Media Release - 10 May 2007: Sartor muzzles independent report on Upper Hunter coal mine
Greens MP and mining spokesperson Lee Rhiannon today called on the NSW
Minister for Planning, Mr Frank Sartor, to immediately release the
report of the Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel into the proposed
massive new Moolarben coal mine in the Upper Hunter Valley.
Ms Rhiannon said the withholding of the report is just one more reason
why the Greens will today move to censure Premier Morris Iemma for his
failure to halt the expansion of NSWs coal industry despite runaway
climate change.
''The Department of Planning has broken the commitment it made last
year to release the report of the independent panel on whether this
massive new coal mine should proceed, Ms Rhiannon said.
Mr Sartor is now repressing the panel's report until a final
decision is made on the proposed Moolarben mine. What is the Minister
trying to hide ?
It is shameful that submissions to the panel, and the views of its
expert members Professor Jim Galvin (subsidence), Col Mackie
(groundwater) and Peter Karantonis (noise), will now be kept under
wraps.
This mine, comprising an underground mine and three open cuts, is
the largest new coal mine proposal on the table in NSW.
Coal from the Moolarben project will produce approximately 30
million tonnes of greenhouse pollution each year.
The Moorlarben mine looks set to drive the establishment of a new
coal fired power station for NSW.
Community experts understand that one of the exploration license
conditions for the mine is that Moolarben Coal Mines Pty Ltd conduct a
feasibility study for the construction of a coal fired power station on
this site.
Mining will come within 120 metres of the Goulburn River and 450
metres of the Goulburn river gorges.
The project poses an extreme threat to the long term viability of
the regions groundwater and river systems, risks massive subsidence
and the destruction of remnant native forests and aboriginal
heritage,'' Ms Rhiannon said.
Contact: Lee Rhiannon 9230 3551, 0427 861 568
Alison Orme
Adviser, Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon (p/t Wed-Fri)
Macquarie St, Sydney 2000
Tel: +61-2-9230 3551 Fax: +61-2-9230 3550
Mobile: 0432 332 104
Email alison.orme@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Web http://www.leerhiannon.org.au/