REHABILITATION

IN THE media releases, New Hope Coal CEO paints a rosy picture of New Acland Coal mine’s rehabilitation program.

However this is quite in contrast with New Hope’s plan for stage three, if granted. As stated in their environmental impact statement, their intention, at the end of mining, is to leave open mine pits covering more than 4.5 square kilometres. These pits will permanently draw down ground water on 200 square kilometres of surrounding farm land.

Member Smith, in his recommendation report, went to great lengths to espouse the principles of Intergenerational equity. He stated that land must be left in “as good as or better condition” than when a landholder took possession.

I stated in the recently concluded remittal hearing in the Land Court that an open mine pit collecting stagnant saline water on world class cropping land is of no use to anyone.

New Acland Coal uses its cattle trials to justify claiming that mining and agriculture can co-exist.

In my submission to the Co-ordinator General on the terms of reference for the revised stage 3 in 2013, I stated that the soft bottle tree and vine scrub soils on the cattle trial rehabilitated land site was at the opposite end of the soil spectrum to the heavy poplar box soils on the control site along Lagoon Creek.

New Hope sought advice from an expert from the university resulting in sworn evidence being presented to the Land Court claiming there was no poplar box growing adjacent to the control site.

However in the recent mine inspection tour, I had the tour bus stop at the site so Judge Kingham could observe the poplar box.

New Hope is desperate for public support for stage three so it can pocket half a billion dollars in retained royalties.

NOEL WIECK, Brymaroo