The Indian mining giant Adani's Abbot Point coal terminal in Northern Queensland has avoided a multi-million-dollar fine, but has been slugged $12,000 over an environmental breach.
Queensland's Environment Department has fined the operators of the facility just over $12,000 for releasing sediment stormwater during Tropical Cyclone Debbie at a level many times higher than allowed.
The unauthorised release took place in March, at the same coal loading facility Adani plans to significantly expand as part of its multi-billion-dollar proposed development of Australia's largest coal mine in the nearby Galilee Basin.
The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection said the company was granted a temporary emissions licence (TEL) during the rain event, which permitted an elevated suspended solid limit on stormwater releases.
But the company advised the department on April 6 it had breached the conditions, advising they had released sediment amounts more than eight times the level it was licenced for.
"This stormwater was discharged to the surrounding marine waters," the department said in a statement.
"Temporary emissions licences and environmental authorities are not taken lightly by the department and there can be harsh penalties for companies that breach their approvals."
The department said the stormwater release did not enter the adjacent Caley Valley wetlands and investigations were continuing.
Environment Department director-general Jim Reeves has previously told the ABC fines for non-compliance could be in the millions.
"There are serious penalties for corporations whose non-compliance with their environmental authorities or temporary emissions licences causes environmental harm, including fines of up to $3.8 million if the non-compliance was wilful, or $2.7 million if the non-compliance was unintentional," Mr Reeves said.
The company has until August 17 to contest the fine in court.
In a statement from Adani company Abbot Point Bulk Coal (APB), it said it strongly rejected that "it allowed contaminated floodwater to flow into abutting marine environment during severe Tropic Cyclone Debbie in March 2017".
"APB notes the State Government has imposed a fine of $12,190 for the alleged breach and the company is now considering its options.
"APB is disappointed that Department of Environment and Heritage Protection has released details of the fine to media but did not detail the fine notices issued to other parties following Cyclone Debbie."
The Queensland Resources Council declined to comment.
Mackay Conservation Group coordinator Peter McCallum said the fine was inadequate and would encourage future environmental harm at Abbot Point rather than preventative action by the company.
Mr McCallum visited Abbot Point with department officials in April to inspect the pollution.
"It is hard to see how this fine can act as a deterrent. Adani made over $250 million in revenue at Abbot Point in the last financial year, with this fine representing a miniscule 0.005 per cent," he said.
"Without sufficient penalties for breaching environmental conditions there's little point in having them."
