'Open Letter' from the Lithgow Environmental Group to Centennial's recent response in the Lithgow Mercury.
Claims are incorrect - Centennial:
http://www.lithgowmercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/claims-are-incorrect-centennial-coal/2337067.aspx
Open Letter
Centennial’s Environmental Credentials
The response by Centennial’s Katie Brassil (LM 27 Oct) to being fined $1.45million by the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities for damaging the environment, namely the swamps of the Newnes Plateau, is very disappointing.
Ms Brassil tries to make us believe that Centennial’s acceptance of the fine was to save the tax payer money (otherwise spent on a court case) and that “the changes to the swamps are related to the climatic conditions of the area. Well, to prove that point would certainly cost a lot of money.
Ms. Brassil’s statement that “we are committed to minimizing the environmental footprint in the area” has just this week been proven wrong with another case of ‘environmental vandalism’ when Centennial’s Springvale colliery was ‘crowned’ the second biggest mercury polluting operator in NSW (SMH. 22 Oct 2011).
To us it seems obvious that the mining activities under the Newnes Plateau change the hydrology of the area and with that the environment above. Swamps, plants and wildlife are irreversibly affected and the people of Lithgow will suffer from the changes in Lithgow’s water catchment area of Farmers Creek.
Thomas Ebersoll
Lithgow Environment Group
Posted for Fiona
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