December 21, 2016
The Kingaroy Concerned Citizens Group has welcomed the inclusion of extra conditions on Moreton Resources’ proposed Kingaroy coal mine.
On Wednesday, the KCCG said the group had made 31 recommendations about the draft Terms Of Reference for the mine’s Environmental Impact Statement in a 127-page submission to the State Government, and appreciated the inclusion of some of these in the final document.
However, the KCCG believes it will need to continue campaigning for extra measures to safeguard community health.
KCCG spokesperson John Dalton said the proposed mine was upwind of Kingaroy and so close to town he thought it would be surprising if the government ever approved it.
“The probability of health impacts from dust in the air and in tank drinking water is considerable,” Mr Dalton said.
“So is the problem of having a mine with chemically unstable overburden in the town’s water supply catchment.”
The KCCG believes the mine would pose such a risk to community health that pre-mining baseline community health data should be included in the Environmental Impact Statement.
“This would be needed in the event that predicted problems with the mine lead to legal action by the local community,” Mr Dalton said.
“Pre-mining health data would be essential information to have in order to prove the anticipated health effects, and we will continue to request this be considered by government.”
Some of the measures the KCCG have asked the EIS to address include:
- Dust in drinking water from tanks
- Drying of bore water supplies
- Loss of valuable cropping land
- The stability of soils, contaminants and overburden in the Kingaroy town water catchments
- The quality of community engagement by the company
- The likely effect of the mine on property prices
Related articles:
- Moreton Starts Mine Approval Process
- KCCG To Make Mine Submission
- Moreton Applies For Mining Licence
- Greens Back Kingaroy Mine Protest
- KCCG Calls For Coal Permit Buyback
- Elks To Resign As Moreton CEO
- Another Step For Moreton Resources
- KCCG Demands Pre-Mining Health Tests
- Crowd Votes Down Mine … Again
- Moreton Faces $8m Tax Bill
- KCCG To Hold Second Anti-Mine Forum
- KCCG Plans Second Forum
- Nannas Take To The Highway
- Kingaroy Coal Mine To Require Federal Approval
- Moreton Looks For Silver Lining
- Between A Rock And Taabinga Village
- Moreton Re-issues Update
- Market Awaits Moreton News
- Moreton Predicts 400-600 Jobs At Mine
- Airport Blocks Cut From Coal Permit
- KCCG Rejects Phone Poll
- Phone Poll Backs Mine: Moreton
- Moreton Takes Mining Plan Out To The People
- KCCG Will Speak To Council
- Nannas Knit Against Mine
- KCCG Meets With State Government
- Coal Mine Fight Spreads
- Moreton Resources Unveils Mine Partner
- Meetings To Discuss Mine
- Moreton Plans To Start Seeking Permits
- Moreton’s Coal ‘Too Expensive’
- Kingaroy Coal Mine? No Way!
- Public Meeting To Discuss Coal Mine
- Stanwell Still Says ‘No’
- Moreton Releases Mine Study Results
- Moreton Resources Eyes Rail Link
- Moreton Buys More Resources
- Mining CEO Talks To Council
- KCCG Sees No Future For Mine
- Green Light For ‘Next Step’
- Moreton Board To Consider ‘Next Step’
- Moreton Resources Splits Off South Burnett Holdings
- Moreton Resources Extends Licence
- Controversial UCG Plant Vanishes
- UCG Plant Starts To Disappear
- Moreton To Begin Mine Concept Study
- Moreton Responds To MP’s Comments
- Moreton Aims To Press On
- Stanwell ‘Rejecting Billions In Savings’
- Stanwell Rules Out Moreton Coal
- ‘Enough Coal For 30-Plus Years’
- Concept Study Next Step For Proposed Coal Mine
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- Coal Mine Review Delayed To July
I do not like that the mine will take good agricultural land. However, much of the South Burnett’s agricultural land is currently under-utilised. The loss of 600ha (6sqkm) of land is by no means desirable, yet when a considerable portion of that land is planted eucalyptus, not top quality agricultural land you just can’t make a clear completely unbiased decision (if your for or against the mine).
I feel so much for landowners that will lose land, I have friends that have lost land in other projects, but if the company offers suitable compensation it at least dampens the pain.
All I really want to see is a railway from Acland near Oakey to Theebine near Gympie. It could go through the South Burnett, allowing freight trains a quicker route to the Port of Gladstone. However, Moreton Resources does need to undertake a rigorous Environmental Impact Statement, and if approved still has a long way to go. The economic impact will also be enormous, 500 new jobs in the mine and on the railway (not including construction).
The project boundary is also 5km out of town (from the nearest residences in Kingaroy), which is not far (as an asthmatic I have my concerns about dust), yet the mine is still outside of the Mining Restricted Area surrounding Kingaroy and Taabinga Village. Ultimately the results of the Environmental Impact Statement will carry the biggest verdict: if we get a mine or not.
I think that the community needs further information from Moreton Resources, the Department of State Development and opposition to make their own completely unbiased opinion. Remember that it can be easy to just say no, when you have not got 100% of the facts; projects will evolve all the time.