THE NSW Land and Environment Court (LEC) has ruled in favour of Centennial Coal’s Springvale mine in a case against it from a conservation group.
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The decision means the mine is clear to continue operations.
The conservation group, 4nature Inc., filed a summons in the LEC earlier this year seeking to challenge Springvale’s recent mining consent from September last year.
Represented by the Environmental Defender's Office (EDO), 4nature Inc. argued the mine could contaminate Sydney’s drinking water.
EDO claimed the water discharge from the mine would increase salinity in the Cox's River and Warragamba Dam.
Centennial Coal's Executive GM External Affairs, Katie Brassil, said the company maintains all issues with the mine’s consent were dealt with through extensive assessment processes.
“Today’s decision secures the livelihood of our local community while we also continue to supply the State’s electricity needs,” Ms Brassil said.
The decision is yet another chapter in the saga of Springvale Mine. After success at a first Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) hearing in Lithgow discussing Springvale’s proposed extension, the community were dismayed when it transpired that a second hearing was required to take place.
4nature’s case emerged following the second PAC hearing.
4nature and their supporter environmentalist groups were disappointed in the decision.
The case was supported by Blue Mountains Conservation Society, Nature Conservation Council of NSW, Colong Foundation for Wilderness, Lithgow Environment Group, National Parks Association of NSW and the Australian Conservation Foundation.
“4nature will closely review the judgment before deciding if it will lodge an appeal,” said president Andrew Cox.
While environmental groups have long claimed that regulations and processes put in place at Springvale to ensure the environment is protected are not adequate, Centennial has always vehemently denied this suggestion.
“We have always maintained that all issues were appropriately addressed during the most extensive of assessment processes,” said Ms Brassil.
This was the first case to test laws passed in 2009 that were introduced to protect Sydney’s drinking water catchment.
