DESPITE the State government's assurances, landholders remain opposed to the mine, fearing impacts groundwater and farmland.
Shenhua’s massive open cut Watermark mine, located in the ridge country above the black soil of the Liverpool Plains will be one of the most ambitious new projects undertaken in recent years. It is also one of the most controversial.
Planning Minister Pru Goward backed the approval and said the agricultural and water impacts of proposed mining projects are “thoroughly examined” in the approval process.
“This project has been subject to one of the most comprehensive, transparent, and scientifically rigorous assessments in the State’s history," Ms Goward said.
“The assessment included a robust assessment of water impacts by various experts, including the PAC’s independent expert, Dr Mackie, who reviewed groundwater modelling at both the review and determination stages of the assessment."
Greens mining spokesman Jeremy Buckingham said Watermark’s approval was a “disaster” for the Liverpool Plains.
“The mine threatens some of the most fertile soils and best water resources in Australia.
“The Nationals came to power four years ago promising to protect strategic agricultural land from the threat of mining, but this approval shows they have comprehensively failed.”
Groundwater
Shenhua predicted minimal impacts to groundwater, but farmers questioned the reliability of the studies presented to the PAC.
Watermark's Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) said the mine pit would leave a suitable buffer, 150 metres, from the black soil plains.
The EIS also said the mine pit would not come closer than 900m to the nearest agricultural bore in the highly productive Gunnedah groundwater formation.
Head of Caroona Coal Action Group and local landowner Tim Duddy, challenged the mine’s projected impacts and the studies commissioned by the PAC.
He said the approval “signed a death warrant for the Liverpool Plains”.
NSW Irrigators chief executive Mark Mackenzie mirrored Mr Duddy’s concerns over water and opposed the mine.
“The Sydney University water laboratory, on our's and other bodies behalf, assessed the mine’s revised water modelling and said there was not adequate data provided to allow an assessment of their modelling of impacts to water,” he said.
The PAC said accepted independent advice that groundwater impacts are predicted to be “small and acceptable”, but noted there would “always be some uncertainties in groundwater modelling predictions”.
Farmers have argued that any level of uncertainty is unacceptable and called on the PAC to invoke the precautionary principle to stop the mine approval.
The PAC said the water level in four farm bores would be drawn down 1.4m – within the 2m tolerance of the government’s Aquifer Interference Policy.
It said farmers’ bores that experience “adverse impacts” exceeding 2m of drawdown must be provided with compensatory water supply.
Farmland
Shenhua has already bought out 30 landholders, more than $200 million in real estate and 14,000 hectares of land. And may have to buy out more to develop the mine.
It leases country back to farmers and is required to maintain or enhance the level of productivity on that land.
Landholder group Lock the Gate said the PAC’s approval threatens food production and is a result of failed government policy.
National coordinator Phil Laird said although the mine sits in ridge country, it would damage underground aquifers that feed the black soil plains.
“This mine will jeopardise the rich farmlands on the Breeza Plain, and the (productive aquifer), upon which our food-growing farming communities depend.
"This time four years ago the Government went to last NSW election promising to protect farmland on the plains with no-go zones.”
Irrigator and mixed farmer at Breeza, Andrew Pursehouse is perched on the mine’s doorstep.
He told The Land after the PAC’s preliminary report in June that he feared coal dust would taint his cotton crop and reduce its value.
“Dust could just annihilate the lovely, fluffy white cotton… who is going to cover our losses then.”
The mine will pump out a whopping 10 million tonnes per annum over a 30 year period, making it one of Australia’s biggest thermal coal mines. Watermark is predicted to generate 600 jobs and $1.5 billion in royalties for the state.
The Chinese miner first took out its Exploration Licence in 2008 and farmers and environmentalists have waged a running battle ever since – while the minerals industry has criticised the protracted approvals process.
Watermark project director Paul Jackson said the mine will “unlock the economic and social benefits of mining while ensuring the valuable agricultural production on the Liverpool Plains continues uninterrupted”.
“We will not mine on the Liverpool Plains and the PAC has once again confirmed the irrefutable evidence showing the Project will not harm the valuable irrigation groundwater accessed by those who farm on the plains,” Mr Jackson said.
The Land sought comment from NSW Labor and further comment from Mr Anderson.