December 23, 2011

MARGARET RIVER SAVED (for the time being)

Another coal mine knocked back in W.A. because it posed a serious threat to local aquifers. It seems the truth is finally triumphing; permanent fresh water is more precious than coal.

http://www.smh.com.au/business/no-coal-for-wine-region-20111221-1p5jx.html

December 22, 2011

Glennies Creek "Ashton" Coal Mine Knocked Back || Newcastle Herald Editorial

While no doubt the decision will be appealed by the mine, it is significant, since it’s the first refusal under the new transitional arrangements (moving from the old “Part 3A” planning process. It is encouraging to see the Office of Water's experts being listened to. However, it is also obvious that the Dept of Planning (as in the bureaucrats) is very proactively pro coal mining and prepared to disregard health and water issues. I wonder why the department disregards environmental & health issues?
President.

GLENNIES CREEK MINE PLAN BANNED

Fears about damage to the Hunter River and the health of Camberwell village residents have prompted the NSW Planning Assessment Commission to refuse a coalmining application near Glennies Creek, outside Singleton
It is the second time the commission has refused a Hunter coalmining application, the first being the Bickham proposal, near Scone, which was rejected in May 2010.

...............‘‘The NSW Department of Planning and infrastructure made an addendum submission to the commission recommending the project be approved. [The commission] did not consider this submission in its determination process for the Ashton project,’’ the spokesman said.

http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/news/general/glennies-creek-mine-plan-banned/2401068.aspx

 NEWCASTLE HERALD EDITORIAL

The importance of the NSW Planning Assessment Commission's refusal of Ashton Coal's plan for an open cut mine near Glennies Creek can't be overstated.
It has the potential to be seen as the line in the sand that Hunter communities - concerned about a handful of proposals to mine land near rivers once considered to be off-limits to miners - have been asking the government to provide

http://www.theherald.com.au/news/opinion/editorial/general/mine-refusal-draws-a-line/2401329.aspx

(Thanks to the “Save Gloucester” team for the links.)

Posted for President

December 20, 2011

OBEID DEAL UNDER INVESTIGATION

From: Bylong Mining
Date: Mon, Dec 19, 2011 at 11:12 AM
Subject: BVPA UPDATE - Obeid deal under investigation (Monday's Fin Review)
To: Bylong Mining

OBEID DEAL UNDER INVESTIGATION

Please see attached scan of an article in today’s Financial Review, reporting on Government investigations into the deal that saw Eddie Obeid’s purchase of “Cherrydale” in Bylong – and the start of the whole Mt Penny “saga”. Interesting stuff.


Posted for President

December 13, 2011

AUSTRALIAN MINING - THE REAL STORY

Here's a great video to counter all those expensive mining advertisements and tell the real story of coal mining and its impact on our environment.

December 6, 2011

Mine challenge fails

Mudgee Guardian : Mine Challenge Fails (30 November 2011)

Ulan Coal Mine may be required to offset its greenhouse gas emissions as a condition of approval for expansion, under a NSW Land and Environment Court ruling handed down last week.

Justice Nicola Pain last week presented her judgement on Hunter Environmental Lobby's appeal against the $1.2 billion Ulan West project, which will include a new 239 hectare open cut mine and approximately 25 square kilometres of additional longwall mining.

The group (which was assisted by the EDO) contested the State Government approval of the project on the grounds of climate change, the effect on groundwater systems and clearing of critically endangered vegetation communities.

The Hunter Environment Lobby is a member group of the Nature Conservation Council of NSW, who welcomed the judgement.

The Council welcomed indications the Court will set a national precedent by requiring Ulan Coal to offset its greenhouse gas emissions.


To read this article, please click .

Posted for Vice President

December 3, 2011

WATER CENCUS OVERVIEW

Aquaterra's water census includes the following recommendations:

- Surface water gauging of major creeks in the project area should be conducted in consultation with NSW Office of Water.

- A Hydrogeology Study, Stage 2, should be undertaken after the installation of monitoring bores.

The Association has always maintained that a full hydrogeological study should be conducted before any drilling takes place. We encourage members and landowners to continue to argue for this study to be done. If drilling occurs, our water may be compromised.

The Association will follow up with NSW Office of Water to ensure it is involved with surface water gauging.

Centennial Coal claim to have "received an overwhelming response" to their water census, however they fail to acknowledge that the Association encouraged our membership base of nearly one hundred to participate in the census via newsletters and blogs, no doubt adding to that response.

To read the overview click on this link:

http://www.centennialcoal.com.au/images/stories/INGLENOOK_APRIL_INSERT.pdf

HOW THEY SEE US

A QUICK SEARCH OF CENTENNIAL COAL'S WEBSITE REVEALS HOW THE COMPANY DESCRIBES THE ILFORD/RUNNING STREAM COMMUNITY. OF INTEREST IS THE FACT THAT MORE PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED IN FARMING AND EDUCATION THAN COAL MINING. ALSO OF INTEREST IS HOW THEY PLAN TO USE " SENSITIVE AND TAILORED MANAGEMENT" TO NEGOTIATE WITH US AND YET THE COMPANY REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR ASSOCIATION AS A 20 YEAR-OLD ORGANISATION REPRESENTING THE CONCERNS OF OVER 100 MEMBERS. WHY IS THIS?


