Mudgee Region Community Action: Moratorium on Coal Expansion -UPDATE

The gathering/protest outside the Mudgee Council Chambers tomorrow has been cancelled.

Bev has been contacted by the media tonight and they are unable to be present in the afternoon.  Bev thought it best to completely cancel the gathering rather than changing the time and risk confusion and have people standing around cold and miserable for little gain.

Really sorry for the short notice and inconvenience to those that were planning to go.

Below is what the Environmental Defenders Office’s monthly e-bulletin had to say about tomorrow’s case.

Please note that you are most welcome to sit in on the hearing which starts at 1pm.

Regards

Rob Binks

(MWcan secretary)

EDO case update: Hunter Environment Lobby Inc v Minister for Planning and Ulan Coal Mines Ltd

The EDO, on behalf of the Hunter Environment Lobby Inc, has commenced proceedings in the Land and Environment Court to challenge the merits of the Minister for Planning's approval of certain coal mining activities at the Ulan Coal Mine, located 40 kilometres north of Mudgee. Proceedings have been commenced against the NSW Minister for Planning and Ulan Coal Mines Ltd. The approvals being challenged allow for the consolidation of Ulan's 24 existing development consents into a single planning approval, expansion of its existing underground “longwall” mining operations and new open cut mining operation. These approvals will see a doubling of Ulan's existing approved production rate to up to 20 million tones of coal per year. The mine expansion is predicted to have a significant impact on groundwater, which is expected to take 200 years to recover. It will also result in the clearing of 409 hectares of vegetation, including 69 hectares of endangered ecological communities and habitat for several fauna species. The greenhouse gas emissions from the mine will add approximately 12.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year to the atmosphere, exacerbating global anthropogenic climate change. The grounds of appeal are in relation to groundwater, biodiversity offsets and greenhouse gas emissions and the EDO has engaged experts to give evidence on these matters. A 15 day hearing commenced this week and we will keep you updated with any further developments.