A central Queensland coal mine's approval will fast track the decline of the region's struggling koala population, environmentalists say.
They have urged the federal environment minister to intervene, claiming the Vulcan South mine will lead to almost 800 hectares of a koala habitat being cleared.
Approval for the Vulcan South coal mine in the Bowen Basin was issued on January 22 by the Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI).
The site, south west of Mackay, is set to fall short of requiring an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
Vulcan South will yield approximately 13.5 million tonnes of coal at an expected rate of 1.95 million tonnes per year.
The minimum annual production rate to trigger an EIS is two million tonnes per year.
The project is expected to operate for approximately nine years with a two-year construction phase.
"This is a terrible outcome for Queensland’s koalas and climate," CQ environmental advocacy director Coral Rowston said.
"The Queensland government’s approval of the Vulcan South coal mine will fast track the decline of central Queensland’s already struggling koala population and make climate change worse," Dr Rowston said.
Vulcan South still needs federal approval as the koala habitat is not the only environment at stake.
Habitats for the endangered greater glider as well as the vulnerable glossy black cockatoo and squatter pigeon are all within the mining area.
Environmentalists have urged federal environment minister Tanya Plibersek to block the development.
"The large area of habitat to be lost to the coal project undermines efforts to protect koala habitat elsewhere and the project will exacerbate climate change, a key threat to the koala," Dr Rowston said.
"The approval of a climate wrecking coal mine that plans to wipe out more than 300 Gabba-sized football stadiums of koala habitat is an absolute disaster for Queensland’s iconic species."
A spokesperson for DESI said all proposed projects undergo a rigorous environmental assessment to ensure the project meets legislative standards as part of the environmental authority process.
"In the case of the Vulcan South project, additional conditions were included in the EA to minimise impacts to threatened species habitat and to ensure the rehabilitation of all disturbed habitat to the pre-impact regional ecosystem after the project is complete," the spokesperson said.
"The applicant has agreed to meet these conditions."
The federal Greens said the central Queensland wildlife habitat hangs in the balance and called on Ms Plibersek to choose animals over coal.
"Labor must chose koalas over coal and reject this mega mine," Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
"It will not only cook our climate but fuel the extinction crisis and the survival of endangered wildlife."
Environmental lobby group Lock the Gate Alliance called on Ms Plibersek to make good on her commitment to no new extinctions.
