Adani coalmine: full environmental statement not required to expand dam 450%

Green groups say the federal government decision amounts to 'preferential treatment'

The federal government has ruled the Indian mining company Adani does not have to complete a full environmental impact statement for its application to drastically expand a dam and build a pipeline for its Carmichael coalmine.

The project, which Adani calls the north Galilee water scheme, would involve the construction of a 10 billion-litre dam. An existing dam has a capacity of 2.2bn litres.

Adani also wants to build 110km of pipeline to transport water from the Suttor river and Burdekin basin.