Greens Say No New Pits
Newcastle Herald
Monday April 30, 2007
NINE environmental groups will urge Premier Morris Iemma today to stop the expansion of Hunter coalmines and Newcastle's export shipping coal-loader.
The Iemma communique and a co-ordinated action plan aimed to cap the industry's production are scheduled to come from a NSW coal crisis meeting in Sydney this morning.The Greens political party has organised the meeting, which will involve the Nature Conservation Council, Greenpeace, Total Environment Centre, the Wilderness Society, National Parks Association, Climate Change Action Network, Mineral Policy Institute, Friends of the Earth and the Australian Student Environment Network.Greens mining spokeswoman Lee Rhiannon said expanding the coal industry threatened the viability of the Hunter's horse studs, wine industry and tourism and associated employment and investment.She said the meeting was in response to the State Government overlooking widespread community climate change concerns while backing massive coal industry expansion. The campaign would focus on the coal-loader, which Planning Minister Frank Sartor approved before a government-appointed independent panel had a chance to report on it.It would tackle the 10.5 million tonne-a-year Anvil Hill open-cut coalmine proposed for Muswellbrook, which Mr Sartor was expected to approve soon.Ms Rhiannon said that when coal from Anvil Hill was burned it would generate greenhouse gases equal to doubling the number of cars on NSW roads and have significant effects on public health and habitat for a variety of wildlife species.In addition to the loader and Anvil Hill, nine coal companies have announced expansion plans for mines and 12 new pits have been proposed throughout the state.
© 2007 Newcastle Herald