Upswell of community concern over mining expansion

Media release - Jeremy Buckingham, Greens MP - 18 July 2011

Upswell of community concern over mining expansion

Greens MP and mining spokesperson, Jeremy Buckingham says an organic upswell of community concern over the rapid expansion of mining is the most stringing impression on the first half of his tour of mining affected communities.

The tour has so far taken in the western coal fields of  Capertee Valley, Running Stream, Rylstone and Mudgee; Coal mines at Ulan, Moolarben and Wilpinjong and the rapidly disappearing town of Wollar.  Jeremy has met with residents in Bylong and Bunnan, spoke to hundreds of concerned landowners at the hall in Baerami, Upper Hunter and met with community in Camden Haven and Taree.

"Everywhere I go people are extremely concerned about the rapid expansion of coal and gas and want the government to step in to protect their land and communities," said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

"There is a growing concern that the expansion of mining will not benefit local communities, but in fact wreck them.

"Towns and villages that have been virtually destroyed and swallowed by the mines such as Ulan and Wollar stand as a warning for communities facing mines and gas, such as the Bylong Valley.

"In many places the coal and gas companies are coming in with their large cheque books and dividing the community, picking off land owners one-by-one until the remainder are forced to sell or go - leaving once healthy towns deserted and productive land fallow. 

"It is clear that coal seam gas does yet not have a social licence to operate.  Everywhere I go there is a new local community group that has formed to try to stop the gas company operating in their area.

"When a Greens MP rolls into a small rural village like Bunnan and is met by half the town wearing 'No Gas' t-shirts, you know something big is going on.

"Country NSW is in revolt against the expansion of coal and gas.  They want a future for their community that revolves around agriculture, a healthy environment and a balanced local economy.  They don't want to be swallowed up by a coal mine, their land pockmarked by gas wells or their precious water put under threat," he said.

Jeremy will be touring Gloucester, Stroud, Gunnedah, Bellata, and the Pilliga over the the next few days.

Contact: Max Phillips 0419 444 916

BIG RIGS @ RUNNING STREAM

About twenty concerned landowners turned out to witness the arrival of three big rigs at an open day held yesterday by Centennial Coal at the Running Stream Hall. The rigs were carrying demonstration models of the sort of equipment proposed for use in the company's coal exploration project. An 8.5 tonne  exploration drill, a 9 tonne sump and an equally hefty rod handler were hauled into the grounds shocking many landowners with their size. Project Manager John Sandona (right) and driller James Fleming (left) explained to the gathering how these diesel operated machines work. But many of the people gathered were more concerned about the damage the vehicles did to the carefully maintained Community Hall grounds and could only imagine what similar traffic would do to their own properties.

To date the Association is aware of only one landowner who has signed an access agreement with the coal company. The rest of the owners of the proposed 28 drilling sites have yet to finalise deals and some are considering taking up the call from the Lock The Gate Alliance to deny access.
In a timely coincidence, NSW Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham was doing a tour of the region and stopped by to express his support for landowners, many of whom are feeling overwhelmed by the coal company's activities in the area. Mr Buckingham recently called on Parliament for a moratorium on new coal mines until the full impacts of the industry are assessed.
Mr Buckingham met with locals, including Councillor Esme Martens who is also calling on government to change legislation and include water as a compensable commodity where mining is concerned.
Afterwards Mr Buckingham and his entourage drove up to the top of Mt Vincent where they were most impressed by the stunning views back towards the Capertee Valley. Accompanying them was RSWUA President Jolieske Lips who showed them an example of misplaced development at the site of a power pylon that had to be relocated due to excessive water seepage. In its place is a covered hole full of crystal clear water. This, she predicted, would happen in the case of many of the proposed drilling sites.
Perhaps the battle against coal in this area will be won by water itself?

