Gloucester Community Won the Battle

BY TYLER FARDELL


The proposed Rocky Hill coal mine near Gloucester has long been a contentious point for many residents and the battle appears to be over for now.

The NSW Planning Assessment Commission rejected the proposal of the mine, stating it was too close in proximity to Gloucester, have a significant visual impact and would exceed the maximum noise limits.

The news was welcomed by much of the local community, as well as Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

"It's a win for the community, for the environment and for renewable energy", he said.

"Coal is the way of the past and it's about time the government realized that".

The residents who campaigned to stop the mine know the war isn't over yet, not until the State government buys back the licence to the mine.

Currently, Gloucester Resources still have the licence to build the Rocky Hill mine and have stated they intend to repeal the rejection by the planning commission in the Land and Environment Court.

A petition calling for the Government to buy back the licence has already amassed more than 4500 signatures, to end the issue once and for all.

Rocky Hill coal mine protest group
Source 'Green Left Weekly'

Rio Tinto Fined Over Dam Wall Collapse At Upper Hunter Mine

BY IAN CROUCH

Mining giant, Rio Tinto has been fined $50,000 over the collapse of a dam wall at it's Mount Thorley Warkworth Mine near Singleton.

Hundreds of thousands of litres of water escaped from the dam when the incident occurred in January last year.

The company blamed the collapse on several days of heavy rain.

The Land and Environment Court ruled that while harm from the incident was insubstantial, the failure of the dam was both forseeable and preventable.

Debate finally ends on King Edward Park function centre

BY IAN CROUCH

A function centre is no longer a possibility for vacant land at King Edward Park.

Councillors last night voted unanimously to change the planning process that ensures a function centre is no longer permissible on the site.

The park will instead remain a public recreation area.

Plans for a function centre were rejected in the Land and Environment Court two years ago because the site is intended for public recreation.

An aboriginal land claim is still in place, however the Awabakal Aboriginal Land Council says it hasn't made any plans to do anything with the site.

Image friendsofkingedwardpark.org.au

Compost facility near dam approved with conditions

BY GARY-JON LYSAGHT

A controversial compost plant in the Lower Hunter has been approved, as long as it abides by strict restrictions and regulations.

The Land and Environment Court approved the Gardenland composting site, which operates near Seven Mile Creek on Wednesday.

A compost plant will operate near Grahamstown Dam [Picture: Hunter Water].

Seven Mile Creek is a feeder into the Grahamstown Dam, a major source of drinking water for much of the Hunter.

Environment Protection Authority composting expert Anthony Dixon told the Court the facility would be required to adopt a higher standard than the current minimum composting guidelines.

Hunter Water manages the region's dams - including Grahamstown Dam, which provides 40 per cent of the area's water - and are pleased with the new regulations.

"Some of these [regulations] are quite arduous so there's a lot that needs to be done at this business before it is able to operate," Hunter Water spokesperson Nick Kaiser said.

"It's something that we're very pleased about here at Hunter Water because it means better protection of the Grahamstown Dam."

Mr Kaiser said Hunter Water worked closely with the EPA in developing the restrictions and will continue to do so.

"The composting operation near Grahamstown Dam will be regularly inspected by the EPA," he said

"As part of the regulation and as part of the ruling by the Land and Environment Court, they [Gardenlands] will be subject to strict supervision."

The compost facility will operate nearby Seven Mile Creek, which feeds into the Grahamstown Dam and its water quality has already been questioned before the facility.

But, Mr Kaiser said it would unreasonable to consider closing or blocking the creek.

"Closing down the creek, or trying to block the creek in any way, would not make environmental sense," he said.

He said there would be issues with "flooding upstream" as well as not enough water coming into the Dam.

"What's a much more viable solution is to better manage the catchment around the area, such as with regulations around the development of the area."

Bulga and Rio Tinto Battle Continues

Bulga residents have accused the government of colluding with Rio Tinto to expand the Mount Thorley Walkworth mine.

Rio Tinto lodged an application on November 12 to expand the mine into Saddle Ridge, the natural barrier between Bulga and the mine.

Previously Rio Tinto planned to expand the Walkworth mine to within 2.6 kilometres of Bugla. After challenges from local group, Bulgra Mibrodale Progress Association, the application was over turned by the NSW Land and Mineral Association and is currently being challenged in the Supreme Court by Rio Tinto and NSW Government.

John Krey, vice president of the BMPA, said that the move is a breach of faith.

“The deed in 2003 and the Land and Environment court says they can’t touch [Saddle Ridge],” he said.

The New South Wales Minerals Council claim the expansion has received over 900 positive submissions.

Mr Krey said claims the positive submissions where the result of a marketing campaign by Rio Tinto and the Minerals Councils.

“You can tell the same lie 900 times but that doesn’t make the truth,” Mr Krey said, “we’re only a small town of 350 people; we don’t have the financial resources to do a campaign that the Minerals Councils and Rio Tinto have. So, yeah, they got a lot of submissions but you’ve got to look at the meat of the submission, and I think if you look at the submissions that said ‘no’ to the mine you’ll find there’s a lot of meat in that.”