Issue 112 March 14, 2017
Your independent community newspaper - Ph: 4325 7369
Wallarah 2 gets draft consent but conditions could make it unviable T
he Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) has issued draft development consent for the Wallarah 2 Coal Project.
The 78 conditions of consent echo the Department’s concern for the security of the Central Coast’s water supply. It has conceded that subsidence, caused by the Wallarah 2 coal project, would be massive, and would have an adverse impact on the water catchment, causing loss of drinking water. Under the draft conditions of consent, the Wallarah 2 coal project must provide compensatory water supply to any owner of privately owned land whose water supply is adversely and directly impacted (other than a negligible impact) as a result of the development. The compensatory water supply measures must provide an alternative long-term supply of water that is equivalent, in quality and volume, to the loss attributed to the development. Equivalent water supply must be provided, at least on an interim basis, within 24 hours of the loss being identified. Prior to the approval of any Extraction Plan that authorises extraction of Longwall 6N, the applicant must, in consultation with Central Coast Council and DPI Water, develop
a Central Coast Water Supply Compensatory Arrangement to compensate for the measured losses of water to the Central Coast Water Supply caused by underground coalmining on the site until the cessation of mining. Australian Coal Alliance Campaign Director, Mr Alan Hayes, said the compensatory water supply provisions would be impossible to achieve, except at enormous cost by the applicant, which makes the project unviable. “It would cost millions upon millions of dollars to try and achieve such a scenario with still no real guarantee of an adequate water supply,” Mr Hayes said. “We don’t have the luxury of a second water catchment on the Central Coast.
“The project was never viable and certainly this puts the nail in their coffin. “You cannot put the water supply of 330,000 people at risk, just so the South Korean Government can have a supply of coal for power generation,” he said. The draft conditions of consent also put the burden of all subsidence damage with the mining company. The M1 Motorway, Mardi to Mangrove Creek Dam Pipeline, Main Northern Railway and the electricity transmission lines and towers must remain safe and serviceable. Any loss of serviceability must be fully compensated, based on the conditions that accompanied the Department’s draft consent. No longer is the Mine Subsidence Board
responsible for damage to subsidence affected homes. Wallarah 2 would be fully responsible for costs, including any compensation, to privately-owned residences, including built features, improvements, including farm dams, swimming pools, tennis courts, roads, tracks and fences. “Just like the compensatory water agreement, the cost will be astronomical and certainly makes any consideration to move forward unrealistic,” said Alan Hayes. ‘It’s doubtful that the PAC, when it goes to review, will change their position. “In 2014, they would not approve the mine because of uncertainty in being able to guarantee the security of the water
supply. “Wallarah 2’s own EIS confirms there will be a negative impact. “It’s time that the State Government put its own citizens first and put a stop to this whole affair, and put in place the legislation they promised to protect the water catchment.” The state’s independent Planning Assessment Commission will now review the Department’s assessment report which finds that the proposed underground mine near Wyong could be approved but with the extensive 78 conditions recommended. Those conditions include some addressing the Central Coast’s water resources. A public hearing has been scheduled to be held at the Wyong Golf Club, 319 Pacific Hwy, Wyong, on Wednesday, April 5, from 9:00am. Dr Oliver Holm, Planning’s Executive Director of Resource Assessments and Compliance, said the Department has carefully considered the revised proposal along with the Commission’s first review of the original proposal in 2014, especially
recommendations regarding water and subsidence. “We support the Commission’s recommendations and have now strengthened the conditions in our current assessment,” Dr Holm said. “This is in direct response to the Commission’s review and the community’s feedback during the public exhibition period. “New conditions recommended to the Commission by the Department include intensive and comprehensive monitoring of water resources, as well as independent audits of subsidence, surface water and groundwater. “The company should also be required to closely monitor subsidence and be prepared with Trigger Action Response Plans for the proposed mine’s longwalls. “There are also a suite of conditions to manage air quality, noise, impacts to landscape views, biodiversity and Aboriginal heritage. Continued page 4
STOP PRESS Gosford books are history: new Council is ‘safe, stable and sustainable’ - PAGE 3
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