Helicopter survey by Centennial

Just to alert you to helicopter survey by Centennial, in case you miss the adds in the paper.
40m intervals at height of 40m. You wont miss it!

cheers
Jolieske

 

Posted for Jolieske

EPBC REFERRAL – MT PENNY

The BVPA Needs You! (Or, at least, your emailing ability!) - Mt Penny EPBC Referral

In my last update I advised that – because it will affect critically endangered habitats, along with endangered, threatened and vulnerable animal and plant species – the Mt Penny development needs to be referred to the Federal Environment Minister, Tony Burke.

We are asking that you:

a)      Write to Minister Burke (details below) raising your concerns regarding the proposed development, and
b)      SPREAD THE WORD to any friends, contacts, email lists that you belong to, so that they can also make a submission

PLEASE MAKE YOUR SUBMISSION BY THIS COMING FRIDAY – 15th JULY, 2011

It doesn’t matter if your submission is long or short, detailed or just saying “please don’t approve this development” – EVERY SINGLE INPUT counts. PLEASE make the time to send at least SOMETHING.


·         Source Documentation

For those who like the detail, the full documentation regarding the referral can be found at:

http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/epbc/epbc_ap.pl?name=current_referral_detail&proposal_id=6026

The key referral document is:

http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/epbc/epbc_ap.pl?name=show_document;document_id=44843;proposal_id=6026

The main information regarding threatened habitats and species starts on p18.


·         Reference Number and Address for Submissions

Your submission must identify the project by quoting its reference number and referral title:

Ref No: 2011/6026
Title:  Mt Penny Coal Pty Ltd/Mining/3km north-west of Bylong/NSW/Mt Penny Coal Project

Address to:
Referral Business Entry Point, EIA Policy Section (EPBC Act)
Approvals and Wildlife Division
Department of the Environment

Send to:
Email: epbc.referrals@environment.gov.au
Fax: 02 6274 1789
Post: GPO Box 787
Canberra ACT 2601
Provide your contact details clearly

·         Some Suggested Bullet Points
Here are some key points you might like to include:
o   The Minister for Environment should not approve the Mt Penny coal proposal because it will have significant impact on matters of national environmental significance.
o   In particular:

§  Over 300ha of the critically endangered White Box-Yellow Box-Blakely's Red Gum Grassy

§  Woodland and Derived Native Grassland ecological community will be cleared

§  5 endangered Regent Honeyeaters were recorded on the site

§  An endangered Spotted-tailed Quoll was recorded on the site

§  A new sub-population of the vulnerable Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby was recorded in the area

§  Habitat of the vulnerable Large-eared Pied Bat and South-eastern Long-eared bat will be destroyed

§   8,800 specimens of the vulnerable shrub Ozothamnus tesselatus will be cleared

§  The open cut mine will directly impact 1454.54ha affecting surface water and groundwater systems

If you have any questions or would like any clarification on anything, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Again, EVERY SINGLE INPUT counts.
Thanks in advance for your help…


CRAIG
- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Craig Shaw
Interim Secretary
Bylong Valley Protection Alliance

Phone:
  (0411) 101988

Email:
  bylongmining@craigshaw.com.au

Websites:
  www.bvpa.org.au

New policy provides no real change to aquifier use

The Bylong Valley Protection Alliance has said interim aquifer interference regulation launched by the NSW government on Monday will not have much meaning.
The interim regulation provides a three megalitre per year cap before a water licence is needed for minerals and petroleum exploration.

The state government also removed a previous exemption allowing holders of aquifer interference approval to take water without a licence.

Minister for Primary Industries, Katrina Hodgkinson, said those that hold this approval will now be subject to standard water licensing procedures.

However Bylong Valley Protection Alliance interim president Peter Grieve said the new regulation would not change anything.

“It [full aquifer regulation] will depend on the aquifer studies,” he said.

Ms Hodgkinson said the regulation was an important step for the NSW Government and allows the wider community some breathing space while proper consultation is undertaken.

She said that the new rules would not be retrospective and would apply to any new enterprises from 1 July. Mr Grieve described this as “reasonable”.

The minister said it is important to allow the community adequate time for consultation while the government develops the aquifer interference policy.

