FEDERAL Environment Minister Greg Hunt has put the brakes on the Shenhua Watermark coal mine with a final decision now months, or perhaps even years, away.
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A federal decision on the contentious project had been due by March 13, after the NSW Planning Assessment Commission approved it in January, but yesterday Mr Hunt said he had presented a request for advice to the Independent Expert Scientific Committee (IESC).
“In short I have stopped the clock on the Shenhua project to seek additional advice on protecting water resources and aquifers from the best experts on groundwater in the country,” he told a media conference at Tamworth airport yesterday afternoon.
“That was not just in response to requests from the community and Barnaby Joyce, but also because it was the right thing to do to get the right science, because you never take risks with water; with the future.”
He had delivered the news to a group of Liverpool Plains farmers just a few hours earlier during a meeting at Breeza, much to the delight of Caroona Coal Action Group chairman Tim Duddy.
“Greg Hunt did a very good thing today for the long-term viability of the Liverpool Plains by referring it back to a group at arm’s length from the project,” he told The Leader.
The IESC provides expert scientific advice on the potential water-related impacts of coal seam gas or large coal mining proposals referred to it by federal and state government regulators.
The IESC examined the proposal back in 2013, but this was the first time, Mr Duddy said, that a project had been sent back to the committee.
“Given almost two years has passed since advice was provided, I consider it important, prudent and appropriate to seek additional advice from the IESC,” Mr Hunt said.
It is the first referral to the committee since the water trigger legislation has been in place.
Mr Hunt refused to be drawn yesterday on when a decision could be expected, saying “it will take as long as it takes”.
Mr Duddy said should the committee deem issues to do with the water modelling have not been addressed, and more work is required to be carried out, it could take anywhere up to five years.
“That’s the reality,” he said.
Mr Duddy said while yesterday’s outcome was positive, his group’s fight wouldn’t be over until the project was stopped.
He felt, however, that the minister had listened to their concerns and that the intent of Mr Hunt in sending the project back for further assessment was genuine.
He doesn’t underestimate though the looming state election’s influence on the timing of yesterday’s announcement.
Shenhua Watermark project manager Paul Jackson said yesterday the company was advised in 2013 that the water trigger would be applied as part of the federal assessment process and they “had prepared accordingly”.
“Shenhua stands by the scientific assessments undertaken to date and has every confidence this additional review will re-confirm the conclusions reached in the NSW assessment process,” he said.
Water trigger architect and former member for New England Tony Windsor said it was gratifying the legislation was serving the purpose for which it was intended.