Appendix X - Terrestrial Ecology Impact Assessment Report 14.9 MB

242 Pages·2017·14.91 MB·English

X
McArthur River Mine
Overburden Management Project
Appendix X
Terrestrial Ecology
Impact Assessment Report
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Terrestrial Ecology – MRM Overburden Management Project FINAL R3: 24 February 2017

McArthur River Mine
Overburden Management
Project
TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY
Technical Report

Prepared for
MRM/METServe

Final Report
Revision 3
February 2017
Terrestrial Ecology – MRM Overburden Management Project FINAL R3: 24 February 2017

Project
Terrestrial Ecology – MRM Overburden Management Project
Report Author/s
Paul Barden MSc (Environmental Management), Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd
Field Surveys
Paul Barden; Project surveys for MRM threatened fauna and vegetation mapping review 2015-2016; MRM Gouldian finch
monitoring 2013-2016; MRM riparian bird monitoring (2006-2017); MRM migratory bird monitoring (2010-2017), MRM
expansion impact assessment general fauna surveys 2002-2016
Dr Jon Coleman Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd: assistance with MRM shorebird monitoring, Gouldian finch and
riparian birds.
Dr Rebecca Diete Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd: assistance with Northern masked owl surveys.
Shauntelle Hermon MSc (Environmental Management), Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd: reporting review comments.
Client MRM/METServe
Client Contact Gary Taylor/Dave Moss
Version Final (Revision 3)
Date of Issue 24 February 2017
Disclaimer
Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd has prepared this report for the use of MRM. The report has been prepared in
accordance with the scope of work and for the purpose outlined by MRM/METServe (Terrestrial Ecology Scope of Work,
METServe September 2014). Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd does not warrant in any way whatsoever that the material
contained in this report is fit for use for any other purpose or by any other party. This report should not be reproduced in whole or
part for any use whatsoever without the express written permission of Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd.
The methodology adopted and sources of information used by Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd are outlined in this report.
Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd has made no independent verification of this information beyond the agreed scope of
works and Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd accepts no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any
data or information that is in the public domain or that otherwise was obtained by or prepared for Ecological Management Services
Pty Ltd. This document does not constitute legal advice and must not be used as a substitute for the advice of a qualified legal
practitioner.
This report was prepared between December 2015 and February 2017 and is based on data reviewed and information compiled
during field surveys undertaken during 2015 and 2016. Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd disclaims any responsibility for
any changes that have occurred after this time.
Copyright
© Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd 2017
PO Box 580
Coolum Beach QLD 4573 Australia. Copyright in some material in this report may vest
in other persons.
Acknowledgements
• Gary Taylor, Tyson Lavender, MRM; Chris Wiley and Dave Moss, METServe: provision of logistical support,
mapping, review comments and other data. Chris Wiley (METServe) contributed content to the report
(Section 6).
Document History
Version Status Date Author Reviewer
Draft Internal 1 September 2016 P. Barden
G. Taylor (MRM)
Draft Client Draft 6 October 2016 P. Barden
D. Moss (MetServe)
S. Hermon (EMS)
Draft Revision 1 8 December 2016 P. Barden G. Taylor (MRM)
C. Wiley (MetServe)
S. Hermon (EMS)
Draft Revision 2 30 January 2017 P. Barden
C. Wiley (MetServe)
Final Revision 3 24 February 2017 P. Barden
Terrestrial Ecology – MRM Overburden Management Project FINAL R3: 24 February 2017

Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 1
1.1 OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................................................. 1
1.2 LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK ..................................................................................................................... 2
1.2.1 Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 ........................ 2
1.2.2 Northern Territory Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2006 ......................................... 3
2.0 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING ............................................................................................................... 3
2.1 STUDY AREA DESCRIPTION AND CLIMATE ............................................................................................... 3
2.2 DRAINAGE, TOPOGRAPHY AND LAND USE .............................................................................................. 3
2.3 PREVIOUS SURVEYS ................................................................................................................................ 4
2.3.1 Historical Collecting and Early Mine Surveys 1913-1976 ................................................................ 4
2.3.2 Mine Establishment & Expansion Surveys 1992-2012 .................................................................... 4
2.3.3 Riparian Bird Monitoring 2006-2016 .............................................................................................. 5
2.3.4 Woodland Bird/Gouldian Finch Monitoring 2013-2016 ................................................................. 5
3.0 SURVEY METHODS ............................................................................................................................ 8
3.1 EXISTING DATA SEARCHES ...................................................................................................................... 8
3.1.1 EPBC ACT Protected Matters Search Tool ....................................................................................... 8
3.1.2 NT Fauna Atlas/NR Maps ................................................................................................................ 8
3.1.3 Atlas of Living Australia .................................................................................................................. 8
3.1.4 Existing Reports and Studies ........................................................................................................... 8
3.2 HABITAT & VEGETATION MAPPING ........................................................................................................ 9
3.3 FAUNA SURVEY METHODS ...................................................................................................................... 9
3.3.1 Northern Quoll Surveys ................................................................................................................... 9
3.3.2 Gouldian Finch/Woodland Bird Surveys 2015-2016 ..................................................................... 10
3.3.3 Northern Masked Owl Surveys ...................................................................................................... 11
3.3.4 Microchiropteran Bat Surveys ....................................................................................................... 11
3.3.5 Incidental Records ......................................................................................................................... 13
4.0 SURVEY RESULTS............................................................................................................................. 20
4.1 FLORISTICS AND SIGNIFICANT FLORA SPECIES ...................................................................................... 20
4.2 VEGETATION MAPPING REVIEW ........................................................................................................... 20
4.3 FAUNA SURVEY RESULTS ....................................................................................................................... 25
4.3.1 Northern Quoll Surveys ................................................................................................................. 25
4.3.2 Woodland Birds/Gouldian finch .................................................................................................... 25

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4.3.3 Northern Masked Owl ................................................................................................................... 26
4.3.4 Bats ............................................................................................................................................... 26
4.3.5 Other Vertebrate Fauna Observations .......................................................................................... 27
5.0 SIGNIFICANT TERRESTRIAL FAUNA SPECIES ..................................................................................... 34
5.1 EPBC LISTED SPECIES – ENDANGERED AND VULNERABLE ..................................................................... 34
5.1.1 Partridge Pigeon ........................................................................................................................... 34
5.1.2 Carpentarian Grasswren ............................................................................................................... 35
5.1.3 Gouldian Finch .............................................................................................................................. 36
5.1.4 Northern Masked Owl ................................................................................................................... 40
5.1.5 Red Goshawk ................................................................................................................................ 40
5.1.6 Painted Honeyeater ...................................................................................................................... 41
5.1.7 Northern Crested Shrike-tit ........................................................................................................... 42
5.1.8 Australian Painted Snipe ............................................................................................................... 43
5.1.9 Northern Quoll .............................................................................................................................. 44
5.1.10 Ghost Bat ...................................................................................................................................... 45
5.1.11 Bare-rumped Sheath-tailed Bat .................................................................................................... 46
5.1.12 Carpentarian Pseudantechinus ..................................................................................................... 47
5.1.13 Plains Death Adder ....................................................................................................................... 48
5.2 NORTHERN TERRITORY LISTED SPECIES - VULNERABLE ........................................................................ 50
5.2.1 Grey Falcon ................................................................................................................................... 50
5.2.2 Northern Leaf-nosed Bat ............................................................................................................... 50
5.2.3 Floodplain Monitor ....................................................................................................................... 51
5.2.4 Mertens’ Water Monitor ............................................................................................................... 51
5.2.5 Mitchell’s Water Monitor ............................................................................................................. 52
5.3 MIGRATORY SPECIES ............................................................................................................................. 53
5.3.1 Migratory Wetland Birds and Shorebirds ..................................................................................... 53
5.3.2 Eastern Osprey .............................................................................................................................. 54
5.3.3 Glossy Ibis ..................................................................................................................................... 54
5.3.4 Fork-tailed Swift ............................................................................................................................ 54
5.3.5 Oriental Cuckoo ............................................................................................................................ 55
5.3.6 Yellow Wagtail .............................................................................................................................. 55
5.3.7 Arafura (Rufous) Fantail ............................................................................................................... 55
5.4 NEAR THREATENED SPECIES ................................................................................................................. 55
5.4.2 Australian Bustard ........................................................................................................................ 57
5.4.3 Bush Stone-curlew ........................................................................................................................ 57
5.4.4 Square-tailed Kite .......................................................................................................................... 58

