Gladstone could soon be home to Australia’s only new steel making facility, under a proposal which would create more than 1,100 long term jobs and cement the region’s reputation as a world class industrial centre.
Ms Anna Bligh Premier of Queensland announced the first round of environmental assessments are set to begin into the proposed USD 2.2 billion Boulder Steel project, during her visit to Gladstone on Day Four of her Building For Jobs Tour to promote the importance of the State Government’s USD 18 billion building program.
Ms Bligh said that the draft terms of reference for the Boulder Steel project would be released this weekend for public comment. She added that "This proposed Boulder Steel project heralds a new era for the region as the home of the only new steel mill in the country right now. The proposal would generate a whole new industry base in Central Queensland and improve the skill base of the labour pool. Potential projects like this, combined with our USD 18 billion building program, show why Queensland is the place to do business. Our building program is already keeping Queensland’s head above water while other economies are failing. It’s keeping the wheels turning, protecting 127,000 jobs, so we emerge stronger. Boulder Steel would build on those jobs. It has the potential to create 1,150 operational, long term jobs in Gladstone."
She added that "On top of that, the project is likely to create 1,500 jobs during construction and an additional 1,800 indirect jobs to provide services to support the project. But first it must undergo a rigorous environmental assessment. The terms of reference set out what the environmental impact assessment process must address. An environmental impact statement will then be prepared to investigate the project’s impact on the natural, social, economic, built and cultural environment in great detail. This is an opportunity for the community to ensure that the environmental impact statement will address any environmental concerns they may have about this project."
Ms Bligh said that the proposed project would have the highest environmental standards ever achieved in a steel mill such as this. She added that "The project is to be developed in conjunction with a third-party power generation facility using waste gas and heat from the steel plant to generate electricity for the national market. The co generation plant will use natural gas as a top up fuel supply. As a net exporter of electrical power, the smart technology will result in a net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for the electrical power component of the project, considerably better than those from a modern coal fired power station."
