Two Companies Fined Over Alleged Pollution Incidents In Newcastle

 BY IAN CROUCH

The Environment Protection Authority has fined two companies over separate pollution incidents in Newcastle.

Multiplex has been fined $15,000 after a pollution control structure at the John Hunter Health and Innovation Precinct construction site failed, sending sediment-laden water into nearby creeks and rivers.

Kooragang Bulk Facilities has also been fined $15,000 after almost 2 tonnes of alumina dust was released from a hopper, causing alleged air pollution, with some ending up in the Hunter River.  

 

All Systems Go For Kooragang Hydrogen Hub

 BY IAN CROUCH

The state government has given the green light to a major commercial hydrogen hub at Kooragang.

Origin Future Fuels will head up the $207 million green hydrogen manufacturing plant, with construction due to start mid next year.

It's expected the hub will deliver around 55 megawatts of electrolyser capacity by 2026, with the aim of scaling up to more than a gigawatt of capacity over the next decade.

Green hydrogen can be used as a feedstock in industrial processes and as a fuel source in the transport sector. 

Green hydrogen from the facility will be used at Orica's nearby ammonium nitrate manufacturing facility to help decarbonise its operations. Green hydrogen from the new plant will also be made available to transport customers through onsite and satellite refueling stations.

The government says the development will support the hydrogen industry in NSW by establishing a commercial-scale green hydrogen supply chain and a hydrogen refueling network for the Hunter Region and NSW.

A artist's impression of the hydrogen refuelling station at the Kooragang Hydrogen Hub

Funding Announced for Hunter Hydrogen Hub

BY HOLLY FISHLOCK

The State Government has announced a $45 million funding agreement to build the Hunter Valley Green Hydrogen Hub on Kooragang Island.

The project intends to reduce existing emission-intensive businesses' reliance on fossil fuels.

NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe says the funding will scale up the industry, and will play a key role in transitioning NSW to support clean energy.

"The whole world is currently really in a race to find how to make hydrogen technology work, so things like the hydrogen hub are really going to make that work well. NSW is very committed to this," she said.

The Hunter is one of the leading industrial regions in NSW, contributing $50 billion to NSW's gross state product. 

Ms. Sharpe says the project will boost NSW's position as a major regional and international hydrogen supply chain.

"We want to be not just the first in NSW, we want to be world leaders. We want to set NSW up for the future to be leaders in relation to hydrogen technology. The hydrogen hub is really going to help us with that." 

The project is estimated to generate over 200 jobs in construction.

Batteries And Cars On Fire In Kooragang Wrecking Yard Blaze

BY OLIVIA DILLON

Firefighters have managed to contain a fire which broke out at a wrecking yard at Kooragang this morning. 

Crews responded to reports a large amount of smoke could be seen coming out of a building on Sandpiper Close just after 11:00am on Wednesday the 2nd of August, and arrived to find the structure on fire. 

It's understood they had to enter the building from the ground and found batteries and car parts alight inside. 

One man was reportedly treated by ambulance paramedics at the scene for smoke inhalation before being transport to hospital. 

Crews say there's been no contaminated runoff into the Hunter River. 

UPDATE! Climate Activists Face Court Over Protests At Branxton And Kooragang

 BY IAN CROUCH

 

Climate protesters are again blocking the Hunter Rail Line as they target coal supply to the Port of Newcastle.

Two female activists aged 16 and 64 climbed onto the top of a coal train at Singleton before dawn on Thursday morning.

The Premier wants to meet with Facebook's parent company to discuss a plan to block the demonstrators from being able to live stream
 

EARLIER:

A climate activist who suspended himself over railway tracks at Branxton for more than five hours has been granted bail.

22-year-old Angus Hearn began his protest just before 4.00am on Wednesday, halting coal, freight and passenger trains.

He was safely removed from a tripod structure at about 9.35am and faced Cessnock Court charged with causing obstruction to railway locomotive or rolling stock and enter enclosed non-agricultural lands.

He was granted conditional bail to face Singleton Court on July 13.

