7 November, 2013
State environmental conference calls for stronger laws to protect water, wildlife, landscapes and communities
The annual conference of the state’s peak environmental NGO, the Nature Conservation Council of NSW, has unanimously passed a resolution opposing the expansion of coal and gas industries in NSW drinking water catchments, sensitive environmental lands, productive farmland and residential areas.
The conference motion [full motion is at end of this release] expressed “extreme concern about the potential for coal and gas mining to cause unacceptable damage to our water, land, air and biodiversity and communities across NSW, as well as contribute to dangerous climate change”.
It also called on the government to: “preserve our natural heritage for its intrinsic value” and to “conduct extensive research, including baseline studies that comply with the principles of ecological sustainable development, including the precautionary principle”.
The resolution calls on the NSW Government to adopt, implement and enforce legislation to:
- Protect our water by prohibiting the expansion of mining and gas activities in drinking water catchments and ensuring no damage or loss of water in rivers, streams, wetlands and groundwater.
- Protect our environment by prohibiting mining and gas development in areas of high conservation value and by increasing protections for state conservation areas, state forests and travelling stock routes.
- Protect farmland and rural industries by prohibiting the expansion of mining and gas operations on productive agricultural land and into areas where it will have a negative impact on existing business.
- Protect public health and reduce our contribution to climate change by setting rigid limits on cumulative air, noise, water, and carbon pollution from coal and gas developments and prohibiting new coal export terminals.
- Protect community rights by giving landowners the right to refuse access to their land, allowing local councils to disallow mining and gas operations and restoring the legal right for community members to appeal assessment decisions in the courts.
- Put in place an independent, transparent and rigorous assessment of mining and gas projects by requiring compliance with existing laws, ensuring independent assessment, mitigation of cumulative negative impacts and placing strict standards on rehabilitation with enforced penalties for breaches.
The conference was held on October 19-20 and brought together representatives from across the state. The resolution has been forwarded to Premier Barry O’Farrell.
Tags
Coal and gasPlanning and Development
Let others know about this issue