After preliminary examination of Hume Coal’s Environmental Impact Study (EIS), Highlands action group Battle for Berrima said it had made some alarming discoveries.
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Battle for Berrima president Ken Wilson said the document revealed mine openings had been deliberately orientated away from the main Sydney - Canberra - Melbourne highway to manage the possible risk of a coal dust explosion on the site and shockwave impact on traffic.
However Hume Coal media coordinator Ben Fitzsimmons said this was just another “sensationalist” claim from the group.
Mr Wilson said the Hume Coal Hazard and Risk Assessment Report pointed to the main potential initiators of a coal dust explosion - a methane explosion or a detonation of explosives.
“While Hume Coal claims the coal seam is low in methane, the EIS has revealed that five tonnes of explosives will be stored on the site with the explosives magazine just 300 metres from a neighbouring property,” he said.
“The very fact that Hume Coal is having to orientate mine openings away from the main Sydney - Canberra -Melbourne highway to avoid it being impacted by a coal dust explosion is truly alarming.”
Mr Fitzsimmons said the claims did little to help the group’s credibility.
"It is another sensationalist claim by Battle for Berrima, with the simple aim of alarming its community rather than sticking to the facts.
"These claims are continuing to erode the credibility of this activist group."
Mr Fitzsimmons said the explosives on site would be stored in an explosives magazine and only those qualified to handle them would do so.