Scientific advice

The Australian Government and state government regulators refer coal seam gas and large coal mining proposals to the Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development (IESC) for expert scientific advice on the potential water-related impacts of these developments.

In giving scientific advice the IESC considers all the potential impacts of the proposed development to water resources. This includes groundwater, surface water, water quantity and quality, ecosystems and ecological processes that affect the water resource and water-dependent assets.

This advice enables regulators to make their decisions based on the best available science.

The IESC publish all the scientific advice provided to regulators. You can use the search tool on this page to find any of this advice.

Project advice

Reference number	Regulator	Project location	Project name	Date of IESC advice	File
2020-120	Australian Government	NSW	Russell Vale Colliery Revised Underground Expansion Project (EPBC 2020/8702) – Expansion	08 Feb 2021	Russell Vale Colliery Revised Underground Expansion Project (EPBC 2020/8702) – Expansion - Project advice (PDF 606.6KB) Russell Vale Colliery Revised Underground Expansion Project (EPBC 2020/8702) – Expansion - Project advice (DOC 933.1KB)
2020-119	Australian Government and NSW	NSW	Narrabri Underground Mine Stage 3 Extension Project (EPBC 2019/8427) – Expansion	15 Dec 2020	Narrabri Underground Mine Stage 3 Extension Project (EPBC 2019/8427) – Expansion (PDF 1.3MB) Narrabri Underground Mine Stage 3 Extension Project (EPBC 2019/8427) – Expansion (DOC 1.2MB)
2020-118	Australian Government and QLD	QLD	Central Queensland Coal Project (EPBC 2016/7851) – New Development	11 Dec 2020	Central Queensland Coal Project (EPBC 2016/7851) – New Development (PDF 895.2KB) Central Queensland Coal Project (EPBC 2016/7851) – New Development (DOC 679.4KB)
2020-116	Australian Government	QLD	Isaac Plains East Extension Project (EPBC 2019/8548) – Expansion	31 Aug 2020	Isaac Plains East Extension Project (EPBC 2019/8548) – Expansion (PDF 365.7KB) Isaac Plains East Extension Project (EPBC 2019/8548) – Expansion (DOC 477.7KB)
2020-115	Australian Government	QLD	Fairhill Coal Project (EPBC 2019/8549) – New Development	27 Jul 2020	Fairhill Coal Project (EPBC 2019/8549) – New Development (PDF 275KB) Fairhill Coal Project (EPBC 2019/8549) – New Development (DOC 476.7KB)

Interim committee project advice

Regulator	Project location	Project name	Date of IESC advice	File
Australian Government	NSW	Coal Mining of Longwalls 415, 416 & 417, Springvale Colliery - EPBC 2011/5949 and Coal Mining of Longwalls 900 & 900W, Angus Place Colliery - EPBC 2011/5952	24 Feb 2012	Centennial Coal Mine Expansion - Springvale and Angus Place IIESC Project Advice (PDF 89.2KB) Centennial Coal Mine Expansion - Springvale and Angus Place IIESC Project Advice (DOC 34.8KB)