Pages tagged "Climate"
Plan to dump millions more litres of dirty water revealed, peak environment body calls for independent inquiry into Centennial
MEDIA RELEASE
7 February 2025
Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC), the state’s leading environmental advocacy organisation, has today called for an independent inquiry into Centennial Coal’s mining operations in the Blue Mountains. This comes after the company recently applied to dump polluted water into Sydney’s drinking water catchment.
NCC can also reveal that Centennial Coal’s current proposal to dump 42 ML of mine wastewater daily into Sydney’s drinking catchment is just the tip of the iceberg.
“Centennial’s application to discharge 42 million litres of polluted water per day is bad enough, but it is only the first of a series of plans to deal with its growing pollution problem,” said Jacqui Mills, NCC Senior Climate Campaigner.
In a recent Non-Government Organisation quarterly update, Centennial outlined its plans to discharge up to 68.5 ML of water daily into the sensitive headwaters of Sydney’s water catchment over two applications. This water would be a mix of treated and untreated water and is polluted with heavy metals and salt toxic to aquatic life.[1]
“Taken together, this would be a torrent of pollution, and a disaster for Sydney’s pristine drinking water”, Mills continued.
NCC and the Gardens of Stone Alliance have released a report, Centennial Coal: Environmental Scorecard in the Gardens of Stone, demonstrating the company’s terrible track record through their history of operations around the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.
“This is not a company that can be trusted to do the right thing.”
“Over a 23-year period, Centennial has been found to have breached its environmental licence more than 1400 times across 7 coal mine sites in the Greater Blue Mountains region.
“Centennial’s intensive underground mines have disrupted groundwater, resulting in massive water inflows and flooding of the mines. They currently have millions of litres of water sitting underground across their Angus Place mine, and their Springvale mine. To expand their mining operations, they need to get rid of this water.
“Not only will this polluted water damage sensitive ecologies and waterways, it will ultimately end up in the drinking water of Sydney’s residents,” she said.
A previous application to dump wastewater was withdrawn in 2024 (Centennial Coal plan to release more water into Sydney catchment will make pollution worse, expert says - ABC News), however the company has pivoted to a ‘dilute and pollute’ approach and now intends to apply to dump a much larger volume of wastewater.
Centennial mining operations are adjacent to the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area, a place with more than 80 rare and threatened species and 16 threatened ecological communities. Intensive mining methods have intercepted groundwater and surface water, resulting in drying out of endangered upland peat swamps.
“Centennial needs to clean up its act.
“This is an alarming departure from the ‘zero dirty water discharge’ approach. If Centennial gets their way, Sydneysiders will cop millions of litres of polluted water on their doorstep.
“This is a desperate attempt to clear the way for Centennial’s expansion of their Angus Place West coal mine. We strongly urge the NSW Government to reject this and future proposals.
“It would be unconscionable for Centennial Coal to release millions of litres of toxic wastewater every single day on our doorstep.”
ENDS
Media contact: Anna Greer
E: [email protected] M: 0493 733 529 PH: (02) 7208 9482
Note: Jacqui Mills and Australia’s leading expert on water pollution, Dr Ian Wright are available for comment on request.
[1] documentation available on request.
Background
- Centennial Coal outlines its plans for discharging a total of up to 68.5ML/day of water directly (into the headwaters of Warragamba Dam) and indirectly (via Thompsons Creek Reservoir) into the environment within its Non-Governmental Organisation quarterly update, December 2024.
- To address the historical stored wastewater, Centennial intends to apply to release up to 26.5ML/day into Wangcol Creek (consisting of 16.5ML/day treated water via the water treatment plant and 10ML/day filtered untreated water for up to 4 years). The overall intent is to keep EC levels (a measure of salinity) at 700EC, double the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council water quality guideline values for storages and streams (ANZECC 2000).
- To address the ongoing influx of groundwater into mining areas resulting from intensive mining methods, in January 2025, Centennial applied to release 42ML/day to Thompsons Creek Reservoir – which discharges to Lake Wallace via a national park – consisting of up to 18ML/day treated water via the water treatment plant and 24ML/day untreated water. This application, designed to cover periods when the Mount Piper power station is offline for scheduled maintenance and unable to take mine water for use in its cooling towers, has not yet been approved.
- Water experts have previously warned that blending or dilution of dirty water with treated water will exacerbate, rather than address, pollution of the Sydney drinking water catchment.