“The new policy will form a vital part of the NSW Government’s focus on strategic regional land use and will enable us to balance the competing needs of the environment, mining and agricultural sectors,” she said.

“The community is clearly concerned about the impacts of mining and coal seam on groundwater resources and this new regulation gives us greater control.

“The NSW Government is determined to find a balance between farmers, industry and the environment when it comes to rural land use, and this new regulation, along with the proposed policy, are two key steps in what will be a long process.”

NSW Farmers’ view:

NSW Farmers’ Mining Chair Fiona Simson said the state government appears to be listening to community concerns about the need to protect aquifers from potential contamination.

“Community concern, as demonstrated last week in Moree, shows people are concerned about the possibility of long term damage that could result from unchecked mining and gas industries,” she said.

“We look forward to a permanent framework which will determine how aquifer interference approvals are managed under the Water Management Act 2000.”

NSW Farmers’ is a key participant in the state government’s reference group, which is helping develop the final policy and regulation.

Source:  Mudgee Guardian - The Weekly

“I’m now worried about Rylstone as a future target for mining companies.”

Source:  Mudgee Guardian - The Weekly

Read full article

Inglenook Exploration Project Drilling Equipment Open Day

PUBLIC NOTICE

Centennial Coal would like to advise all landholders in the Inglenook Exploration Project area and interested stakeholders that we will hold a Community Open Day in relation to the drilling equipment to be used in the Inglenook Exploration Project Drilling Programme, including an exhibit of the equipment.

The Open Day is scheduled to be held at the Running Stream Community Hall at the following time:

•    Thursday, 14th July 2011 – from 10am to 3 pm 

Light refreshments will be provided.




John Sandona 

Project Manager 

INGLENOOK EXPLORATION PROJECT

Posted for Jolieske

Mid-West group calls for wider study on mining impacts

The Mid-Western Community Action Network (MWCAN) has called for a more wide-ranging study on the effects of mining proposals in the Mid-Western Region.

Council last week considered a draft consultancy brief for a study to be funded by the Department of Planning and Infrastructure, to look at the effects of mining on local and regional infrastructure in the Mudgee region.

The study will look at the how proposed mines will identify which additional services will be needed to cater for growth resulting from mining projects.

Speaking at council’s open day, MWCAN spokesman Chris Pavich said the study area should include the villages of Lue, Rylstone, Kandos, Charbon, Clandulla, Ilford and Bylong, all of which were already significantly affected by coal mining or were likely to be affected.

Mr Pavich said the study should also look the effects of limestone, rhyolite, dolomite, and magnetite mining in addition to coal mining. He also called for the effect on rail and air transport to be included in the brief as well as roads.

The study brief should include increased use of the airport, and the effect of increased use of the rail corridor on village such as Lue, Charbon and Kandos, he said.

Mr Pavich said expansion of mining would also have a significant impact on Rural Fire Service (RFS) recruitment in areas such as Wollar.

Although mines relied on the RFS to provide fire fighting services, the number of volunteers available was falling as permanent residents moved away from areas such as Wollar.

Mines’ demand for water was also likely to affect he entire region, he said.

“Libraries, sports, and children should all be mentioned in the consultancy brief,” he said.

“We also need to think about liveability in the region in 30 years time when the mines are done with us.”

Mr Pavich asked that the MWCAN, Mudgee Business Association, Kandos and Rylstone business groups, Mudgee District Environment Group, Running Street Water Users Association be included in consultation as part of the study.

A report to the Mid-Western Regional Council has also supported the inclusion of Gulgong, Rysltone and Kandos in the study.

Council deferred adoption of the consultancy brief to consider MWCAN’s comments 

 Source:  Mudgee Guardian 20 Jun 2011

See also:  Ulan, Wollar residents address mine case hearing

Nell Schofield speaks on our environment

Source:  CVA blog & THE WEEKLY

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.

Basin mining and CSG recommendations should apply across the State.

