News

Rocglen Fine Reduced

Rocglen mine pollution fine reduced due to “good character” of Whitehaven… but Court did not hear the full story … Rocglen Mine, situated on the floodplain with the Nandewar Ranges to the east (top) and Vickery State Forest to the west (left of pic) Pic courtesy of Wando Conservation and Cultural Centre Inc, Maules Creek. The NSW Land and Environment Court has decided the case of Environment Protection Authority v Whitehaven Coal Mining Ltd [2019] NSWLEC 27, a prosecution of the Rocglen Coal mine over a blasting violation from 2016. Whitehaven Coal Mining…continue reading →

Ferris Consulting starts recruiting for non-existent Senior Roles at Whitehaven Coal

Advertisement in the Australian newspaper (160319) Whitehaven Coal has undermined confidence in the NSW planning system in relation to the proposed Vickery Coal Hub project near Gunnedah, by starting recruitment for three senior positions in the proposed megamine complex on the Namoi River. The company has pre-judged the NSW IPC by engaging Brisbane-based Ferris Psychologists to recruit the executives “subject to Federal and State approvals, construction expected to begin as early as early as 2020”. The characteristically audacious job advertisement for the non-existent top jobs contradicts reports by commodities analysts FN Arena @fnarena…continue reading →

EXPIRED Petroleum Titles and Applications (NSW) Current as at 1 May 2018

This is a map detailing the expired petroleum titles in NSW. The impacted communities have been calling for these titles to be cancelled for many years. Santos is on record saying they have no plans to drill for gas on the Liverpool Plains. There has been no gas exploration activity in eleven of these twelve PELs for years and yet the Gov will not cancel them under the 'Use it or Lose it'.  https://resourcesandgeoscience.nsw.gov.au/miners-and-explorers/applications-and-approvals/current-titles-reports-applications-and-services/title-status-reports/Petroleum-TitlesCurrent-2018-05.pdf Minister Harwin was questioned on the issue in parliament by Jeremy Buckingham MP. The MINIMUM STANDARDS AND MERIT ASSESSMENT…continue reading →
NSW Department of Planning reveals Whitehaven plans for Major Coal Hub

NSW Department of Planning reveals Whitehaven plans for Major Coal Hub

The NSW Department of Planning has inadvertently revealed to the world a fact that Whitehaven Coal would rather not admit. Contrary to claims by CEO Paul Flynn, the so-called Vickery Extension Project going before the NSW Independent Planning Commission is not a mere “extension” of an existing coal mine. It is in reality a plan for a brand new, major coal hub that will include not only the 10 Million Tonnes Per Annum megamine, a 13 Million Tonnes Per Annum Coal Handling and Processing Plant (CHPP) which will import coal from other mines,…continue reading →

A Short History of Fracking in the Pilliga Forest

It’s the hour before sunrise in the Pilliga forest, it’s cool and the stars cover the forest like a blanket, it’s quiet mostly, the occasional truck belts down the Newell not seeing the scars left by gas company Eastern Star Gas and their cowboy fracker contractors who held no regard for the sacred Biliga. The Pilliga forest is the largest inland forest in New South Wales, an iconic Australian landscape offering rugged beauty on a grand scale, 3,000 km² of semi-arid woodland sits atop the recharge zone of the Great Artesian Basin, it’s…continue reading →

Whitehaven Coal’s Planned New Mine at Boggabri

The NSW Environmental Protection Authority has slammed many aspects of Whitehaven’s proposed Vickery mine. Having assessed the Vickery Environmental Impact Statement, the regulator believes the air emissions inventory is not transparent and there is not enough information provided. Cumulative noise impacts from surrounding coal mines are not correctly assessed. The EPA has also called on the company to review the rail noise impact assessment and criticised Whitehaven for failing to take into account worst case climatic conditions. Additionally, the EPA stated in relation to the “final void”, the unfilled mine pit Whitehaven Coal…continue reading →