The New South Wales government announced amendments to the special conditions of BHP’s exploration licence, preventing the company from applying for a mining lease that includes longwall mining underneath the deep alluvial irrigation aquifers, and longwall or open cut mining underneath the floodplains.
“This will ensure that community fears are comprehensively addressed,” Macdonald said.
“The exploration process can also proceed to evaluate the viability of the resources so that a development application can be submitted for public consultation and assessment.”
The announcements, however, weren’t enough to drown out the continued protestations of the Caroona Coal Action Group.
Group spokesperson Tim Duddy said he did not see the decision in the same light as BHP and the minister.
“I see it as a completely deceptive snow job by the mining industry and the NSW state government jointly,” he told International Longwall News.
“The NSW state government has intentionally put language together to try and appease the community and this community is simply not going to wear it.”
Duddy said that he welcomed the fact BHP had contributed money to the government-commissioned water study and that it had agreed not to put up a mining proposal until the independent study was completed.
However, he also said the local community’s stance would not change until the floodplain was removed from BHP’s and China Shenhua’s exploration licences to statutorily prohibit their use of the land.
When asked if the blockade by farmers attempting to keep BHP from carrying out its exploration program would remain, Duddy remained defiant.
“Absolutely; and I would say not only remain but increase if they don’t soon do something towards addressing this situation,” he said.
“This community is not interested in allowing anyone access to do any form of exploration.”
Duddy indicated that the local community would not be appeased until BHP had statutorily removed itself from the floodplain.
“That’s what we need and that’s what we have asked for now for two-and-a-half years,” he said.
“We have got a statement that says we are not intending to longwall or open cut mine on the floodplain.
“So they are still intending to explore there and take core samples of coal.
“I mean they are not interested in water resources by taking core samples of coal under a floodplain.”
