Australia’s Federal Environment Minister Ms Tanya Plibersek, based on the risk of damage to the Great Barrier Reef, freshwater creeks and groundwater, has rejected Australian mining barone Mr Clive Palmer’s proposed 20 year open pit Central Queensland Coal Project, would have extracted up to 10 million tonnes of coking coalMs Plibersek said “Risks to the Great Barrier Reef, freshwater creeks and groundwater are too great. Freshwater creeks run into the Great Barrier Reef and onto seagrass meadows that feed dugongs and provide breeding grounds for fish. The mine poses unacceptable risks to the Great Barrier Reef.”Australia’s federal environment law is known as the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. It came into force in 2000 to provide federal oversight of large projects. Under the law, proponents must refer a proposal to federal environment authorities if it’s likely to significantly impact so-called matters of national environmental significance. These matters include the Great Barrier Reef.In November last year, Queensland’s Land Court recommended Mr Palmer’s proposed Waratah coal project in Queensland also be rejected due to its likely contribution to climate change and subsequent erosion of human rights.
Australia’s Federal Environment Minister Ms Tanya Plibersek, based on the risk of damage to the Great Barrier Reef, freshwater creeks and groundwater, has rejected Australian mining barone Mr Clive Palmer’s proposed 20 year open pit Central Queensland Coal Project, would have extracted up to 10 million tonnes of coking coalMs Plibersek said “Risks to the Great Barrier Reef, freshwater creeks and groundwater are too great. Freshwater creeks run into the Great Barrier Reef and onto seagrass meadows that feed dugongs and provide breeding grounds for fish. The mine poses unacceptable risks to the Great Barrier Reef.”Australia’s federal environment law is known as the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. It came into force in 2000 to provide federal oversight of large projects. Under the law, proponents must refer a proposal to federal environment authorities if it’s likely to significantly impact so-called matters of national environmental significance. These matters include the Great Barrier Reef.In November last year, Queensland’s Land Court recommended Mr Palmer’s proposed Waratah coal project in Queensland also be rejected due to its likely contribution to climate change and subsequent erosion of human rights.
