16 March 2009
DEVIL IN THE DETAILS: COMMUNITY REJECTS MINING PROPOSAL
Community members who attended Centennial Coal’s information day at Blackalls Park Public School on Saturday have overwhelmingly rejected Centennial Coal’s proposed Olstan open cut and auger mining proposal.
“Residents who attended were not impressed after they had looked at the company’s posters and listened to staff discuss the project. No one was happy with it: no one wants it. It’s not acceptable because of the impact it will have on people nearby,” said Craig Williams, Publicity Officer for NOCMFA.
“Comments from members of the public present also revealed that Centennial Coal was convicted of an environmental offence in 2006 due to the pollution of waters associated with another open cut auger mining operation nearby. This fact certainly wasn’t part of Centennial’s poster display.”
“The pollution of a creek and part of Lake Macquarie was caused by inadequate water and soil control measures in operation at the Fassifern open cut auger mine,” he said. “The company failed to put its own control program into action: it breached the DPI conditions of approval for mining. The Olstan project proposes mining under Palmers Creek and in some very moist areas subject to flooding. The risks are obvious and outrageous, and the company’s track record is not up to scratch.”
“Clearly, the risks of serious environmental and health impacts are too high and people have rejected the Olstan Project proposal.”
[Environment Protection Authority v Centennial Newstan Pty Ltd [2006] NSWLEC 732 (31 October 2006)]
“The new proposal uses the same augering techniques as the Fassifern Auger Mine. This requires extensive clearing, removal of vegetation, and continual excavation work to expose coal seams. Blasting will also be involved. Basically, all the typical techniques associated with surface open cut type operations will be involved in this project. It is not underground.”
“There are people living in the immediate vicinity of the proposed site and their lives will certainly be disrupted if this proposal proceeds.”
“The noise from excavation work, blasting, clearing, truck movements and everything else we see in any typical open cut type of mining operation will make life unbearable for these people. That is an unacceptable outcome and the project will not proceed.”
FOR COMMENT: PLEASE CONTACT
NO OPEN CUT MINE FOR AWABA
President: Dave Snedden Tel: 0409 778077
Email: DavidSnedden_NOCMFA@hotmail.com
Publicity Officer: Craig Williams Tel: 0421 984002
Email: craig.williams@pacific.net.au
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