2 August 2017 Springvale coal mine must obey law and stop polluting

NSW Greens energy and resources spokesman Jeremy Buckingham called on Centennial Coal to respect the law and take immediate steps to stop polluting the environment, and called on the government to crack down on the mining company to ensure Sydney's drinking water catchment is not polluted.

"Centennial Coal are like an open sore with continual pollution incidents and breaches of their licences.  They have had over 900 breaches of their Springvale Coal licence since 2004.  It is no surprise that the court has ruled against them and they need to comply with the law of the land," said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.

"The fact that Mount Piper Power Station is reliant on the Springvale mine for its coal supply does not make them above the law nor give them an excuse to pollute Sydney's drinking water supply.

"The pipeline and water treatment plant for the mine water must be fast-tracked, the upland swamps protected, and the Gardens of Stone National Park should be expanded to protect precious environmental areas.

"The government has had plenty of warnings about Centennial Coal's chronic disregard for their licence conditions and the environment.  They should investigate whether Banpu, the Thai company that bought Centennial Coal in 2010, is a fit and proper person to hold a mining licence."