KOORAGANG Island’s $5 billion fourth coal loader has been given the green light – five years after the original plans were lodged at the height of the mining boom.
The Planning Assessment Commission, which approved the contentious terminal plan on Thursday, noted the project was ‘‘unusual’’ because there was no immediate need for the terminal to be built.
Port Waratah Coal Services chief executive officer Hennie du Plooy acknowledged much had changed within the industry since the project was conceived.
‘‘The world has changed since we originally lodged the application for Terminal 4 in 2010 and the need for extra coal export capacity is not so immediate,’’ he said.
‘‘Despite this, planning certainty will allow the industry to make the most of future opportunity if additional capacity is required.’’
The project has been opposed by health and environment groups concerned about its potential impacts on biodiversity, air quality and noise.
“T4 will increase respiratory and cardiovascular ailments in an air environment that already registers particle pollution levels well over the national standard,” Environmental Justice Australia researcher James Whelan said.
Newcastle Greens councillor Michael Osborne described the project as a white elephant.
“The high air pollution along the Hunter rail corridor alone was reason enough to stop this project in its tracks,” he said.
“The T4 will cause more damage to farming land and local natural habitat as coal owners race to expand their coal mines to push out exports before the coal price drops further.”
Greens NSW senator Lee Rhiannon described the approval as a setback but was confident the project could still be stopped by community action.
The Planning Assessment Commission originally approved the project in December 2014. But it held another round of public hearings and assessments earlier this year as part of a review of the commission’s decision. Department of Planning recommended approval for the latest version of the project in June this year.
A five-year lapse date has been applied to the latest development consent.
The commission said a 10-year approval, which the Department of Planning had recommended, could lead to delays in decontaminating the T4 site.
“The current volatility of the coal market and the timing uncertainties associated with the project were central considerations in the determination of the application,” the commission said.
If built, the project will expand capacity at the world’s largest coal export port by another 70 million tonnes per annum. It would bring significant employment and investment benefits to the region, including 1500 construction jobs and 80 permanent positions. Port Waratah has also agreed to pay Newcastle City Council $12 million in developer contributions for infrastructure.
Port Waratah records show the process has involved about 1700 days of assessment, dozens of individual technical studies, more than 125 days of public exhibition and more than 30 hours of public hearings.
The commission said its latest approval had bolstered existing conditions relating to biodiversity, contamination, air quality, cleaning of coal wagons, stormwater, noise and the implementation of the voluntary planning agreement between Port Waratah and Newcastle council.
“Should it be developed, the project will generate employment and economic inputs to the local and regional economy,” the commission said. “With priority site management works completed, the site has the potential for alternative port side uses, should it not be required to service the coal export market in the future.”
The project will be reviewed by the Commonwealth Government under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
source:theherald.com.au
STUDIO 3 NEWCASTLE AUSTRALIA 