Thursday, June 15, 2017 suratbasin.com.au
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IN THE NEWS
◗ SHOCK RULING: A court has recommended New Hope's controversial New Acland stage three expansion be rejected.
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New Acland Expansion
Land Court rejects New Acland Impacts on local landholders behind court recommendation to State Government not to approve New Acland stage three A COURT has recommended New Hope’s controversial New Acland stage three expansion be rejected. The Queensland Land Court recommended the Queensland Government not allow the mine, near Oakey, to be expanded. Environmental groups and residents of the Acland area had challenged the expansion which they argued would damage their water and air quality and impact their quality of life. The court agreed and urged the Government to refuse the expansion. Despite acknowledging the mine would have significant economic benefits and despite dismissing environmental
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concerns, Land Court member Paul Smith on Wednesday recommended the Queensland Government not allow the expansion. Environmental groups and residents of the Acland area challenged the mine’s expansion, arguing it would damage their water and air quality and impact their quality of life. In a 459-page judgment, Mr Smith agreed the expansion had the potential to “adversely affect” groundwater for “hundreds of years to come”. He said this was a breach of “intergenerational equity” and was reason to refuse the proposal. Mr Smith said even New Hope’s water experts raised concerns about the impact on water supplies. Outside court, landholder Noel Wieck broke down as he called on the government to uphold the court’s decision. “We knew the groundwater was under threat (from the proposed expansion),” he said. “This will be my 58th year farming that property. My family’s
roots in the area are pretty deep. “I never thought I’d be cross-examining someone in court, but I reckon I did pretty well.” Mr Smith ruled the mine expansion should not go ahead although it would likely provide “significant economic benefit” to the area, state and nation. “I am concerned as to the impact on groundwater of neighbouring properties but, on an economic level alone, the revised Stage 3 project is of greater value than agricultural pursuits, even over the long term,” he said. Mr Smith said he did not believe the expansion would have impacted climate change as coal from other parts of the world would be burnt in its place. Queensland Resources Council CEO Ian Macfarlane slammed the decision, describing parts of the Land Court’s judgement as “difficult to follow”.
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