Hume Coal Project Director: Battle for Berrima “generating unnecessary fear and threatening real jobs in our local community”
Published by Claire Cuddihy,
Assistant Editor
World Coal,
The anti-coal action group Battle for Berrima has been pressuring parliamentarians to interfere in the independent planning process for the Hume Coal Project in New South Wales. According to the Hume Coal Project, the most recent petition by the action group not only threatens jobs and businesses in the local community, but all those who rely on mining and the extractive industries, from Lithgow to Goulburn.
Project Director at Hume Coal Project Greig Duncan, said the action group is now making unsubstantiated claims regarding the water impacts of the proposed Hume Coal project to generate fear and worry among the wider community.
Duncan rebutted these claims stating: “As part of the Environmental Impact Statement and Response to Submissions process, Hume Coal undertook comprehensive groundwater modelling and analysis to achieve an in-depth understanding of the region’s groundwater.”
“Hume Coal recognises the importance of the groundwater system for local landowners and businesses, and as such has designed a low-impact underground mine which protects the integrity of the overlying strata and ensures long term sustainability of the local groundwater system.”
Duncan highlighted that the State Government has an independent planning process in place for the assessment of developments such as the Hume Coal project.
“Petitions distributed by local activist groups and debated in parliament hinder the effectiveness of the independent process, while generating unnecessary fear and threatening real jobs in our local community.” The Hume Coal Project is to create 300 full time jobs and is to support the hundreds of local businesses and organisations which support and service the region’s mining industry.
Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/coal/05042018/hume-coal-project-director-battle-for-berrima-generating-unnecessary-fear-and-threatening-real-jobs-in-our-local-community/
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