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April 9th, 2013 
Peter Nolan
Updated
All trains transporting coal from billionaire Clive Palmer’s proposed China First Coal Mine in central Queensland will be covered after plans for the project had to be changed.
Queensland’s coordinator-general ordered Waratah Coal to produce a supplementary environmental impact statement (EIS) on the $8.1 billion mine, after the original document received more than 1,800 public submissions.
Submissions on the supplementary EIS close on May 6.
The new document has outlined plans to use gondola coal wagons as opposed to the traditional bottom dump wagons.
Waratah Coal says this change, combined with fibreglass covers, will significantly reduce the amount of coal dust from the wagons.
The proposed rail line from the mine site to the Abbot Point coal terminal in Bowen in north Queensland has also been moved to minimise the impact on landholders, as well as to accommodate the GVK Hancock Alpha mine.
The Tallarenha Creek Dam has been removed from consideration as a potential water source and a tailings dam has also been scrapped.
Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney has defended the period of just one month set aside for comments on the project.
Mr Seeney says that is long enough because people have already had a chance to raise issues about the mining project.
“Most people have already had an opportunity to put in a submission on these issues in the original EIS,” he said.
“The fact that they are getting a second opportunity is something that’s not always afforded, but it was decided to give the opportunity for a second round of consultation in this case, because of the changes to the original and because of the size of the project.”
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Source Article from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-04-09/palmers-81b-coal-mine-forced-to-make-changes/4617760
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