- Discharge of stored water would clear the way for Centennial to prepare for its extension plans for the proposed Angus Place West coal mine capable of producing 2 million tonnes of coal annually. The Environmental Impact Statement for Angus Place West project is expected in Q2/3 2025.
- Centennial’s underground coal mining has disrupted ground and surface water around the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area. To drain the resulting influx of groundwater into underground coal mines, Centennial removes more than 20 billion litres of groundwater every year, interrupting groundwater supply and drying out peat swamps.
The Centennial Coal plan to dump millions of litres of toxic wastewater into Sydney’s water catchment every day
MEDIA RELEASE
31 January 2025
The Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales (NCC), the state’s leading environmental organisation, is calling on the State government to reject Centennial Coal’s proposal to dump millions of litres of toxic wastewater into Sydney’s drinking water catchment.
The proposal was submitted to the Department of Planning earlier this month, outlining the company’s plans to discharge up to 42 ML of wastewater every day into Thompsons Creek Reservoir. Thompsons Creek Reservoir is a popular fishing spot and outflows through the Blue Mountains World Heritage area and into Warragamba Dam.
Centennial mining operations are adjacent to the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area, a place with 80 rare and threatened species and 16 threatened ecological communities. Intensive mining methods have destroyed aquifers, resulting in drying out of endangered upland peat swamps.
“Centennial’s water issue is a crisis of their own making, resulting from damaging aquifers in their underground mining operations. Now they want to pollute World Heritage streams and force the people of Greater Sydney to drink the mess,” said NCC Senior Climate Campaigner Jacqui Mills.
“The water that Centennial wants to offload is laced with heavy metals and brine.
“Sydneysiders are lucky to drink some of the most pristine water in the world, thanks to the beautiful forests of the Blue Mountains World Heritage area that filter our water.
“We can’t let desperate mining companies like Centennial use our drinking water as a dumping ground.
"We know this application is the tip of the iceberg, and the enormity of this environmental disaster will slowly be revealed as Centennial plans to discharge polluted water from its currently flooded mine and disrupts more groundwater resources with continued mining."
“Centennial’s destructive mining has damaged groundwater flows under the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area bordering the Blue Mountains World Heritage area, resulting in massive water inflows into underground mines.
“They are manufacturing a crisis moment with excess water not able to be sent to the Mount Piper power station for use in cooling towers whilst the station is offline for periods this year.
“The real issue here is that Centennial Coal has not adopted technology to clean the wastewater of heavy metals and salt toxic to aquatic life in this sensitive area.
“Instead, they intend to dilute dirty water with treated water prior to discharge to the dam. Experts have warned this approach would exacerbate pollution load. It’s simply not good enough.
“The Independent Planning Commission must refuse permission, and the NSW Environment Protection Agency must do what it takes to make Centennial clean up its act.
“We urgently need a public inquiry into the damaging mine wastewater from Centennial’s underground coal mines in the Gardens of Stone region.”
ENDS
Media contact: Anna Greer
E: [email protected] M: 0493 733 529 PH: (02) 7208 9482
Note: Jacqui Mills and Australia’s leading expert on water pollution, Dr Ian Wright are available for comment on request.
BACKGROUND
- Centennial Coal outlines its plans for discharging up to 42ML/day of water into Thompsons Creek Reservoir as part of a proposal to the Department of Planning submitted in January 2025. As much as 24ML/day of this would be untreated water. Currently Centennial Coal is sending water to be used in Mount Piper Power Station’s cooling towers. This new proposal would be for discharging the water when EnergyAustralia’s Mount Piper coal-fired power station and the water treatment plant are offline for scheduled maintenance, for the life of the water treatment plant.
- The company plans to dilute the water. Water experts have previously warned that blending or dilution of dirty water with treated water will exacerbate, rather than address, pollution of the Sydney drinking water catchment.
- Centennial has a bad environmental track record. Over a 23-year period, Centennial has been found to have breached its environmental licence more than 1400 times across 7 coal mine sites in the Greater Blue Mountains region.
- This includes a Centennial Clarence coal mine spill into the World Heritage area that resulted in the single largest fine ever imposed by the EPA at that time (2017), totalling $1,050,000. In addition, a $1,450,000 fine was imposed on Centennial Springvale and Angus Place collieries in 2011, the largest issued under section 486DA the Commonwealth EPBC Act 1999 at the time.
Unreliable NSW coal power stations need urgent replacement
MEDIA RELEASE
30 January 2025
Today’s Quarterly Energy Dynamics report shows the urgency of replacing NSW’s four coal fired power stations, says Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales (NCC), the state’s leading environmental organisation.