2. THE COMMUNITY
2.1 DEMOGRAPHICS
The exploration area is rural and comprises the localities of Ilford, Running Stream, Razorback and portions
of Round Swamp and Clandulla. The land features undulating hills with cliffs and pagodas on the periphery
reaching elevations over 1000 metres above sea level [sic - add another 100m]. The hills are partially forested with land cleared for
grazing. The prominent feature of the landscape is the many water sources such as streams, creeks,
springs, soaks and dams that protrude on the surface. 
The area is located in the southern portion of the Mid-Western Regional Council LGA  and the northern portion of the Lithgow LGA.
Figure 3 - Panoramic view of the project area landscape
From the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2006 Census, the most common industries of employment
for persons aged 15 years and over, usually resident, in 2850 (Postal Area) which includes the locality of
Mudgee were Sheep, Beef Cattle and Grain Farming 8.1%, School Education 5.3%, Coal Mining 4.2%,
Cafes, Restaurants and Takeaway Food Services 4.0% and Supermarket and Grocery Stores 2.9%. The
most common responses for occupation for employed persons were Managers 18.9%, Technicians and
Trades Workers 15.6%, Professionals 13.6%, Labourers 13.4% and Sales Workers 10.9%. There were
3,878 families: 42.2% were couple families with children, 42.4% were couple families without children,
14.1% were one parent families and 1.3% were other families.
From the ABS 2006 Census for Ilford, the most common industries of employment for persons aged 15
years and over, usually resident, include Sheep, Beef Cattle and Grain Farming 27.4%, School Education
8.5%, Coal Mining 5.7%, Management and Related Consulting Services 4.7% and Cement, Lime, Plaster
and Concrete Product Manufacturing 4.7%. The most common responses for occupation for employed
persons were Managers 29.2%, Technicians and Trades Workers 22.6%, Labourers 14.2%, Clerical and
Administrative Workers 9.4% and Professionals 8.5%. There were 76 families in Ilford: 28.9% were couple
families with children, 53.9% were couple families without children, 17.1% were one parent families and
0.0% were other families.
Landholder Liaison Programme
July 2011 Inglenook Exploration Project – Landholder Liaison Programme Page | 5
From the ABS 2006 Census for Clandulla, the most common industries of employment for persons aged 15
years and over, usually resident, include Cement, Lime, Plaster and Concrete Product Manufacturing
14.0%, Coal Mining 12.0%, Sheep, Beef Cattle and Grain Farming 10.7%, Hardware, Building and Garden
Supplies Retailing 4.7% and Residential Care Services 4.7%. The most common responses for occupation
for employed persons were Technicians and Trades Workers 26.0%, Managers 24.7%, Machinery
Operators and Drivers 11.3%, Labourers 10.7% and Professionals 8.7%. There were 100 families in
Clandulla: 50.0% were couple families with children, 50.0% were couple families without children.
There are a significant number of landholdings that are owned by people not resident in the locality. These
landholdings are often used as weekend and holiday retreats. There are also a significant number of fifth
and sixth generational families with history that dates back to the earliest European settlement of the area.
The elders of these families have invaluable and extensive knowledge of history, the land, characteristics
and features of the localities in the Project Area. The extensive historical and experiential knowledge of the
area held by these locals is extremely valuable to both the community and the project and every effort
should be made to capture and record the information offered for posterity. The different history and lifestyle
motivations of different peoples manifest as different needs and concerns requiring sensitive and tailored
management by Centennial Coal.
In parallel with the history of agriculture in the area mining has also occurred for gold and precious metals
from the late 1800’s and coal mining from the early 1900’s. Exploration drilling activities to determine a coal
resource have also been undertaken since the 1980’s by the NSW Government and several companies. In
addition to the mining activity there are a number of existing leases held in the area for mining, petroleum
and geothermal energy.

Bullying the blind?

Sharon Munro has posted another telling story on her Blog. I'll post a few excerpts below - to read the full story on Sharon's Blog, click here.


Last Tuesday I and a bunch of other people from all walks of life and areas stood in hot sun outside Singleton Court House, or retreated to the shade behind for respite.

We held up home-made signs and chanted ourselves dry while the media recorded our anger and frustration: ‘No NuCoal!’ — ‘Save our Water, Save our Land!’ — ‘Enough is enough!’

Why were we there? Because inside that Court House, Jerrys Plains cattle farmers Ian and Robyn Moore were battling it out against NuCoal Mining, after unsuccessfully ‘negotiating’ with them since July 2010.


Ian is legally blind; he can only work his farm, inherited from his father, because he has known it for so long. He couldn’t cope with new obstructions like the exploration drilling, couldn’t move to another property and he wouldn’t be able to farm here, blind or not, if NuCoal happened to wreck his underground water sources.

 While the hearing proceeded, outside the building, speakers from other areas, like Deidre Oloffson (right) from coal-trashed Camberwell and Stuart Andrews (left) from coal-threatened Bylong shared their concerns. Hunter Communities Network’s Bev Smiles and Lock the Gate’s Drew Hutton kept the talk and the chants flowing.

To read the full story on Sharon's Blog, click here.