Conservation Council declares new coal power stations an ‘un-natural disaster’

EPA must rethink its advice on new coal

[Media Release from Conservation Council 24 March 2010]

Western Australia’s peak environment group today
renewed its call for a moratorium on new coal fired power stations in
WA, stating that it had lodged appeals against two EPA reports which
would pave the way for three new coal fired power stations.

Declaring the Bluewater’s and Coolimba power
stations an ‘unnatural disaster’ Conservation Council Director Piers
Verstegen said “The EPA must urgently rethink its advice to government
on new coal fired power stations and carbon pollution.”

The EPA has recommended that Bluewaters III and IV
in Collie, and the Coolimba power station project in Eneabba could go
ahead on the condition that the projects implement Carbon Capture and
Storage (CCS) technology no later than 5 years after it is demonstrated
to be technically and commercially viable.

Mr Verstegen said “In the absence of an emissions
trading scheme or other broad-based economic measure, tackling carbon
pollution is a State Government responsibility.”

“Carbon-capture technology is risky, unproven, and
does not exist in commercial application anywhere else in the world. It
is totally unacceptable for the EPA to suggest that we rely on the hope
and a prayer of carbon capture to address the most significant
environmental, economic and issues we are facing.

“The proponents of the new power stations have
claimed that the facilities will be carbon-capture ready, however there
is no timeframe for when this technology will be implemented, if ever.

“The potential environmental impacts of CCS
technology have not been properly assessed for either of these new
projects, opening up the state to massive liability issues in the future
if the technology does not work.

“Western Australia has an abundance of
cost-effective renewable energy. There is no need to be building new
coal-fired power stations that will create an ongoing pollution legacy
for the future, and transfer the cost of reducing emissions to the rest
of the community.

“Other jurisdictions are treating carbon emissions
as a dangerous pollutant, and yet the WA EPA has so far declined to
invoke its significant pollution control powers to tackle carbon
pollution.”

“Rather than letting these appalling developments
slip through under an outdated and ineffectual policy, Minister Faragher
must now ask the EPA to urgently review it’s advice on new coal-fired
power stations and its carbon pollution policy” Concluded Mr. Verstegen

Comment: Piers Verstegen 0411 557 892