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December 21st, 2011 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda
Updated
The Environment Minister has announced a coal mine will not be built near Margaret River.
The decision follows a recommendation from the Environmental Protection Authority which said LD Operations’ plans to mine coal at Osmington near Margaret River, were ‘environmentally unacceptable’.
The EPA said the mine would likely have posed serious risks to the area’s groundwater.
That finding has now been endorsed by the Minister Bill Marmion.
“The EPA found it could have catastrophic implications to the Margaret River area and I’ve upheld that decision,” he said.
Five appeals were lodged in objection to the EPA report, including one from the company.
LD Operations says it is disappointed and claims the assessment process was flawed.
The company is considering whether it will appeal against the ruling.
Local geologist Peter Lane, who has been fighting the proposal, has welcomed the decision.
“I think the science was so conclusive that I’m not surprised,” he said.
“Mining coal in those formations would have done immense damage to the aquifers and to the surface water.”
Morale boost
Local resident Ian Parmenter, who has also been vehemently opposed to the mine, says he is elated by the decision.
“This has been a long fight, it’s taken us nearly 18 months and eventually the science and the good sense prevailed,” he said.
“Coming on top of the Margaret River fires, this has certainly been a big morale boost here.”
Mr Parmenter says a lot of business has been held up by the prospect.
“It’s stopped people being able to sell their properties, stopped businesses in their tracks and I think the region as a whole is going to benefit enormously from this,” he said.
“I mean this was never a fight against mining, this was a fight against unsustainable and dangerous mining practices in this region.”
The Independent MP Adele Carles says the decision provides much needed certainty for the people of Margaret River.
“The Government has sent a clear message to industry that coal mines are not welcome in the region and that any future pursuance of approvals would be a waste of time and money,” she said.
“The South West can continue to be the beautiful tourism region that it is now without the risk of becoming a coal province.”
Not over yet
Mr Lane says the battle is not over yet.
“We’ve got to really make sure that we get protective legislation for that area,” he said.
“The Minister’s decision should make it abundantly clear that coal exploration licences shouldn’t be granted in the area.”
Another company Western Coal has applied for an exploration license in an area north of the town.
That bid is also being opposed by the local community as well as the Department of Environment and Conservation.
Topics:
coal,
margaret-river-6285,
perth-6000,
wa
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