Wyong Coal Mine Rejection Good for Water Security

Friday, 04 March 2011 12:22

Total Environment Centre (TEC) has applauded today's decision by the NSW Government to reject the Wallarah 2 Coal Project in Wyong.

"For the first time an evidence based decision has been made to reject a longwall coal mine in a gazetted water supply catchment area," said TEC Natural Areas Campaigner David Burgess.

"The NSW Government must be congratulated for paying attention to the potential for 53% of the Central Coast's water supply area to be severely compromised, the potential damage to the ecological systems of Jilliby State Conservation Area, and the strong wishes of the local community and business community."

Although an inquiry by the NSW Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) did not specifically reject the proposal, its comprehensive recommendations have given the Planning Minister ample grounds to make the decision to do so. The PAC found that subsidence would have uncertain impacts on the water catchment area and that a 'purely responsive' approach to damage by the proponent was 'inadequate'.

"TEC welcomes the fact that both major parties have taken a precautionary approach to this unsustainable mine" Mr Burgess said.

"It is vital that the next NSW government turns its attention to the ongoing impacts of longwall mining south of Sydney?s where numerous mines operate side by side with mining planned across a quarter of Sydney?s water supply area."

A TEC inspection of Waratah Rivulet earlier this week revealed a critical watercourse where surface flow has still not returned to a riverbed cracked by longwalling nearly six years ago. The Waratah Rivulet feeds the Woronora Dam and provides the Sutherland Shire and Northern Illawarra with about 30% of their water supply.

"The Waratah Rivulet was a pristine river until it was undermined. It still looks appalling years afterwards. It is important that today?s decision leads policy away from the lasting damage longwall mining is doing to our water," Mr Burgess concluded.