“Today’s energy market data shows that the coal power stations are suffering unprecedented breakdowns, and that’s driving up wholesale prices in NSW more than any other state,” said NCC CEO Jacqui Mumford.
“It’s unsurprising. Old cars break down, old power stations break down.”
“NSW urgently needs to get on with upgrading transmission lines and rolling out big batteries, wind and solar farms to cover the increasing unreliability of the state’s coal power infrastructure.
The report, released by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), shows that NSW wholesale prices last quarter spiked at double the previous year.
“Every household should have a battery, and more importantly, every warehouse and factory should have solar and batteries. It’s the cheapest form of power, and the quickest way to cope with coal power station’s increasing unreliability.
“We’re calling on all parties to support these renewable energy solutions today.
“Waiting decades for nuclear is as bad as doing nothing. It’s a plan to fail.
“The silver lining is that transmission lines and big batteries currently under construction will ease the problem as they come online over the next three years.”
ENDS
Media contact: Anna Greer
E: [email protected] M: 0493 733 529 PH: (02) 7208 9482
Note: Spokespeople are available for comment on request
Centennial Coal Submission Guide
Help protect Sydney’s drinking water from Centennial’s toxic mine waste by opposing their plans.
NCC Submission Guide: Centennial Coal Modification 11 to SSD-7592 (MOD 11)
One of NSW’s biggest mining companies, Centennial, has been storing wastewater from coal mine operations and has submitted a “modification” proposal to dump it in a reservoir at the headwaters of Sydney’s drinking water catchment.
The Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC) has put together this submission guide to assist those in our network to make their own submission, either as an organisation or an individual.
Original submissions are more impactful so where possible we recommend adding in your own thoughts and comments in addition to the information provided.
Key Information
- Submissions close on Thursday 6th February 2025.
- Click on “Make a Submission” here. Note you'll need to create a login in order to make a submission. Please stick with it! It only takes a few minutes and once you have a login the submission process is quick and easy.
- You can find Centennial’s proposal here.
In addition to making a submission, you can also sign the NCC petition to the EPA to do what it takes to make Centennial clean up its act.
Background
Where does the water come from?
- Centennial mining operations are adjacent to the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area, a place with more than 80 rare and threatened species and 16 threatened ecological communities. Intensive mining methods have destroyed aquifers, resulting in drying out of endangered upland peat swamps.
- Centennial’s underground coal mining has damaged groundwater aquifers under the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area. To drain the resulting influx of groundwater into underground coal mines, Centennial removes more than 20 billion litres of groundwater every year, interrupting groundwater supply and drying out peat swamps.
- Approximately 5,000,000,000 litres of mine wastewater is stored underground in Angus Place mine as well as Springvale mine. To continue mining, Centennial proposes to discharge this waste into Sydney’s drinking water catchment.
How does Mount Piper power station fit in?
- EnergyAustralia’s Mount Piper coal-fired power station takes in water from Centennial mines, and runs water needed for the power station cooling towers through the water treatment plant.
- But Mount Piper power station will be offline for maintenance for a period this year which means it does not need the water.
What is Centennial proposing?
- Centennial wants to release an additional 42 million litres per day of mine waste water to Thompsons Creek Reservoir (for up to 111 days at a time) to cover Mount Piper outage periods. This will consist of up to 18 million litres per day of water through the water treatment plant and 24 million litres a day of untreated water (only sediment will be removed).
- Thompsons Creek Reservoir discharges via tributaries of the Coxs River that flows through a World Heritage listed national park and ultimately to Warragamba Dam.
- We also expect Centennial to submit a second mine waste proposal in the next couple of months to address stored wastewater. We understand they will apply to release up to 26.5 million litres per day into Wangcol Creek consisting of 16.5 million litres per day treated water via the water treatment plant and 10 million litres per day untreated water (only sediment will be removed) for up to 4 years.
- In total, the modifications will contemplate discharge of combinations of treated and untreated mine waste totalling up to 68.5ML/day of water directly and indirectly (via Thompsons Creek Reservoir) into the catchment for Sydney’s drinking water supply.
Key points for your submission
- Clearly express your opposition to this proposal and outline your concern that the health of Sydney’s drinking water and the ecological value of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and wildlife such as the platypus will be compromised should this proposal be approved.
- Water experts have previously warned that blending or dilution of dirty water with treated water will exacerbate, rather than address, pollution of the Sydney drinking water catchment as overall load of pollutants will drastically rise[1].