The same rigorous rules recommended for mining and coal seam gas developments in the Murray-Darling Basin should apply across the whole of New South Wales. That’s the view of members of key community, water and environmental groups who gathered at a region-wide meeting in Rylstone on the weekend.

Their call comes after the release of the report ‘Of droughts and flooding rains’ (http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/ra/murraydarling/report.htm), handed down by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Australia, after its inquiry into the impact of Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

The report, released last week by the Committee’s chair, Tony Windsor, makes numerous recommendations aimed at limiting any adverse impacts by mining and gas developments on water.

These include ensuring that “no mining activities are approved that impact water resources” until  such time as these impacts “are fully understood and able to be mitigated”, and seeing relevant legislation and regulations in place “as a matter of urgency”, to ensure the “long-term health and productivity” of water resources.

“What Tony Windsor and his fellow committee members are saying is that water is too precious a resource to be wrecked by mining and coal seam gas extraction. This is what we’ve been saying all along,” said Jolieske Lips, President of the Running Stream Water Users Association (RSWUA), one of the groups represented at the Rylstone meeting.

Peter Grieve, Interim President of the Bylong Valley Protection Alliance (BVPA) agreed: “We have been of the view for a long time now that no development should take place without a full and rigorous understanding of how local water systems work in total – and we just do not have that information available.

“Going in blind – or even half-blind – is just asking for trouble,” he said. “That’s why we’ve petitioned the NSW Government for a proper water study before any further development decisions are taken.”

Rylstone District Environment Society President, Rado Marjanac and Barbara Hickson, President of the Mid-Western Community Action Network both put the view that there was no reason the same approach shouldn’t be applied across the remainder of NSW.

“It’s the same industries and the same issues – and the same very sensible recommendations by the Committee should apply everywhere. The idea that less stringent standards might apply just over the range in the Upper Hunter makes no sense at all.”

The Rylstone gathering was the first of what is planned to be an ongoing series of collaboration and strategy development between the ever-growing number of groups in the region and surrounding areas concerned about mining and coal seam gas.

Media spokesperson for the Mudgee District Environment Group, Bev Smiles, said the meeting was all about “working smarter, not harder”.

“There is such a groundswell of interest that new groups are being formed all the time. We need to help ensure that we all have a good idea of what each other is doing so that, collectively, we have as big an impact as possible.”

Community Action against coal mining expansion - outside Council in Mudgee 1.30pm Friday 10 June

Date: Sun, 5 Jun 2011 21:29:21 +1000
From: bevsmiles@bigpond.com
To:
Subject: Community Action against coal mining expansion - outside Council in Mudgee 1.30pm Friday 10 June

Please circulate this notice to your networks and contact as many people as possible to make the most of this opportunity.

Mudgee Region Community Action: Moratorium on Coal Expansion
1.30pm outside the Council building in Mudgee, Market St
Bring friends and family, banners, signs, identify your group/area/mine proposal, help make a large crowd.

The Land and Environment Court case appealing the Ulan Mine expansion is in Mudgee on Friday 10 June.

The media will be following the case. This is an opportunity to highlight the number of areas in the Shire threatened by coal mining expansion. A large crowd will show we are serious.

For more information contact Bev Smiles 0428 817 282

The march of the methane-mongers

Sharon Munro has another interesting post on her Blog and says:

"As the gas leaks and bubbles, and the contaminants creep into the falling water sources and the salt accumulates, as people itch at strange rashes, hold their heads with strange aches, or their stomachs with strange nausea attacks, and worry if they are drinking cancer-causing chemicals from the fracturing process or breathing them in from the gas flares — the coal seam gas (CSG) industry continues to advance across Australia. Gasland is here. Angus lives at Tara, hotspot of the Queensland methane push, and where residents had been complaining since 2008 about leaking gas wells and the dumping of CSG water on roads. (Photo: Courier-Mail 21.10.2010)"

"You cannot stop this gas rush once you have let them in to test and prove the gas reserves.  But you can refuse right at the start, lock the gate, put up a sign and say ‘NO’ as thousands are now doing, one way or another, with the Lock the Gate national alliance of over 90 groups, and hundreds of individuals, from all walks of life. I am one."

