GOOD news for some, not so for others as the curtain finally drops on the Coalpac Consolidation Project.
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NSW Planning Assessment Commission members have determined they do not support the project.
The verdict came after a long process of information made available to them.
This included the department’s environmental assessment report and associated documents, submissions made to the department, comments made during public meeting, the previous PAC review report of the Coalpac Consolidation Project and the department’s assessment of the application.
The commission also considered the correspondence received from EnergyAustralia and the Blast Management Response dated April 9 2013.
It was only back in August that the NSW Department of Planning and Environment supported Coalpac’s amendments to the original consolidation application (that was rejected in December 2012) and recommended the project proceed subject to strict conditions.
The Commission however failed to see a significant difference from the first proposal compared to the second in way of environmental impact on the region.
The Commission found the area contains pagoda landforms with high conservation value.
This was in terms of the unique landforms present and the key habitat features for threatened species.
The pagodas and associated escarpments have been found to be natural features of special significance by previous review and assessment authorities and are worthy of the highest level of protection.
The Commission issued a statement that confirmed the rejection for the following reasons:
● The proposal poses unacceptable risks to the pagoda structures and escarpments in the vicinity of the open cut pits and above the proposed highwall mining areas.
● The proposal would have significant impact on the pagoda landform complex.
● The site has significant conservation value and is not suitable for the proposed mining, the highest and best use of the area is for conservation.
● And the justification and need for the proposed extensions do not outweigh the environmental costs and impacts of the extension.
Coalpac has said it is extremely disappointed with the outcome and the impact it will have on Lithgow’s mining community.
They will now deal with the fallout of more job losses in the area as the loss of the consolidation project sends the company into liquidation.