- Two previous applications from Centennial seeking to discharge megalitres of mine waste into Wangcol Creek were withdrawn, and this ‘dilute and discharge’ approach would be far worse as it involves far more polluted water.
- If this first proposal is approved, it would result in a huge increase in pollution, heavy metal and salinity load into the receiving environment. Higher salinity means lower oxygen, which reduces food for platypus. Elecro-receptors on their bill locate prey, however salinity disrupts these, they can’t find food and starve to death.
- As Mount Piper power station may remain open until the early 2040s, Centennial is seeking permission to dilute and discharge water from Thompsons Creek Reservoir during scheduled offline maintenance periods for the lifetime of the water treatment plant. This could mean up to or around 15 years of huge volumes of dirty water discharge for up to 111 days at a time.
- Centennial should be required to treat mine water to ensure that any discharge fully removes contaminants like heavy metals, salt and brine and deliver the zero release system they proposed when the water treatment plant was approved. Anything less threatens the safety of Sydney’s drinking water supply and water dependent ecosystems, including endangered and threatened species.
- If Centennial is unable to do this, Springvale mine must be closed and alternative coal supplies found for Mount Piper power station.
- It is not good enough for Centennial to self-monitor the level of contaminants as they have proposed. Centennial has been found to have breached its environmental licence more than 1400 times across 7 coal mine sites in the Greater Blue Mountains region[2].
- There is no ‘plan B’ to divert mine water if monitoring reveals higher than expected salinity levels.
- The planning department must require Centennial to significantly reduce the mining intensity at its underground coal mines to protect the natural environment and to reduce the volume of wastewater sent to Mount Piper power station.
- The government should commission a public inquiry into mine wastewater produced by Centennial’s underground coal mines in the Gardens of Stone region.
[1] Centennial Coal plan to release more water into Sydney catchment will make pollution worse, expert says - ABC News
[2] https://apps.epa.nsw.gov.au/prpoeoapp/
Click on make a submission and create a login here
Protect Sydney’s drinking water from Centennial Coal’s toxic waste
Sign our petition calling on the EPA to do what it takes to make Centennial clean up its act.
We can reveal that one of NSW’s biggest mining companies, Centennial, has been storing wastewater from coal mine operations and is seeking permission to dump it in pristine waterways leading to Warragamba Dam.
Centennial has not adopted technology that effectively cleans the wastewater of heavy metals, brine and salt toxic to aquatic life in the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.
If we don’t act now, it’s possible the NSW Government will let Centennial get away with the unconscionable and release millions of litres of toxic wastewater every single day on our doorstep.
Background Information
A flood of toxic water
Centennial’s underground coal mining has damaged groundwater flows under the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area. To stop the resulting influx of groundwater into underground coal mines, Centennial removes more than 20 billion litres of groundwater every year, interrupting groundwater supply and drying out peat swamps. An underground wall stores groundwater within the disused Angus Place mine.
An appalling track record
Over a 23-year period, Centennial has been found to have breached its environmental licence more than 1400 times across 7 coal mine sites in the Greater Blue Mountains region.
However, this may be just the tip of the iceberg, as some non-compliances appear to have gone unreported by the company but have been discovered by third parties and later verified or acted on by the EPA.
Lithgow Environment Group has conducted water monitoring in the Upper Coxs river catchment since 2006 including at Centennial licensed water discharge points and publishes their findings online.
Expansion plans
Centennial has already shown its hand. As part of its extension plans for the proposed Angus Place West coal mine, Centennial previously applied to discharge 10 million litres of dirty water daily directly into the creek. This wasn’t approved.
It needs to remove the water to extend the mine: coal and water don’t mix.
The Angus Place West mine proposes to mine 2 million tonnes of coal annually with impacts on climate, water quality, First Nations sites and in a place with 80 rare and threatened species and 16 threatened ecological communities. This proposal at Angus Place West has not yet been approved.
Dear NSW Environment Protection Authority CEO, Tony Chappel, we call on you to:
-
Prevent Centennial from polluting our waterways
-
Conduct a public inquiry into mine wastewater produced by Centennial’s underground coal mines in the Gardens of Stone region
Peak environment group welcomes progress on Hunter Renewable Energy Zone
MEDIA RELEASE
18 December 2024
The Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales (NCC), the state’s peak environmental organisation, has today welcomed the NSW Government’s appointment of Ausgrid as the preferred network operator for the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone (REZ).
