Information inputs and stakeholder engagement Under Schedule 14 of the MRSD Regulations the exploration workplan must provide a description of proposed arrangements for consultation with landowners, Crown land managers and local councils. This requirement should be expanded to include a requirement to consult with spatially impacted mines. Mine operation and progressive rehabilitation Current arrangements Mining activity is administered under the MRSDA and the MRSD Regulations by: allocating licences and authorities, subject to conditions, to eligible applicants; regulating the operational aspects of mining activities through the approval of work plans and authorities; and considering community views when approving work plans and regulating operations. Gap analysis Extent of spatial strategic management Many aspects of the spatial impacts of mines are currently assessed as part of the process of granting a mining licence and approving the associated work plan. This process addresses many aspects of spatial strategic management as follows: risks that the mining activity may pose to the environment, any member of the public, or to land or property in the vicinity of the work must be identified; planning approvals that consider the impacts of the proposed mining activity on the environment and local communities must be granted. For large coal mines, such as those in the Latrobe Valley, an Environmental Effects Statement (EES) process is often required that considers the economic and social impacts of the mining activity and involves community consultation; and mine stability issues and their management must be addressed. The existing processes are likely to address the issues associated with the physical connections between the Latrobe Valley mines and their surrounding environment, infrastructure and communities. However, it is possible that these processes could fail to fully consider the physical connections between mines and the cumulative impacts of the mines. For new mines these gaps could be addressed by adding new requirements to the mine licensing and workplan approval processes to identify all spatial impacts and how they will be managed. At a minimum, this would include requirements on the licence applicants to: establish whether there are physical connections to other mines or exploration sites (to the extent that this has not been done already within the resource allocation and/or exploration phase); consult with the connected mines or exploration sites; and
Information inputs and stakeholder engagement Under Schedule 14 of the MRSD Regulations the exploration workplan must provide a description of proposed arrangements for consultation with landowners, Crown land managers and local councils. This requirement should be expanded to include a requirement to consult with spatially impacted mines. Mine operation and progressive rehabilitation Current arrangements Mining activity is administered under the MRSDA and the MRSD Regulations by: allocating licences and authorities, subject to conditions, to eligible applicants; regulating the operational aspects of mining activities through the approval of work plans and authorities; and considering community views when approving work plans and regulating operations. Gap analysis Extent of spatial strategic management Many aspects of the spatial impacts of mines are currently assessed as part of the process of granting a mining licence and approving the associated work plan. This process addresses many aspects of spatial strategic management as follows: risks that the mining activity may pose to the environment, any member of the public, or to land or property in the vicinity of the work must be identified; planning approvals that consider the impacts of the proposed mining activity on the environment and local communities must be granted. For large coal mines, such as those in the Latrobe Valley, an Environmental Effects Statement (EES) process is often required that considers the economic and social impacts of the mining activity and involves community consultation; and mine stability issues and their management must be addressed. The existing processes are likely to address the issues associated with the physical connections between the Latrobe Valley mines and their surrounding environment, infrastructure and communities. However, it is possible that these processes could fail to fully consider the physical connections between mines and the cumulative impacts of the mines. For new mines these gaps could be addressed by adding new requirements to the mine licensing and workplan approval processes to identify all spatial impacts and how they will be managed. At a minimum, this would include requirements on the licence applicants to: establish whether there are physical connections to other mines or exploration sites (to the extent that this has not been done already within the resource allocation and/or exploration phase); consult with the connected mines or exploration sites; and
NERA-Latrobe-coal-resource-strategic-management-Final-Report-05022016.docx