Coal news and updates

Camberwell Ashton Coal case opens

Camberwell residents and the Hunter environment lobby have opened their case in the Land and Environment Court against the NSW government’s approval of Ashton Coal’s South East open cut mine.

There is ‘‘fundamental disagreement’’  between the NSW government, Ashton Coal, Camberwell residents and environmentalists about the benefits of the Ashton Coal South East open cut project, Justice Nicola Pain was told on Monday.
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The parties disagreed on three major issues, barrister Rob White, for the environment lobby, said.

These were the scope of the cost-benefit analysis, coal price projections relied upon by Ashton, and the cost of the environmental impacts which arise outside the project site as a result of the development.

Justice Pain was told the vast majority of the economic benefits of the mine operation would go overseas, with only 17per cent of the economic benefits remaining in NSW.

Justice Pain was told she was not bound by the conclusions reached by the government, the director-general for planning, or the Planning Assessment Commission when they approved the mine in the past.

Mr White argued the appeal brought by the environment lobby and Camberwell residents was about the merits of the application, and the Land and Environment Court would be rehearing the merits of the coal project.

The court would hear evidence that air quality, noise and water would be severely affected if the mine was approved.
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Seven properties would be affected by ‘‘unacceptable’’ air quality and noise impacts.

The hearing continues in Sydney.

Source: www.theherald.com.au