BHP Billiton bullies to weaken environmental safeguards

Tuesday, 11 December 2007 22:27

In the report's introduction Illawarra Coal President, Colin Bloomfield, bluntly states, "... our main challenge remains the regulatory environment - the lack of security around our right to mine and our ability to secure mining approvals."

Mr Bloomfield's comments follow threats made during his oral presentation to the recent Southern Coalfield Inquiry that if the mine approvals process were to be seen as "some sort of [environmental] negotiation process, BHP Billiton would submit less sensitive plans." The Inquiry is expected to hand down its findings early in the New Year.

"Using a Sustainability Report as a lobbying platform for weakening environmental standards is inappropriate and bizarre behaviour to say the least," said TEC spokesperson David Burgess.

"Mr Bloomfield and Illawarra Coal must get it out of their heads that they have some inherent right to mine. We're talking about Sydney and the Illawarra's water supply, aquatic ecosystems, important road and rail infrastructure, indigenous heritage and the hydrological health of the entire Woronora Plateau here."

"BHP Billiton also states that they have voluntarily 'sterilised' 12 million tonnes of coal by avoiding mining under the Nepean River. But to compensate themselves, they went and mined near the Upper Cataract River and damaged that instead, hardly a sustainable outcome," Mr Burgess said.

Environment groups have told the Inquiry that the approvals process needs to be strengthened rather than weakened and that mandatory protection zones be put in place to protect rivers, swamps and aquifers from mining impacts. Other NSW Government agencies submitted that up to 91% of Sydney's southern supply catchments will be affected by mining, that company efforts to repair the existing damage have met with little (if any) success and that future ramifications for Sydney and the Illawarra's water supply are unknown.

"Companies mining in the Southern Coalfield have shown little concern for the damage that is occurring to key water resources. The NSW Government must listen to its own agencies and introduce concrete measures to prevent the destruction from continuing to spread across the whole region," Mr Burgess concluded.

TEC is currently running cinema advertisements in NSW to highlight the issue.