Submissions to EPA re Margaret River Coal mine

Safe Climate Perth held an action today (9 December 2010) to encourage people to make submissions to the Environmental Protection Authority about the proposed Margaret River Coal mine.

Initially the deadline for submissions was going to have been today but has now been extended until Wednesday 15 December.

Safe Climate members handed over 27 submissions, most of which had been made by members of the public during the course of the (one hour long) action.

The submissions were accepted by the EPA chairperson Paul Vogel, who acknowledged the "high level of community anxiety" about the proposal and said the EPA had got the message loud and clear.

More information about making submissions can be found here.

This action was one of ten actions held as part of Safe Climate's no new coal campaign which will culminate with the climate rally on Saturday 11 December beginning at Wesley Church (cnr William & Hay Sts, Perth City) and proceeding to Stirling Gardens (Supreme Court Gardens).

Safe Climate handed out a fact sheet with the following information at the action.

Margaret River Coal Mine (Vasse Coal Project)

A proposal is before the Environment Protection Authority for a coal mine at Margaret River. The EPA is deciding whether or not to assess the project, and if so, what level of assessment it warrants. The EPA has invited public comment, and because of public interest in the matter, has extended the time for comment until midnight Wednesday December 15th.

The information below has been prepared (at short notice!) to help members of the public to make a submission to the EPA.

Please urge the EPA to stop the project from going ahead at all, or failing that, to set the level of assessment at Assess – public environmental review, to allow public comment and scrutiny.

SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSAL
Where: Osmington Rd, north-west of Margaret River
What: Underground coal mine 100-850m deep passing through the Leederville aquifer. Coal will be of medium quality, the kind used in steel making. The coal will be trucked to Capel for washing and then shipped through the Bunbury port to India and Asia.

Who: Vasse Coal Management Pty Ltd, a joint venture of Vasse Coal Pty Ltd (30%) and South West Coal Pty Ltd (70%).
Annual production: 1.2Mt of coal initially and 20-25 year life span

Estimated annual greenhouse gas emissions: Not known for sure, as there hasn't been a formal assessment. But burning a tonne of black coal produces 2.4 tonnes of greenhouse gases, and coal mining also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions through the fuel used in mining operations, coal-seam methane released as the coal is extracted, energy used in processing and transportation.

Risks and Concerns: Health impacts from coal dust emissions and contamination of drinking water supply, subsidence and changes to the Margaret River catchment area and hydrology, reducing water availability, increased traffic due to trucking of coal, permanent damage to the iconic pristine environment of the Margaret River area.

How can a proponent that says “the environmental impacts resulting from the project, from a design, construction, operation and ultimately closure and rehabilitation perspective, are unlikely to be significant” be trusted?