BURRAWANG has been declared a coal free town.
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The results of the third community survey conducted by Battle for Berrima were presented to mayor Larry Whipper on Saturday morning.
Battle for Berrima president Ken Wilson said of the households that were contacted and surveyed throughout July this year, 90 per cent wanted their community to be ‘coal free’.
“The real power of our street-by-street survey is that we have been able to give the Burrawang community a voice to say whether it wants coal mining and exploration to be a part of its future,” he said.
But Hume Coal media coordinator Ben Fitzsimmons said Hume Coal did not fully understand the declaration.
“Some of the coastal mines, which have been operating for over a century in closer proximity to Burrawang than the Hume Coal proposal, have supported many families and businesses within the region,” he said.
“The primary product of these mines is metallurgical coal and has supported the Illawarra steel industry for generations.”
Mr Wilson said even taking into account households that were unable to be contacted, 65 per cent want their community to be ‘coal free’.
The results of this survey will also be sent to NSW Premier Mike Baird.
The villages of Berrima and Medway were also declared ‘coal free’ earlier this year.
The ‘coal free’ declarations have no legal standing but Mr Wilson said the result of the Burrawang survey reinforced the “extraordinary depth” of opposition towards the Hume Coal Project.
Mr Fitzsimmons said he encouraged Burrawang residents to learn more about the proposal by speaking to staff at the Berrima community shop.
“I encourage members of the Burrawang community to come and speak with Hume Coal staff to learn the facts about the proposed mine and how their community may benefit from the mine, in areas such as employment, community sponsorship and local investment.”
Hume Coal will submit its Environmental Impact Statement later this year.