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5.4.5 Letter-winged Kite ......................................................................................................................... 59
5.4.6 Purple-crowned Fairy-wren ........................................................................................................... 59
5.4.7 Buff-sided Robin ............................................................................................................................ 61
5.4.8 Australian Reed-warbler ............................................................................................................... 62
5.4.9 Northern Brown Bandicoot ........................................................................................................... 62
5.4.10 Northern Nailtail Wallaby ............................................................................................................. 63
5.4.11 Spectacled Hare-wallaby .............................................................................................................. 63
5.4.12 Orange Leaf-nosed Bat ................................................................................................................. 64
6.0 TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY – IMPACTS .................................................................................................. 69
6.1 GENERAL PROJECT IMPACTS ................................................................................................................. 69
6.1.1 Vegetation/Habitat Clearing......................................................................................................... 69
6.1.2 Habitat Fragmentation ................................................................................................................. 70
6.1.3 Contaminated Run-off and Groundwater ..................................................................................... 70
6.1.4 Draw-down of water tables .......................................................................................................... 73
6.1.5 Erosion and Sedimentation ........................................................................................................... 74
6.1.6 Weeds and Pests ........................................................................................................................... 74
6.1.7 Altered Fire Regimes ..................................................................................................................... 76
6.1.8 Collisions with Vehicles (Wildlife) .................................................................................................. 76
6.1.9 Light and Noise ............................................................................................................................. 77
6.1.10 Dust ............................................................................................................................................... 77
6.2 IMPACTS TO MNES (ENDANGERED OR VULNERABLE) .......................................................................... 78
6.2.1 Partridge Pigeon (eastern) ............................................................................................................ 78
6.2.2 Carpentarian Grasswren ............................................................................................................... 78
6.2.3 Gouldian Finch .............................................................................................................................. 78
6.2.4 Masked Owl (northern) ................................................................................................................. 82
6.2.5 Red Goshawk ................................................................................................................................ 82
6.2.6 Painted Honeyeater ...................................................................................................................... 83
6.2.7 Crested Shrike-tit (northern) ......................................................................................................... 83
6.2.8 Australian Painted Snipe ............................................................................................................... 84
6.2.9 Northern Quoll .............................................................................................................................. 84
6.2.10 Ghost Bat ...................................................................................................................................... 85
6.2.11 Bare-rumped Sheathtail Bat ......................................................................................................... 85
6.2.12 Carpentarian Pseudantechinus ..................................................................................................... 85
6.2.13 Plains Death Adder ....................................................................................................................... 85
6.3 IMPACTS TO MNES (MIGRATORY) ......................................................................................................... 86
6.3.1 Migratory Shorebirds .................................................................................................................... 86

