17 December, 2014
Approving Warkworth would set a dangerous precedent for destruction of environmental offsets
The NSW Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC) has warned that the Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) would set a dangerous precedent for the destruction of environmental offset areas if were to approve the Warkworth Coal Mine expansion.
The PAC is conducting public hearings in Singleton tomorrow (Thursday) into the Rio Tinto project, which would destroy 611 hectares of native bushland, including Warkworth Sands Woodland and Central Hunter Grey Box–Ironbark Woodland, both endangered ecological communities.
“The woodlands threatened by this proposal include areas that Rio Tinto promised in 2003 to protect in perpetuity to offset the losses caused by the existing mine,” NCC CEO Kate Smolski said.
“Releasing the company from its offset obligations under the original approval would be a betrayal of the residents of Bulga and the broader community. It would also set a dangerous precedent allowing the destruction of other offset areas across the state that the community believed were set aside forever.”
Ms Smolski said the mine expansion would have significant impacts on wildlife that these areas supported, including the Glossy Black Cockatoo (Calyptohynchus lathami), Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolour), Regent Honey eater (Anthochaera phrygia), Squirrel Glider (Petaurus norfolcensis), and many other species.
“Our native wildlife is under severe pressure from the destruction and fragmentation of habitat,” she said. “Many of these species are suffering a death by a thousand cuts as each coal mine chips away another chunk of habitat. It is time to draw a line in the sand and ensure that environmental offsets provide what the community expects – protection of essential habitat in perpetuity.”
Ms Smolski said the government had bent over backwards to meet the demands of powerful coal interests with little regard for the harm these projects were causing to wildlife and local communities.
“At every opportunity the NSW Government has done the bidding of the powerful coal and gas sectors,” Ms Smolski said.
“When the Land and Environment Court overturned the Planning Department’s approval for the Warkworth mine expansion, the government joined with the multinational to appeal the decision.
“Even before that case was determined in the community’s favour, the government changed the Mining SEPP to tip the scales in favour of mining interests, and encouraged Rio Tinto to reapply.
“The new Mining State Environmental Planning Policy dictates that economic considerations must be given more weight than social and environmental ones when assessing applications, which has made it much harder for planning authorities to refuse coal mining projects. This is outrageous.
“We are calling on all parties to commit to scrapping the Mining SEPP and replace it with laws that ensure the health of communities and the environment are the primary considerations.”
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Coal and gas
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