes NOW Groundwater Monitoring locations Real time groundwater monitoring data available for selected bores ://realtimedata.water.nsw.gov.au/water.stm?pp bm=ground_water&gw&3&gwkm_ Yes NOW website GIS layer Unknown - needs confirming Unknown - needs confirming NOW Surface Water monitoring locations NOW Website ://waterinfo.nsw.gov.au/hunter/data. Yes NOW GIS layer Current No Real time Mine Lease Boundaries DRE Yes DRE GIS layer Current No Mine/Power station/other discharge locations EPA Yes EPA or Annual reports EPA to confirm, hard copy in mine site annual reports Variable No Industry surface water and groundwater monitoring locations Industry Yes Industry GIS Current Unknown Key location information (e.g. towns, roads power plants) LPI - map layers. Yes LPI GIS layer Unknown - to be confirmed Unknown - to be confirmed