See full post here.

EDO free mining law workshop - Rylstone

State freezes exploration licences for new mining

Capertee Valley Alliance Inc. post: "A 60-DAY freeze on new exploration licences for coal, coal seam gas and petroleum has been announced by the NSW government in a push to resolve the escalating conflict between farmers, miners and conservationists over land use. click here to read the SMH article."

Invitation - Coal Mining and the Community Forum 20 May

A strategy for coal mining in NSW is currently under consideration by the NSW Government. Come to the Coal Mining and the Community forum and help set the agenda for effective policies and governance of coal mining.

The forum will be held on Friday 20 May 2011, between 9.00 am and 4.00 pm at the Singleton Senior Citizen¹s Centre, Bathurst St, Singleton.

See flier and registration form.

MINING LAW IN NSW - free workshop at Mudgee - REMINDER

Communities in Control Conference 2011

Australia's not going to reform itself. Let's get moving, today, together. Book now and find out how at the Communities in Control Conference

Just a quick reminder that the Communities in Control Conference is less than a month away. Don't miss out on the annual conference that is the first and last word on grassroots leadership. This year's theme is 'Our Changing Communities and Community Organisations' and we've got some fantastic speakers, thinkers and doers lined up, including, but not limited to:


SIMON MCKEON - 2011 Australian of the Year;
MARK SCOTT - Managing Director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC);
MIRIAM LYONS - Executive Director, Centre for Policy Development;
ELIZABETH BRODERICK - Sex Discrimination Commissioner and Commissioner responsible for Age Discrimination;
LINDA LAVARCH - Chair of the Australian Government's Not-for-Profit Sector Reform Council;
HUGH MACKAY - Australia's greatest psychologist, social researcher and writer on what makes us tick;
PHIL RUTHVEN - Founder & Chairman, IBISWorld telling us what is around the corner in numbers and trends; and
JUST ANNOUNCED - SHARAN BURROW - General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, delivering the Inaugural Joan Kirner Social Justice Oration.
The only way to change things is at the grassroots. Find out how at the Communities in Control Conference on May 30 & 31, 2011

VENUE:
Moonee Valley Racing Club
Members Gate 1, McPherson Street, Moonee Ponds, Melbourne VIC

PRICE:
Conference only: $298 (GST inclusive)
Pre-Conference Skills Day - Women Achieving And Flourishing: $145 (GST inclusive)
Combined Conference and Pre-Conference Skills Day: $425 (GST inclusive)

FURTHER INFORMATION:
www.ourcommunity.com.au/cic2011 and see attached brochure.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS ON TO COLLEAGUES AND COMMUNITY GROUPS.

Submission on the NSW Coal & Gas Strategy by National Trust

Conclusion

 
It appears to the Trust and to the community at large that, in recent years, gas and coal exploration licences and approvals for mining and gas production have been issued with few restrictions or restraints and this has led to a major community backlash across NSW. Dealing with many of these development proposals as State Significant Developments has largely “locked-out” community input via local government authorities, yet the adverse impacts of these developments are primarily felt at the local level.

There is a perception also that mining companies (and their investors) are in a rush to exploit as much coal reserves as possible before climate change issues force coal mining to be abandoned and that this headlong rush is both risky and ill-considered. Mining companies must be held accountable into the long-term for any on-going adverse effects of their activities.

The NSW Coal and Gas Strategy has the potential to properly identify these concerns and to recommend appropriate guidelines and restrictions to ensure that these industries are not given an environmental carte blanche but are forced to address the long-term and indirect costs of their production, which to date have been typically borne by individuals and local communities.

Development approvals for coal and gas extraction should only be determined following full regard to all foreseeable environmental, heritage, community, social and competing-use impacts. Competing use impacts are particularly relevant, as coal and gas extraction and processing industries have significant potential to sterilise land for alternative uses for many years, if not indefinitely.