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6.3.2 Yellow Wagtail .............................................................................................................................. 86
6.3.3 Fork-tailed Swift ............................................................................................................................ 86
6.3.4 Oriental Cuckoo ............................................................................................................................ 86
6.3.5 Arafura Fantail .............................................................................................................................. 87
6.3.6 Caspian Tern ................................................................................................................................. 87
6.3.7 Eastern Osprey .............................................................................................................................. 87
6.4 IMPACTS TO NORTHERN TERRITORY LISTED SPECIES (VULNERABLE) ................................................... 88
6.4.1 Grey Falcon ................................................................................................................................... 88
6.4.2 Northern Leaf-nosed Bat ............................................................................................................... 88
6.4.3 Mertens’ Water Monitor ............................................................................................................... 89
6.4.4 Mitchell’s Water Monitor ............................................................................................................. 90
6.4.5 Floodplain Monitor ....................................................................................................................... 90
6.5 IMPACTS TO NEAR THREATENED SPECIES ............................................................................................. 90
6.5.1 Australian Bustard ........................................................................................................................ 91
6.5.2 Bush Stone-curlew ........................................................................................................................ 92
6.5.3 Emu ............................................................................................................................................... 92
6.5.4 Square-tailed Kite .......................................................................................................................... 92
6.5.5 Purple-crowned Fairy-wren ........................................................................................................... 93
6.5.6 Buff-sided Robin ............................................................................................................................ 93
6.5.7 Northern Nailtail Wallaby ............................................................................................................. 94
6.5.8 Spectacled Hare-wallaby .............................................................................................................. 94
6.5.9 Orange Leaf-nosed Bat ................................................................................................................. 95
6.6 INHERENT RISK ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................................... 95
6.7 MITIGATIONS AND RESIDUAL IMPACTS ................................................................................................ 99
6.8 GOULDIAN FINCH .................................................................................................................................. 99
6.9 SHOREBIRDS ....................................................................................................................................... 103
6.10 MERTENS’ WATER MONITOR .............................................................................................................. 106
6.11 AUSTRALIAN BUSTARD, BUSH STONE-CURLEW, EMU, SPECTACLED HARE-WALLABY AND NORTHERN
NAILTAIL WALLABY ......................................................................................................................................... 109
6.12 PURPLE-CROWNED FAIRY-WREN ........................................................................................................ 111
6.13 BUFF-SIDED ROBIN .............................................................................................................................. 114
6.14 ORANGE LEAF-NOSED BAT .................................................................................................................. 117
6.15 SUGGESTED MONITORING .................................................................................................................. 119
7.0 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................................123

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Table 3.1 MRM Lease Area Fauna Survey Effort 1976-2016
Table 4.1 Northern Territory TPWC Act Data Deficient Flora Species
Table 4.2 McArthur River Mine Leases Vegetation Mapping Units
Table 5.1 Northern Territory TPWC Act Near Threatened Fauna Species
Table 6.1 MRM OMP Vegetation Mapping Unit Catchment Area and Proposed Clearing
Table 6.2 Glencore Corporate Risk Framework, adapted for assessing risks to matters of environmental significance
Table 6.3 Inherent Risks to Biodiversity Values
Table 6.4 Mitigation measures and residual risk assessment for the Gouldian finch
Table 6.5 Mitigation measures and residual risk assessment for shorebirds
Table 6.6 Mitigation measures and residual risk assessment for the Mertens’ water monitor
Table 6.7 Mitigation measures and residual risk assessment for the Australian bustard, bush stone-curlew, emu,
spectacled hare-wallaby and northern nailtail wallaby
Table 6.8 Mitigation measures and residual risk assessment for the purple-crowned fairy-wren
Table 6.9 Mitigation measures and residual risk assessment for the Buff-sided Robin
Table 6.10 Mitigation measures and residual risk assessment for the orange leaf-nosed bat
Table 6.11 Monitoring programs relevant to terrestrial ecological values

