The Laird family talks about the Boggabri coal mine and plans to build more mines on forest and farmland.
/via Herald photographer Dallas Kilponen looks at the Boggabri coal mine
Source: smh.com.au
If you live in NSW, be there.
Source: stop-csg-illawarra.org
Submission Against 4th Coal Terminal in Newcastle
Dear people who care,
This is the submission I just put in to the NSW Department of Planning & Infrastructure against the proposal to build a fourth coal terminal in Newcastle harbour, already the world’s biggest coal port.
It only took a minute, so please do one yourself (DEADLINE 7 MAY) here:
http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=4399
More info here: http://risingtide.org.au/node/1159
Thanks, Erland.
The proposal for the fourth coal terminal in Newcastle should be rejected outright.
Unacceptable impacts of the development would include:
- 41 more coal trains through Newcastle & Maitland every day, with effects such as increased dust related health problems.
- Enabling development of yet more coal mines in the Hunter Valley at a time when the region needs to build new clean energy industries to provide employment and a sustainable economy after the coal boom and the world a a whole must stop burning coal on the shortest possible timeline.
- Potential disturbance and spills of toxic contaminants on Kooragang Island.
- Damage to internationally significant wetlands that are critical habitat for protected migratory bird species and nationally threatened species including the Green and Golden Bell Frog and the Australasian Bittern.
In addition, the Environmental Assessment for the project fails to meet the requirements set out by both State and Federal agencies, and the proposal represents an unacceptable risk to the Australasian Bittern.
After construction, the coal terminal will provide no additional employment. Rather, it is likely to result in the loss of other economic activities in the port, such as tourism, fishing and other shipping.
Regards,
Erland Howden.
Source: risingtide.org.au
This is a photo on Flickr.
Dug out an old photo I like from 2007.
King Parrot on Flickr.
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo on Flickr.
This is the first decent shot I’ve managed to get of a black cockatoo (the red or yellow variety). Will be back on the North Leura fire trails to get more now I know where they hang out at eye level.
NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) chief regulator Greg Sullivan’s sudden move to become the Australian Coal Association’s (ACA) new deputy CEO three weeks after NSW environment minister Robyn Parker said his EPA promotion would “set the direction for the revitalised agency” has raised more than just eyebrows.
The state’s peak environment body, representing 100 green groups, said the debate around mining on farmland has obscured the fact that some of the state’s biggest planned coal and coal seam gas operations will go ahead in state forests and some of the last vestiges of wild land in NSW.
And the Tamberlin report released on Monday reveals that it is even worse than we first thought, and amounts to an effective subsidy of $4 billion to the gentraders that were sold by the government for just $1.5 billion. As the inquiry notes, with a degree of understatement, it’s not entirely clear that the cost of the subsidy exceeds the benefit.
Phoebe says No!! to coal seam gas! on Flickr.
Via Flickr:
No Coal Seam Gas rally. Carrington Lawn, Katoomba. 16 Oct 2011.
Budding Waratah on Flickr.
Snapped this afternoon in my garden.
Sunset at the Escarpment, Leura on Flickr.
Seen the other night a short walk from my place. Beautiful.
And here’s my prettiest pic from this morning - created a dodgy tilt-shift effect using my phone.
Source: erlandhowden.com
