January 2, 2011

Call to suspend Cobbora project

Article in Mudgee Guardian - 31 Dec 2101

Call to suspend Cobbora project

The Nature Conservation Council (NCC) of NSW has lodged a complaint with the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission asking it to investigate potential breaches to competition law arising from the State Government government’s proposed Cobbora Coal Mine project.
The NCC has called on all parties contesting the 2011 State election to rule out establishing the Cobbora coal mine and suspend any coal supply agreement that distorts energy markets by reducing the price of coal.

The $1.3 billion coalmine will supply state?owned power generators with coal
at between $35 to $40 a tonne, well below the export market price of $60 to $70 a tonne.

NCC chief executive officer Pepe Clarke said this was an artificial subsidy for polluting coal?fired power generation.

“The government subsidy of coal prices is a significant barrier to the development and growth of much?needed clean, renewable sources of power such as wind and solar?thermal in NSW,” Mr Clarke said.

“The $1.3 billion would be more wisely invested in making NSW a world?leader in innovative, low emissions power generation, driving economic growth through new jobs and export opportunities for the state.

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