An e-petition aimed at stopping the operator of Kin Kin Quarry from clearing 8.4 hectares of land has gathered more than 1000 names.
Cordwell Resources has requested that the federal Environment Minister decide if its proposal to clear the land requires assessment and approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.
The material submitted with its EPBC referral acknowledges the land to be cleared includes habitat for koalas and possibly grey-headed flying foxes and greater gliders, and two endangered tree species.
It says the clearing of the land is a necessary part of the ongoing operation of the quarry but notes that the koala was declared endangered in 2021.
“As such, for the abundance of caution and to provide the proponent with certainty up to May 2033, the clearing of vegetation as a consequence of the ongoing operation of Kin Kin Quarry is being referred,” the referral application says.
Save Noosa Hinterland organised the petition, which says the application to clear involves “critical habitat” in a UNESCO biosphere and requests immediate action to protect the biodiversity of the site and Noosa region.
The clearing would occur within the quarry footprint.
The petition, which closed on July 24, calls on the Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek, to deem Cordwell’s action “unacceptable” under the EPBC Act, and to ban the firm from continuing with it.
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Martin Cordwell, from Cordwell Resources, did not wish to comment on the referral.
The referral makes mention of a rehabilitation plan for the quarry site, which would result in a net gain of habitat, being 9.9ha of koala and greater glider habitat, compared to a total direct impact area of 9.63ha, and 16.1ha of grey-headed flying-fox habitat, compared to a total direct impact area of 9.64ha.
The EPBC referral is effectively on hold. The referral was lodged in August last year and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water requested more information on the scope of works, triggering a pause in the 20-day decision period, which has not recommenced.
“The department is awaiting more information from the proponent before a decision can be made,” a DCCEEW spokesperson said.
Save Noosa Hinterland spokesman Nick Cooke said the petition was launched to allow members of the public who had missed the 10-day window to lodge a submission in 2023 to express their opposition to Cordwell’s clearing plan.
“We got 100 submissions in the three days it was open for public comment and the petition has over 1000 names now,” he said.
Noosa Council lodged a submission against the plan.
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