The Trust makes the following recommendations in regard to the formulation of an ecologically sustainable NSW Coal and Gas Strategy:

1.    Any coal mining in sensitive areas must, at the very least, utilise lower impact methods for coal extraction, rather than Longwall methods, and extensive areas of subsidence protection zones should be established.

2.    Longwall coal mining must not be permitted beneath Landscape Conservation Areas, protected water catchment areas, rivers, streams, creeks or wetlands.

3.    Neither longwall coal mining nor coal seam gas production should be permitted where there is any risk of damage or pollution of subterranean aquifers.

4.    Reported damage to heritage values during ongoing mining operations must result in reviews of those operations to determine the impacts and put in place less-damaging alternatives.

5.    Open-cut mining must not be allowed to threaten the destruction of whole towns, with their built fabric and social values, prime agricultural land or recognised heritage landscapes.

6.    Gas production facilities must not be sited within, nor impact upon, prime agricultural land, recognised heritage landscapes or within protected water catchment areas.

7.    The Community and their local government representatives must be kept fully informed and briefed on all gas and coal exploration activities and the scope of existing mining leases throughout the State.

8.    Before agreeing to any further exploration or mining leases or renewal of such leases, full environmental impact assessments and social impact assessments need to be undertaken and placed on exhibition for community comment.

The Trust recognises that economic factors tend to dominate any considerations relating to mining activities. The Trust would make the point that, if the only way that mining (or any activity) can be profitable is by utilising environmentally or socially unacceptable practices, then these industries are simply unprofitable.

Read full Report

Bylong petitions for protection from mines

Article in Mudgee Guardian - 02 May, 2011

Bylong Valley Protection Alliance (BVPA) is petitioning to have the valley declared a place of national significance to protect it from potential mining for coal, semi-precious minerals and coal seam gas.

 

BVPA interim president Jodi Nancarrow told a Rylstone District Environment Group (RDEG) meeting on Thursday that the group hoped to present Member for Upper Hunter George Souris with the petition in May and had already collected close to 500 signatures.

“We want the Bylong Valley to be a no go area for mining,” she said.

Ms Nancarrow said only state legislation could prevent the spread of mining across prime agricultural land such as the Bylong Valley and surrounding region.

She urged those at the meeting to exercise “people power”, work together and speak out about their concerns.
“It’s not just here, it’s everywhere,” she said. 

“There is no point in getting cranky with the people who work for the mining company or even the mining companies,” she said.

‘We have to get the government to change their mind – we need mandatory laws, not guidelines.” 

The BVPA is lobbying for changes including better consultation with communities and a ban on the trading of exploration licenses between companies.

“Community liaison, clear and transparent dialogue – they [the mining companies] talk about it all the time, but I’ve never come across it myself,” Ms Nancarrow said. 

The RDEG meeting was called to inform residents about mining proposals around the Rylstone district.

The audience viewed a segment from 60 Minutes on coal seam gas mining in Queensland and an excerpt from the US documentary Gasland.

Running Stream Water Users Association (RSWUA) president Jolieske Lips outlined the Centennial Coal’s Inglenook project for mining in the Mt Vincent area.

Ms Lips said Centennial Coal had three exploration licences across the Inglenook project area.

“There is a strong possibility that we are looking at open cut mining at Ilford, which would be a lovely introduction to a scenic area,” she said.

Expansion of existing mining at Kandos, and mining around Clandulla and Rystone were also possibilities, she said. 

Ms Lips said the RSWUA was trying to ensure affected landowners worked together.

“It’s really important to talk to your neighbours,” she said.

“In areas where people have gone their own way, the difference in compensation has been in the order of 10 times.

“You cannot stop people from coming onto your land [to explore], but there is a distinct process that should happen.” 

Ms Lips said the RSWUA was looking for a solicitor with a background in access agreements and the Mining Act willing to act pro bono (without charge) on behalf of local residents.

“We have approached big firms that do pro bono but we are told ‘sorry, conflict of interest’,” she said.