Statements attributable to NCC Senior Climate Campaigner, Jacqui Mills:
“Today’s announcement is an exciting milestone in the development of NSW’s clean energy opportunities.
“The Hunter REZ will ensure the region continues to power our state for decades to come, delivering real benefits locally.
“This region is well placed with a skilled local workforce, abundant renewable energy potential and an existing electricity infrastructure network to utilise.
“Renewables are creating jobs and alternative income streams for landholders across NSW and this project will bring these benefits to the Hunter.
“As coal plants reach the end of their lives, renewables with storage are the cheapest and most reliable way to keep the lights on.”
Statement ends
Media contact: Anna Greer
E: [email protected] M: 0493 733 529 PH: (02) 7208 9482
Note: Spokesperson is available for comment on request.
Peak environment body welcomes faster clean energy assessments
MEDIA RELEASE
Tuesday 12th November
The Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales (NCC), the state’s leading environmental advocacy organisation, today welcomed the commitment from the NSW State Government to reduce planning delays for renewable energy projects and called for action to restore nature during the renewable energy transition.
“Unblocking the clean energy pipeline is the first step to allowing cleaner, cheaper energy to flow to the people of NSW,” said Nature Conservation Council CEO Jacqui Mumford.
“NSW needs a four-fold increase in wind farm construction to provide clean, cheap electricity ahead of the closure of the state’s aging coal-fired power stations.
“The state is behind on its legislated climate targets and has already made the costly and polluting decision to extend the largest coal power station's closure date by two years.
“The Nature Conservation Council is also calling on the government to fix nature laws to reverse the decline of biodiversity in the state.
“The renewable energy transition is a ‘once in a generation’ opportunity to restore degraded habitat. Where developers are siting projects on already cleared land, they should be looking at opportunities to restore damaged creek lines or revegetate, for example.”
“We are in a biodiversity crisis – only half of NSW’s threatened species expected to survive in 100 years due to pressures of climate change and land clearing.
“Action is needed now to strengthen nature laws and use the renewable transition to reach emissions reductions and biodiversity goals.”
The NSW Renewable Energy Planning Framework includes guidelines for wind, solar and transmission renewable energy projects, negotiating agreements with private landholders hosting infrastructure and ensuring benefits flow to local communities.
Statement ends
Media contact: Anna Greer
E: [email protected] M: 0493 733 529 PH: (02) 7208 9482
Note: NCC CEO Jacqui Mumford is available for comment on request.
Koalas Not Coal
A recent report by the Koalas Not Coal alliance revealed that federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek is facing approval decisions on 26 new coal mines and expansions in NSW and Queensland. They join another 3 proposals that are yet to be referred to be assessed for the government under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.
Since then Tanya Plibersek has signed off on seven coal projects, including two mentioned in the report – Vitrinite's new Vulcan South mine (approved in December 2024) and Whitehaven Coal's Narrabri UG Stage 3 Extension (approved in September 2024). If these 26 new mines and expansions are all given the go-ahead, they would clear a combined total of 11,644 hectares of precious koala habitat and produce over 8 billion tonnes of carbon pollution.
This level of proposed destruction and carbon pollution paints a grim future for koalas threatened by more habitat loss through extreme heat, bushfires and droughts exacerbated by climate change.
Despite being an iconic and beloved Australian species, Koalas have been listed as ‘endangered’ since 2022. For over two decades they have been facing a rate of decline that cannot be allowed to continue.
We know our federal environment laws are broken and are in the process of undergoing once-in-a-generation reforms, but koalas and our climate can’t wait.
Right now, Minister Tanya Plibersek has the power and opportunity to reject these disastrous new mines and stand by her commitment to no new extinctions.
(Photo: Laura Barry)
We call on the Minister Tanya Plibersek and the Albanese Government to:
- Reject approvals for new coal mines and expansions that impact koalas and other threatened species, to address the threat of extinction from habitat destruction and climate change;
- Put in place an immediate moratorium on the clearing of any further koala habitat for coal projects and review environmental approvals of projects approved to impact on koala habitat in the last two years;
- End the reliance on biodiversity offsets that enable destruction of critical koala and other threatened species habitat, such as the greater glider;
- Commit to a rapid phase out of fossil fuels, to safeguard endangered species like the koala from the devastating impacts of climate collapse;
- Enact strong new nature laws that effectively protect threatened species and their habitat as well as comprehensively assess the climate impacts of proposed projects