Battle for Berrima has slammed the latest attempted by Hume Coal to demonstrate how ground water supply and the environment.
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The criticism was set firmly on a report lodged by Hume Coal to the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) addressing concerns regarding how the company's proposal for the first new coalmine in the Sydney Drinking Water Catchment in 30 years.
Battle for Berrima has described the lodgement by Hume Coal of its response to the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) as a warning call to the thousands of objectors to this coalmine that the company was still pushing to seek planning approval and mine the Southern Highlands.
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They said that despite being given months to provide additional information to the IPC, the response by Hume coal had failed to provide any assurance about the very serious questions regarding numerous aspects of the proposal, especially the 'Pine Feather' mining technique, which has never been carried out in Australia.
The general consensus of Battle for Berrima is that questions remained concerning land access, water and aquifer issues as the mine would be located within the Sydney Water Catchment Area.
Plans to 'make good' conditions for landowners affected by the mine also remain unanswered.
Hume Coal's formal response to the 2019 Independent Planning Commission's (IPC) Assessment Report, was received in early May and can be read here https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/project/10881
Battle for Berrima president, Hugh Farrimond said Hume Coal's response to the IPC Assessment Report incorporates more than 600 pages of material which will take some time to assess, so we have commenced a thorough review.
He said what was immediately clear was that on the question of Hume Coal's ability to make good the predicted impacts on landholders' water bores, the answer was simply "just trust us".
"Nothing changes the fact that Hume Coal has utterly failed to obtain the community's social license to commence this project or convince the DPIE of the safety and viability of the project," Mr Farrimond said.
"Battle for Berrima will be looking closely at any new information provided by Hume Coal over the next few weeks, and will be making a formal reply to both the DPIE and the IPC in due course."
Battle for Berrima will issue updates and further information via its website - www.battleforberrima.com.au and its Facebook page.
Hume Coal has been contacted for a response.