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Canberra woman Grace Ilbery faced Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday after allegedly gluing herself to a railing at the Kooragang Coal Loader on Tuesday night.

Magistrate John Chicken told the court Ilbery's offending was incredibly dangerous and put her life and the lives of emergency services at risk.

She's also been granted conditional bail to face court again on July 5.

Grace Ilbery faced court on Wednesday Picture: Blockade Australia

BREAKING! Protester Glued To Coal Loader At Kooragang

 BY IAN CROUCH

A woman is due to front court today after allegedly gluing herself to a coal loader at Kooragang overnight.

Police were called to Cormorant Road at about 8.30pm on Tuesday following reports a woman had scaled the coal loader and glued herself to the railing.

Officers from the Police Rescue Squad safely removed the woman from the structure about an hour later.

The 18-year-old from Canberra has been charged with enter and remain on major facility and cause damage to facility, and entering enclosed lands.

Meanwhile, no trains are running between Scone and Maitland due to protesters on the tracks at Branxton.

The Transport Management Centre says at this stage there are no replacement buses available and passengers should make alternative transport arrangements.

Environmental Protestor Blocks Coal Train Line at Kooragang

BY OLIVIA DILLON 

An environmental activist is protesting in Newcastle this morning, blocking off trains at a vital rail bottleneck. 

The Blockade Australia protestor is suspended from a tri-pod above the trainline, blocking access to the Kooragang Island terminals at the Port of Newcastle. 

Zelda Grimshaw from Blockade Australia, says the organisation believes the entire network of systems Australia has in place to exploit and extract, including, but not limited to, coal, is a problem for the climate. 

"We're hoping to build a resistance movement that will continue to disrupt the destructive machine that is Australia, until we get a system in place that can sustain life," she said. 

Ms. Grimshaw says it's part of a coordinated action, aimed at ending climate destruction. 

"Our young person will be up there as long as she possibly can. She's in a very inaccessible position where she is, so I think it will take them a while to get her down." 

The protest has been reported to Newcastle police, and it's believed they are on the scene. 

Body Of Diver Found With $20m Worth Of Cocaine At Kooragang

BY IAN CROUCH

Police investigating a scuba-diver found dead on Kooragang Island alongside 50 kilograms of cocaine, are describing the suspected smuggling operation as a professional job. 

The man remains unidentified, despite extensive checks. 

He was found with high-end diving equipment, including a wetsuit and a rebreather. 

Police are exploring the possibility, the drugs were strapped to a vessel which left Argentina a month ago. 

That ship is likely to be able to leave the Port on Tuesday evening, after it was searched and its crew was interviewed. 

But investigators are appealing to the public, with reports an inflatable dinghy and a runabout were seen near the ship on Sunday night. 

Dive shops are also being asked to provide any information, with the possibility the scuba equipment was purchased in Australia.

EARLIER:

A multi-agency investigation is underway after the body of a diver and more than 50kg of cocaine were found in the Hunter River at Kooragang Island.

Emergency services were called to Heron Road at about 9.30am on Monday to find the man unconscious on the shore.

Members of the public and paramedics commenced CPR but he died at the scene.

Several packages of white powder believed to cocaine were found in the immediate area - police estimate it's potential street value is $20 million.

Police divers and Australian Border Force personnel will continue searching the river today as Organised Crime Squad detectives and Australian Federal Police continue investigations.

Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers.

The body of a man and more than 50kg of cocaine has been found at Kooragang

Newcastle To Get Extra Fuel Storage Capacity

 BY IAN CROUCH

Newcastle has been included in a major federal government investment to boost long-term fuel security across Australia.

$260 million is going towards 10 projects including two in the Port of Newcastle to increase the storage capacity of diesel.

The Stolthaven depot at Mayfield North will see capacity lifted by 126 Megalitres, while the Park Fuels facility at Kooragang will be able to carry an additional 30 Megalitres.

The two projects are expected to create about 130 jobs during construction.

