Australia Pacific LNG Welcomes SIMP Approval

Australia Pacific LNG welcomed the State Government’s approval of its plan to manage its project impact, and support community programs and social infrastructure for people living throughout the Maranoa, Banana, Western Downs and Gladstone regions.

The Social Impact Management Plan (SIMP) sets out a strategy for mitigating potential impacts and maximising flow on benefits to surrounding communities from Australia Pacific LNG’s CSG to LNG Project.

The Plan involves major community investment including health services, road safety, housing programs, road maintenance and upgrades and employment and local content opportunities.

Australia Pacific LNG Chief Executive Officer, Page Maxson said the SIMP represented Australia Pacific LNG’s long term commitment to the communities surrounding the Project area.

“The commitments we’ve made in our SIMP including community investment, funding for impacts on roads and transport infrastructure, upgrades to regional airports and local employment opportunities will be in excess of $200 million,” Mr. Maxson said.

“We’ve undertaken extensive consultation with community, government and other stakeholders and this feedback has helped to shape some effective and targeted initiatives. We want to ensure the opportunities and benefits of this major infrastructure project are shared.”

The Plan includes specific projects for both the upstream (gas fields and transmission pipeline) and downstream (LNG processing facility on Curtis Island off Gladstone) areas of the Project.

Money has already been committed to several key areas including $22.5 Million on housing availability and affordability,$4.5 Million on the upgrade of Gladstone and Roma airports, $13.1 Million on establishment of high-speed paramedic jet boat for Gladstone and Surat Basin Aero Medical Rescue Helicopter.

Specific funding elements already underway:

Upstream current activity

• CARS safe driving program delivered to over 1000 school students;
• Funding for more than 80 apprentices through Origin’s skills scholarship program;
• Funding to increase the capacity of the Chinchilla Community Kindergarten;
• Various programs to address housing affordability through, construction of houses, rental assistance program, and work with councils to open up bottlenecks in the development process;
• Creation of the ‘i can’ program an indigenous mentoring program to boost school attendance and retention of indigenous students throughout the Surat and Bowen basins;
• Local content policy requirement for all contracts over $5M

Downstream current activity

• Programs to address housing affordability in the Gladstone region including the establishment of the Gladstone Affordable Housing Company;
• Contribution to the Gladstone Foundation;
• Funding for the Many Rivers Micro-enterprise program to support the development of sustainable indigenous business enterprises;
• Funding for a range of skills training programs

The remaining SIMP funding will be allocated over the next two years and be heavily influenced by the guidance of the four regional community consultative committees which have been set up.

[mappress]
LNG World News Staff, July 23, 2012; Image: APLNG