BY DAKOTA TAIT
The NSW Independent Planning Commission has given MACH Energy the green light to move forward with a major expansion of its Mount Pleasant mine near Muswellbrook.
The mine won't only extend its lifespan by 22 years to 2048, but also double annual coal extraction to 21 million tonnes.
Environmental activists such as the Lock the Gate Alliance are slamming the decision, however.
NSW Coordinator Nic Clyde says it's a step in the wrong direction.
"The coal industry is running policy in NSW Government," he said. "It was not unexpected, but it's still a catastrophic decision."
"This is actually the largest coal mine expansion approved by a long shot, since the Paris Agreement entered into force back into 2016. It's quite a disaster for New South Wales and for Australia."
"It's pretty clear - from the International Energy Agency, the global scientific community, former Chief Scientist of Australia Penny Sackett, anyone who's paying attention - that no new coal, oil, or gas projects can be approved anywhere on the planet, if we're going to keep warming to a safe level."
The Commission will subject the mine to strict conditions around air quality, noise pollution, and the impacts on Indigenous cultural heritage, biodiversity, and emissions.
Mr Clyde's described the conditions as "hopelessly inadequate" and "weak", however, arguing the project's economic and jobs benefit is insignificant in the long run, and the Hunter should instead be transitioning to new industries.
251 of the 689 submissions made to the Commission were opposed to the project.
Lock the Gate is now calling on Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to get involved and veto the expansion.
Mr Clyde says the project will have far-reaching consequences not only for the planet and the environment, but for local health.
"The Upper Hunter community is already dealing with huge air pollution loads," he said. "There's a real asthma problem."
"There was really disturbing evidence that the Planning Commission heard from an air quality expert, who was saying that there is no safe level of that fine PM2.5 particulate air pollution in the Hunter."
"On that basis alone, the project should not have been approved."
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| Image credit: MACH Energy. |
