The Bowdens Silver Environmental Impact Statement
The NSW government has identified Bowdens Silver’s proposed mining operations as “State Significant Development” (SSD). Development applications for SSDs must be accompanied by an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared in accordance with the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000.
The Secretary of the Department of Planning and Infrastructure (the Department) prescribes environmental impact assessment requirements (SEARs) for proposed SSD’s. In preparing the SEARs, the Department consults with a wide range of public authorities, including local councils, to obtain input into the SEARs requirements.
Under the current Bowdens Silver SEARs, the EIS must include a detailed description of the project and an assessment of its likely impacts on the following key issues:
- Land, including soils, land capability, agricultural capability, landforms and compatibility with other local land uses;
- Air quality, including likely greenhouse gas impacts;
- Human health, including impacts relating to air quality (including heavy metals), noise, drinking water quality, and monitoring and management measures to reduce risks to human health;
- Water, including impacts on regional surface water and ground water resources, likely impacts on aquifers, watercourses, riparian land, water-related infrastructure and other water users;
- Noise, including construction and operational noise, and road noise impacts;
- Biodiversity, including an offset strategy to maintain regional biodiversity values;
- Heritage (cultural and archaeological);
- Transport, including impacts on the capacity, condition, safety and efficiency of the local and State road network;
- Visual, including impacts on private landowners and key vantage points in the public domain;
- Public safety, including bushfire risks and the handling and use of dangerous goods;
- Social and economic, including the significance of the resource, economic benefits for the Sate and region, and demand for provision of local infrastructure and services.
The EIS can be viewed on the NSW Department of Planning and Environment website.
Major Stages and Considerations of The Environmental Impact Statement
| SCOPE OF THE PROJECT | |
| Background and Description of the Proposal Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEAR) The Approvals Process |
Environmental Management and Documentation Consultation and Issue Identification |
| DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSAL | |
| Geological Setting and Resources Mine Design and Planning Considerations Site Establishment and Construction Activities Mining Operations Waste Rock Management Processing Operations Tailings Management |
Road Traffic and Transportation Site Infrastructure and Services Hours of Operation and Life of the Proposal Waste Management Safety/Security Management Rehabilitation, Land Uses and Biodiversity Offset |
| ENVIRONMENTAL AND ASSESSMENT MANAGEMENT | |
| Noise Blasting and Vibration Air Quality Lead Visibility Traffic and Transport Surface Water Groundwater |
Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Soils and Land Capability Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Non-Indigenous Heritage Hazards Local Infrastructure and Services including Power Socio-Economic Agricultural Lands and Enterprises |