Queensland’s Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP) has announced it has given environmental approval to the proposed billion dollar Bowen coal seam gas pipeline.

State Minister for Environment, Andrew Powell, said the department had completed its full assessment of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Arrow Energy project.

“The project would involve the construction and operation of a 580 kilometre high-pressure gas pipeline to deliver coal seam gas from gas fields in the Bowen Basin to a proposed LNG plant at Gladstone,” Mr Powell said.

“The department considered the EIS documentation, as well as public submissions, before deciding it was satisfied the environmental impacts of the pipeline would not be unacceptable.

The pipeline will cross private land, roads, railway lines, water courses and wetlands.

Now that the EIS has been finalised, Arrow Energy will seek final approvals from the EHP, other government agencies and Federal Government approval before construction can commence.