CANBERRA/PERTH (Reuters) - Australia's government gave the environmental go-ahead for ConocoPhillips' and Origin Energy's $35 billion coal seam-gas project in eastern Queensland state, clearing the way for a final investment decision on the project.
The government had delayed the decision from December, saying it needed more time due to the project's scale and complexity, and pushing the joint-venture's final investment decision into 2011.
"I have concluded that the Australia Pacific LNG project can go ahead without unacceptable impacts on matters protected under national environment law," Environment Minister Tony Burke said on Tuesday.