Progressive rehabilitation and closure plan for mined land

Progressive rehabilitation and closure plan (PRC plan) requirements for resource activities took effect from 1 November 2019 (PRC plan start date) to implement key elements of the Mined Land Rehabilitation Policy (PDF, 1.3MB).

All mines with a site-specific environmental authority (EA) must prepare a PRC plan.

PRC plan

A PRC plan requires you, as the EA holder, to plan for how and where activities will be carried out on the land in a way that maximises the progressive rehabilitation of the land to a stable condition.

A PRC plan consists of 2 parts:

1. A rehabilitation planning part
2. PRCP schedule.

As an applicant, you will submit a proposed PRC plan with a completed PRCP schedule to the administering authority. The administering authority then assesses the plan and decides whether to approve the PRCP schedule.

PRCP schedule

A PRCP schedule includes a final site design map that identifies the post-mining land uses (PMLUs) and any non-use management areas (NUMAs). The PRCP schedule also includes a table of milestones and any conditions imposed by the administering authority.

Just like an EA, it is an offence for an EA holder to contravene a condition of a PRCP schedule. To help you complete a PRCP schedule use the template: Progressive rehabilitation and closure plan schedule (ESR/2019/5103) (XLSX, 37KB).

Applying for a PRCP schedule

If you are required to submit a PRC plan, you must apply using the Submission of a progressive rehabilitation and closure plan (ESR/2019/4957) (DOCX, 214KB) form.

Your PRC plan must meet the requirements set out under the Environment Protection Act 1994 (EP Act) and the progressive rehabilitation and closure plan guideline (ESR/2019/4964) (PDF, 2.3MB). Further assistance in preparing a PRC plan is also provided in the common issues with progressive rehabilitation and closure plan applications (ESR/2021/5775) (PDF, 199KB) information sheet.

Applications can be made at any time unless your project is captured by the transitional provisions. Your completed PRC plan can be lodged to the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation business centre appropriate to your resource.

For further information on the requirements for your PRC plan, read the following information sheets:

• Voids in flood plains (ESR/2019/4966) (PDF, 375KB)
• Non-use management area (ESR/2019/4954) (PDF, 293KB)
• Incorporating greenfield sites and exploration disturbance into progressive rehabilitation and closure plans  (ESR/2024/6766) (PDF, 336KB).

For help with submitting your PRC plan, it is recommended that all applicants contact your relevant business centre to arrange a pre-lodgement discussion.

Amending a PRCP schedule

As the holder of a PRC plan you may, at any time, apply to the administering authority to amend your PRCP schedule (an amendment application). An application may be made to amend only the PRCP schedule, or as part of an amendment application for an EA.

An amendment application may be:

• a minor amendment (PRCP threshold) as defined under section 223 of the EP Act
• or
• a major amendment, which is an amendment that is not a minor amendment.

Surrendering your PRCP schedule

If you are an EA holder you cannot surrender a PRCP schedule on its own. However, on approval of an EA surrender application, the PRCP schedule will cease to have effect (section 269A of the EP Act).

If you surrender your EA, and there is a PRCP schedule in place, you must submit a post-surrender management report (ESR/2020/5434) (DOCX, 293KB) with your surrender application.

The surrender application must also include a compliance statement for the EA and the PRCP schedule. The compliance statement must state:

• the extent to which the relevant activities carried out under the EA have complied with the conditions of the authority
• whether the rehabilitation milestones and management milestones under the schedule have been met
• the extent to which conditions imposed on the schedule have been complied with
• the extent to which the post-surrender management report is accurate.

Contact

Minerals Business Centre

Phone: (07) 4222 5352
Email: ESCairns@des.qld.gov.au

Coal Business Centre

Phone: (07) 4987 9320
Email: CRMining@des.qld.gov.au

Forms and fees

Find out more about the forms and fees involved in PRC plans.

Frequently asked questions

• For more information on PRC plans and schedules, check the frequently asked questions (PDF, 178KB).
• Read information on the release of PRC plan documents on the public register portal (PDF, 509KB).
• Read about the community consultation regarding PRC plans (PDF, 239KB).
• For more information about transition notice timeframes and potential amendments to transition notice timeframes, read amending timeframes of PRC plan transition notices (ESR/2021/5678) (PDF, 294KB).

PRCP Audits

The holder of a PRCP schedule must commission an audit of the schedule by a rehabilitation auditor every 3 years starting on the day the schedule takes effect.

As the holder you must, within 4 months after the end of each audit period, give the administering authority the rehabilitation auditor's report (an audit report) about the audit that complies with section 286 of the EP Act. The audit report must be submitted using the approved form (DOCX, 228KB).

All PRCP audits are published on the public register.

For more information about the requirements for a PRCP audit, read Information sheet - Requirements for PRCP schedule audits (PDF, 256KB).

Rehabilitation auditor

Under section 288 a person may be commissioned to carry out an audit of a PRCP schedule only if the person meets the requirements decided by the chief executive.

The rehabilitation auditor requirements specify the minimum education, work experience and technical expertise a rehabilitation auditor must have to carry out a PRCP audit.

The rehabilitation auditor requirements are outlined in Appendix A of the Information sheet - Requirements for PRCP schedule audits (PDF, 256KB).