Centennial Coal has refuted claims by the Colong Foundation for Wilderness about their proposal for an Angus Place Extension Project which was put on public exhibition recently.
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The submission which is proposing to mine under the Newnes Plateau, has made some changes to the original mine design to minimise surface impacts which include:
- Reducing the number of longwalls from 19 to 15
- Reducing the lengths of longwalls to provide an offset of at least 1000m from the adjacent Gardens of Stone National Park
- Shortening longwalls to avoid undermining Trail 6 Swamp
- Reduced overall footprint
- Consistent longwall widths of 350m wide
The proposal seeks to extend the life of the mine to December 31, 2053 and increase its project application area from 10,460 hectares to 10,551 hectares.
According to the submission further mine design changes to this project is also proposing:
- The transfer of coal to the Springvale pit top using underground conveyors, once longwall extraction commences, reducing the requirement for haul road use and therefore the impact on local residents.
- No water will be discharged from site by piping it to the Springvale Water Treatment Facility for beneficial reuse by Mt Piper Power Station.
Placed on 'care and maintenance' in 2015 and supported by a small team Angus Place has been maintained, whilst also continuing to meet safety and environmental regulations, to enable it to reopen when Springvale's reserves are exhausted in 2023.
"The 33 year coal mine life extension sought by Centennial Coal will help ensure life on the planet is cooked by climate change," Colong Foundation executive director Keith Muir said.
"This attempt to grandfather a coal mine approval must be thrown out."
In a report to the Lithgow Mercury The Colong Foundation for Wilderness said they object to this proposed Angus Place mine extension due to the following impacts:
- Five endangered swamps and the wonderful fields of boronia and other wildflowers in those swamps will be destroyed - (TriStar, Twin Gully, Birds Rock, Crocodile and Trail 6 will be hydraulically impacted by the mine);
- Key populations of nationally listed animals - the blue mountains water skink and the giant dragonfly - will also be lost due to the swamp damage;
- Water flows in the Wolgan River that pass through the World Heritage Area and over Wolgan Fall will be diminished, and Carne Creek will also lose its pristine flows - (Carne Creek is a key feature of the One and Only Wolgan Resort, eroding its green cachet);
- The "protected" Birds Rock Flora Reserve shall be undermined, and this spectacular rock formation shall be fractured;
- Cliffs will collapse and pagoda rock formations cracked in the mining area; and
- Grandfathering the Angus Place mine is a transparent attempt to block social adaptation to climate change by locking in coal consumption.
"The proposed Angus Place Extension Project will provide continuity of coal supply to Mt Piper Power Station and future employment for our Springvale workforce," Centennial Coal's Executive GM of External Relations, Katie Brassil said.
"Employing up to 450 people and mining up to 4.5 million tonnes annually the Angus Place Extension Project's life will be consistent with the life of Mt Piper Power Station and will represent another generation of economic stability for our Lithgow community."
Mr Muir said that once the coal industry is gone, Lithgow will wonder why it did not do more to protect its cultural and natural assets of the Gardens of Stone region.
This is the last big mine proposal in the region, and more needs to be done to protect the natural environment than the steps Centennial has so far made", he said.
"Angus Place mine proposes to send up to 30 megalitres of mine water a day that it will drain from Newnes Plateau to the new Springvale Water Treatment Plant that will service the water needs of the Mt Piper Power Station.
"This water management and the offset money for heritage damage can not compensate for the loss of national and international heritage."
Lithgow Environment Group fully supports the Colong Foundation for Wilderness objection on all the issues listed for the current Angus Place amended modification mine extension.
What do you think?
Ciara Bastow
Hi! I'm Ciara and I've been working as a journalist for a number of years now, covering everything ranging from council, human interest stories, community news and sport. Got a story? Email me at ciara.bastow@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Hi! I'm Ciara and I've been working as a journalist for a number of years now, covering everything ranging from council, human interest stories, community news and sport. Got a story? Email me at ciara.bastow@austcommunitymedia.com.au