The projects will also deliver an extra 202 Megalitres of petrol and jet fuel storage to be funded by the private sector.

The Stolthaven Fuel Depot at Mayfield North is in line for a major increase in storage capacity

Tourle Street Bridge Duplication Unveiled

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

After two years and $100 million of spending, the Tourle Street Bridge duplication is now officially open.

Regional Director for the RMS, Anna Zycki joined Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Scot MacDonald in welcoming the project's completion today, 6 months ahead of schedule.

"From a project management point of view, this has been fantastic," Ms Zycki said, "we've delivered six months early and I'm really pleased with the result...

"There's environmental concerns we have to work through and special measures we have to take but we've done a great job and we're happy with our contractor," she said.

Ms Zycki said while bottlenecks are usually merely pushed further up the road following duplication projects, we're experiencing an unprecedented improvement to traffic at Kooragang.

Scot MacDonald agreed, saying motorists are reporting improved travel times by 20 minutes.

"It's more efficient, it's saving people time," he said, "it's one of our busiest roads, with 33,000 motorists making the commute here a day and that includes about 3000 heavy vehicles so it's going to help commuters, it's going to help people getting to the airport and getting into town."

The new infrastructure follows the controversial 2008 Labor decision to build a new single-lane bridge in replacement of the old one.

"If it was done properly 10 years ago, we wouldn't have had to spend $70 million," Mr MacDonald said, "so the taxpayers had to stump up all that extra money and wait a decade for this bridge and the duplication which should've been done in the first place."

Anna Zycki confirmed progress is on track for the connection to Industrial Drive, with some minor works to take place along the stretch "in the not too distant future."

Scot MacDonald, Anna Zycki and the Project Construction Team at Kooragang today. 

Toxic Postcode Welcomes Sharp Drop in Air Pollution

BY MADELAINE MCNEILL

New data has revealed air pollution levels in some of Newcastle's most toxic suburbs has fallen dramatically.

Suburbs in the 2304 postcode including Kooragang, Mayfield, Warabrook and Sandgate have seen a sharp reduction in major air pollutants such as Benzene and Sulphur Dioxide over the past five years.

It's believed tighter pollution controls recommended by the NSW Environment Protection Authority and other agencies have contributed to the rapid decline.

The drop in levels has been welcomed by most residents, but many still hold major concerns about coal dust pollution in the area.

Convener of the Correct Planning and Consultation for Mayfield Group, John Hayes, says it's been a slow process to get to this point.

"It's been a very slow process, and an expensive process for industries to put scrubbers on chimneys and all that sort of thing, " Mr Hayes said.

"But all of those things lead to lower emissions, and that's got to be good for everybody."

Residents remain concerned over coal dust. Image: Newcastle Herald

Newcastle's 2304 Now A Nicer Place To Live

BY IAN CROUCH.

It's been regarded as one of Newcastle's most polluted postcodes for years, but new data shows that's all changed.

The National Pollution Inventory shows there's been a marked decline in air pollution in suburbs within the 2304 postcode over the past 5 years.

2304 takes in Kooragang, Mayfield, Mayfield West, Warabrook and Sandgate.

An analysis of air quality data shows levels of 16 major airborne pollutants like ammonia, fluoride, oxides of nitrogen, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide had fallen dramatically.

The reductions are being attributed to tougher pollution controls placed on major industry in the area.

However, residents say dust pollution continues to be a big issue - especially coal dust from the coal loaders, coal trains and coal trucks.

Although dust pollution has also dropped significantly in the postcode, the data shows fine particulate pollution from Port Waratah Coal Services coal loading facilities increased by 77 percent over the past five years.

It's thought the switch from vehicles which use unleaded petrol to those which use diesel at the PWCS sites is the reason behind the rise - diesel fueled vehicles produce more PM2.5 particulate emissions than unleaded vehicles.

The installation of automated dust management systems at Mayfield has resulted in better air quality. A requirement to improve dust management from coal wagons has also been introduced.

Port Waratah Coal Services Kooragang Coal Terminal Picture: pwcs.com.au