Figure 2-1 MRM Site Location & Project Areas
Figure 2-2 MRM Fauna Survey Sites 1992–2011
Figure 3-1 Vegetation/Habitat Detailed and Check Site Locations 2003–2016
Figure 3-2 Fauna Survey Sites 2012–2016
Figure 3-3 Avian Fauna Survey Sites 2006–2016
Figure 3-4 Northern Masked Owl Call Broadcast Sites 2015
Figure 4-1 McArthur River Vegetation Mapping Units September 2016
Figure 4-2 EPBC Threatened Species + NT Vulnerable Species Records
Figure 4-3 EPBC Migratory Fauna Species Sighting Locations
Figure 4-4 Northern Territory Near Threatened Fauna Species Sighting Localities
Figure 4-5 Colonial Microbat Tree Roost Site Locations
Figure 4-6 Discriminant Function Analysis ordinations with coordinates from anonymously-recorded pulses (red
points) in an example subset of WAV files recorded on the MRM lease.
Figure 5-1 Gouldian finch sighting locations and snappy gum woodland distribution
Figure 5-2 Museum specimens (historical collections) from the McArthur River Station

Appendix 1 McArthur River Mine Lease Vegetation Mapping Units
Appendix 2 Flora Species of the Mcarthur River Mine Area - Combined Records
Appendix 3 Terrestrial Fauna of the McArthur River Mine Area - Combined Records
Appendix 4 Terrestrial Fauna Species Accumulation Plots - MRM Lease Area 1975-2016
Appendix 5 MRM Lease Bat Harp Trapping And Echolocation Call Detection Results
Appendix 6 Threatened and Migratory Terrestrial Fauna Species

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ABBREVIATIONS
AOLA Atlas of Living Australia
CAMBA China Australia Migratory Bird Agreement
DEE Commonwealth Department of Environment and Energy
DENR Northern Territory Department of Environment and Natural Resources
DFA Discriminant Function Analysis
DIPE Northern Territory Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment
DLRM Northern Territory Department of Land and Resource Management
DSEWPC Commonwealth Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and
Communities
DEWHA Commonwealth Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
EIS Environmental Impact Statement
EMS Ecological Management Services Pty Ltd
EPBC Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
HDM Hollingsworth Dames and Moore Pty Ltd
JAMBA Japan Australian Migratory Bird Agreement
NOEF Northern Overburden Emplacement Facility
NRETA Northern Territory Department of Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts
NT Northern Territory
MNES Matters of National Environmental Significance
MRM McArthur River Mining
OMP Overburden Management Project
PER Public Environment Report
ROKAMBA Republic of Korea Australia Migratory Bird Agreement
TPWC Northern Territory Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2006
TSF Tailings Storage Facility
VMU Vegetation Mapping Unit

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1.0 Introduction
The project being assessed represents a variation on a previously approved project, the McArthur River
Mine Phase 3 Development Project (Phase 3 Project). The Phase 3 Project was referred to the
Commonwealth Government by MRM, and was determined not to be a controlled action and therefore
did not require assessment or approval under the EPBC Act. The redesign was required to adequately
accommodate increased volumes of non-benign overburden to be excavated during mining operations
following improved and revised overburden characterisation and assessment and the proposed changes
constitute the actions that require assessment under the EPBC Act. The principal actions that may affect
MNES and other terrestrial ecology issues at the project site include:
• Enlargement of the North Overburden Emplacement Facility (NOEF) footprint by 18.6% (124
ha).
• Removal of the South and East Overburden Emplacement Facilities between the Mine Levee
Wall and the McArthur River, reducing the footprint of the open cut domain by 2% (42 ha).
• Enlargement of the Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) footprint by 40% (151 ha).
• Increased requirement for benign material for capping, with associated clearing for borrow
areas.
• Changes to the NOEF cover, closure and management.
• Changes to water treatment, handling and storage; and
• Expanded long-term monitoring and maintenance.
MRM engaged Ecological Management Services to conduct a review of terrestrial ecology issues for the
proposed OMP expansion and to conduct field surveys focusing on updating habitat mapping and
conducting additional targeted fauna surveys.
In this report the ‘study area’ refers to the MRM leases and the ‘OMP area’ refers to the proposed
Overburden Management Project (OMP) expansion areas.
1.1 OBJECTIVES
The McArthur River area has been the subject of a range of previous environmental studies and monitoring
studies focussing on terrestrial biota. The current terrestrial ecology assessment involved a review of the

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