Lock the Gate Alliance are calling on the Planning Assessment Commission to reject a recomendation from the Department of Planning and Environment to increase the size of Hunter Valley Operations South coal mine and final void.
In its recomendation the Department of Planning and Environment says the mine would produce an extra 56.8 million tonnes of coal per year as well as increase the size of the final void from the 404 hectares approved in 2008, to 523 hectares.
Georgina Woods from Lock the Gate said says increasing the size of the mine poses risks to the Hunter River.
"Already the Hunter Valley Operations mine straddles the Hunter River and the pits come very close to the main channel of the river and its alluvium. The river is also losing water to the mining pits. There are ongoing cummulative impacts on water resources in the region already as a result of the rampant open-cut mining that has been allowed to take place too close to the main arm of the river," Ms Woods said.
 |
| Hunter Valley Operations South coal mine. |
