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Eliwana Railway Project

Project
Proponent: 
Fortescue Metals Group Limited
Proposal description: 

Fortescue Metals Group Limited proposes to build a 120 km railway linking their existing Solomon Mine with their proposed Eliwana Iron Ore Mine, located 90 km west-northwest of Tom Price (Shire of Ashburton).

The eastern section of the proposed Eliwana Railway Project development envelope is adjacent to Karijini National Park.

Proposed Infrastructure within the Rail Development Envelope includes: Railway and associated embankment; Rail loop; Crossing/passing loops; Railway overpass; Train loadout; Rail maintenance track; Banker siding; Signalling infrastructure; Access roads; Bridges & Culverts; Borrow areas & Ballast quarry; Gas and water pipelines; Power transmission lines; Construction and potable water supply borefield, infrastructure and water storage facilities; Communication infrastructure (including towers and fibre optic cables); Fuel storage; Wastewater treatment plants; and Construction camps.

The proposal includes disturbance to 3,690 ha of native vegetation and fauna habitat within the 57,000 ha development envelope. Water abstraction of 2 gigalitres per year during construction (approximately 1-2 years) and 100,000 kilolitres during operational phase, from local water supply borefields

Assessment Number: 
2129
Region: 
Pilbara
Referred under EP Act: 
s38
Industry sector: 
Infrastructure
Last updated: 
August 14, 2019
Current Status: 
Ministerial Statement published
Ministerial Statement published
1. Referral
Comment on this referral: 
Eliwana Railway Project
Comment period: 
Friday, 21 July, 2017 to Thursday, 27 July, 2017
Referral documentation: 
PDF icon Referral Form
PDF icon Development Envelope
2. Decision on whether to assess this proposal
Chair's Determination: 
Assess - Environmental Review
Extract of determination: 
PDF icon Eliwana Railway Project
Preliminary Environmental Factors: 
Social Surroundings
Flora and Vegetation
Terrestrial Fauna
Hydrological Processes
Inland Waters Environmental Quality
Date published: 
Monday, 21 August, 2017
3. Assessment
Scoping
Environmental scoping document: 
PDF icon CMS17164-ESD-Eliwana Railway Project.pdf
Approved: 
Thursday, 21 December, 2017
Environmental Review
Public submissions: 
Monday, 27 August, 2018 to Tuesday, 25 September, 2018
Environmental Review documentation: 
PDF icon Eliwana Railway Proposal Environmental Review Document.pdf
PDF icon Appendix 1 - Eliwana Railway Environmental Scoping Document.pdf
PDF icon Appendix 2 - Environmental management plans.pdf
PDF icon Appendix 3 - Integrated Rail Network Closure Plan R-PL-EN-0041.pdf
PDF icon Appendix 4 - Consolidated Flora and Vegetation (Biota 2017).pdf
PDF icon Appendix 5 - Consolidated Vertebrate Fauna Survey (Ecoscape, 2017).pdf
PDF icon Appendix 6 - Consolidated SRE Report (Phoenix 2018).pdf
PDF icon Appendix 7 - Rail Water Supply Groundwater Impact Assessment.pdf
PDF icon Appendix 8 - Eliwana Rail Surface Water Impact Assessment.pdf
Proponent response to submissions: 
PDF icon Proponent Response to Submissions.pdf
PDF icon Appendix 1 - State of Environment Rail 2016 - Part 1
PDF icon Appendix 1 - State of Environment Rail 2016 - Part 2
PDF icon Appendix 2 - Eliwana Mine and Rail Surface Water Management Plan.pdf
PDF icon Appendix 3 - Eliwana Mine and Rail Groundwater Management Plan.pdf
PDF icon Appendix 4 - Eliwana Mine and Rail Vegetation Health Monitoring and Management Plan.pdf
PDF icon Appendix 5 - Letter of Non-Objection.pdf
PDF icon Appendix 6 - Minister Letter Section 10.pdf
PDF icon Appendix 7 - List of heritage survey IDs.pdf
PDF icon Appendix 8 - Proposed Condition.pdf
PDF icon Appendix 9 - Mulga Survey Spectrum 2018.pdf
Date published (Proponent response to submissions): 
February 18, 2019
Minor or preliminary work under s. 41A(3)
s. 41A(3) notice: 
PDF icon Notice of Decision to Consent to a Change to Proposal During Assessment - Eliwana Railway
PDF icon Statement of reasons - Eliwana Railway Project
Date of approval s. 41A(3): 
Friday, 17 August, 2018
Change to proposal during assessment under s. 43A
s. 43A notice: 
PDF icon Change to proposal during assessment under s43A – April 2018
PDF icon Change to proposal during assessment under s43A – February 2019
Date of approval s. 43A: 
Mon, 11/02/2019
4. EPA Report on assessment
EPA Report Number: 
1633
EPA Report: 
PDF icon Eliwana Railway Project - EPA Report 1633 - Report.pdf
Key Environmental Factors: 
Social Surroundings
Flora and Vegetation
Terrestrial Fauna
Inland Waters
Date published: 
Monday, 29 April, 2019
Appeals close: 
Monday, 13 May, 2019
5. Decision on proposal and implementation of proposal
Ministerial Statement
Date of approval: 
Wednesday, 14 August, 2019
Ministerial Statement: 
PDF icon Ministerial Statement 1108

Source URL:https://www.epa.wa.gov.au/proposals/eliwana-railway-project