Whitehaven’s proposed expansion of its Vickery coal mine has been slammed by Barwon MP Kevin Humphries as “not acceptable by any standards”.
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The political smack down comes as the NSW government investigates claims that Whitehaven Coal employees told landowners the company was being pressured by the government to mine beyond its current approval.
Mr Humphries told The NVI “I do not support the extension of the Vickery coal mine”.
“A 10 million tonne coal mine operating adjacent – less than 500 metres – to the Namoi River is not acceptable by any standards,” Mr Humphries said.
“Whilst technically not a floodplain, typographically the area proposed is directly placed within the floodplain and will have an impact.”
A Whitehaven spokesman said the Environmental Impact Statement for the Vickery Project would address all the potential risks.
Mr Humphries said there were “more appropriate” sites for coal mines that were less contentious and risky than the Vickery extension.
“Agricultural land use and water resources are far more complex in nature [in the Namoi Valley] than other valleys, which dictates where and under what circumstances extractive industries such as coal mining should be allowed. I foresee further issues with the plan to relocate additional infrastructure from Gunnedah and the construction of an overhead rail via duct and river crossing over floodplain and farming country.”
Boggabri Farming and Community Group spokesman David Watt said the farming community was buoyed by Mr Humphries’ support.
“I don’t think he’ll be alone,” he said.
“It’s such a no-brainer, once it comes across the desk of other politicians, they’ll form the same opinion.
“The pollution risk to the river is obvious – it’s happened in Queensland, Lithgow and the Hunter Valley. You can’t have a mine that close to a river.”
James Barlow shares an eight kilometre boundary with the proposed extension, with his property running down to the banks of the Namoi River. He and other farmers are concerned about the proposed railway accompanying the development, that would cut through 12 kilometres of floodplain.
“There are fears about how it could change flood water levels, and what the impact something that big will have up and downstream, and on Boggabri itself”" Mr Barlow said.
“Why risk why such a beautiful value resource for the sake of a bit more coal?”