Managing the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

Based on a terms of reference, an EIS is Queensland’s most robust environmental impact assessment process.

If approved, the proposed Borumba Pumped Hydro Project will provide critical reliability and stability to Queensland’s energy grid – keeping the lights on as Queensland transitions to renewable energy.

Like all major infrastructure projects, the Borumba Project will need to undergo rigorous regulatory assessment before work can proceed.

In 2023, the state and federal governments agreed that the proposed Project’s main works met the criteria for assessment and that the assessment would be via an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). On Friday, August 16, 2024, the Queensland Coordinator-General released the final terms of reference for the Borumba Project’s EIS.

What is an EIS?

An environmental impact statement (EIS) is a rigorous assessment of a project’s potential environmental, social, and economic impacts. The government uses it to assess project details.

An EIS will typically look at:

The existing environment around the proposed project site
Potential environmental, economic and social impacts of the project
Proposals to avoid, minimise, mitigate or offset any potential impacts

What’s happened to date?

In October 2023, the Queensland Coordinator-General determined that the Borumba Project’s main works were coordinated and would be assessed at a state level via an EIS.

In December 2023, the Federal Minister for Environment and Water determined that the proposed project met the criteria of a controlled action and that the assessment approach would be via accredited assessment by the Queensland Government under the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971.

Accredited assessment means that Queensland Hydro will now prepare a single, robust EIS rather than two separate EIS processes. It is important to note that this is a rigorous, transparent process with extensive government oversight.

The EIS will be coordinated by the Office of the Coordinator-General (OCG) and required to address both federal and state criteria. Both federal and state regulators will then review it. The proposed Borumba Project will only proceed if it has the approval of the Queensland Coordinator-General and the Federal Minister for Environment and Water.

The Terms of Reference

An EIS is conducted based on a terms of reference (TOR), a project-specific document that outlines what needs to be assessed. The Office of the Coordinator-General drafts the TOR. On Saturday 17 February 2024, the OCG released the draft TOR for public comment. The public comment period closed on Thursday 28 March 2024.

The Coordinator-General released the final Terms of Reference on Friday 16 August 2024. A copy of the TOR can be found here.

Multiple studies will be completed throughout the EIS process to address the TOR, resulting in a final EIS submitted for assessment. When a draft EIS is submitted for adequacy review by the OCG, there is typically some back-and-forth during this period, and additional information may be included before it can be assessed.

Public comment periods

In Australia, regulatory processes typically build in participation by the public. Regulators take all relevant public interest considerations into account when they make their decisions.

The OCG will coordinate public comment periods by providing public notice. It will also be responsible for collating and assessing any feedback received during the consultation period. This allows feedback to be considered impartially by a neutral third party.

It’s important to remember that all public consultation about the draft EIS is coordinated by the OCG – not Queensland Hydro. However, Queensland Hydro recognises that there will be issues and topics important to stakeholders that are not captured through the EIS process, and it wants their input. Throughout the process, Queensland Hydro will still hold community information sessions and stakeholder reference group meetings to ensure everyone has plenty of opportunities to share their views.

More information

For more information about the EIS process, head to:

The Office of the Coordinator-General website
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water website
The Borumba Pumped Hydro Project main works Terms of Reference

The Borumba Project engagement team can be contacted by calling 1800 433 939 or via borumba@qldhydro.com.au

About the Project

The proposed Borumba Pumped Hydro Project is a 2,000MW pumped hydro energy storage system at Lake Borumba, located near Imbil, 45 minutes southwest of Gympie. The main works would include the construction of:

One lower reservoir, involving one new dam wall 300m downstream from the current Borumba Dam
One upper reservoir involving six dams (one main dam, a primary saddle dam, and four secondary saddle dams)
Six headrace tunnels
Six tailrace tunnels
Two access tunnels
An underground power station
Above ground switchyard
Associated infrastructure, including road upgrades, bridges, quarries, workers’ camps, site offices, vehicle washdown bays and other site requirements

The main works are scheduled to commence in 2026, pending regulatory approvals. The EIS is separate from regulatory approvals required for the proposed project’s exploratory works phase.

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