Ken Brown of Invergowrie has questions for NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell.
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I HAVE written an open email to Premier Barry O’Farrell in response to part of a NSW government newsletter received which stated: Community rights restored for wind farms – and I quote:
“The NSW government has restored the community’s appeal rights in the development application process for nine current wind farm projects.
“The community can have confidence that their voices will be heard and that projects will be assessed and decisions made at arm’s length from the government.
“The nine proposals are the Yass, Rye Park, Paling Yards, Bango, Uungula, Crookwell, Liverpool Range, Rugby and Crudine Ridge wind farms.”
This is great news in the light of all the wind spills and toxic air leaks that are endemic to this type of renewable energy project.
One can only cringe at the damage these machines will wreak if they are placed inside water catchment areas! The windmills are such an eyesore, especially compared to the open-cut coalmines and CSG drilling rigs, CSG processing plants, pipelines, roads and associated infrastructure.
It would be foolish to expect the NSW government to offer independent assessments on coalmining and CSG operations, or to monitor the toxicity of the huge volumes of water extracted from the coal seams and stored in evaporation ponds, etc.
Mr O’Farrell, why is it that the NSW government is siding with Rio Tinto against the citizens of Bulga over the Warkworth Mine extension?
Why is it that the proposed open-cut Whitehaven coalmine in the Leard State Forest will be allowed to be left open as a permanent scar on the landscape? That hardly seems a fair exchange for the last, quality, white-box forest remaining in northern NSW.
Why is it that same mine will be using huge quantities of scarce water resources to treat the mined coal, when farmers, the environment, and people downstream are in short supply?
Why is it that Santos is allowed to use huge quantities of water from the Great Artesian Basin recharge zone in the Pilliga, lowering water levels and contaminating local farmers’ bore water?
Why is it that the NSW government is favouring CSG and coalmining companies that are doing enormous damage to the environment for short-term doubtful gain, while ignoring the protests of farmers losing land, land access and control of valuable farm land that most NSW residents are expecting to provide food, clothing, timber and other essentials for the remainder of this century and I would think for as long as humans continue to survive on this planet?
Why is BHP Billiton being granted permission to construct an underground coalmine on the Liverpool Plains ... land that has soil equivalent to the best this planet has to offer, and aquifers that are to hold water of good quality and vital for agricultural and pastoral use in that area?
Why are Chinese-owned mining companies permitted to purchase land in that area? If a mining company is buying land, the obvious purpose would be to promote mining in that area.
Why is it that independent and accurate environmental studies have not been conducted for the proposed Whitehaven mine in the Leard State Forest and the consequent loss of wildlife including endangered mammals (including the iconic koala) and birds?
A recent count of koalas in the Pilliga has revealed that only 25 per cent of the animals remain as compared to a count in 1993 – 20 years and most likely due to human impact.
Mining and CSG operations will cause further loss of habitat to this vulnerable species and birds and all native wildlife.
Increasing numbers of NSW citizens are becoming increasingly concerned at the environmental destruction of these industries, while almost no attention is being given to sustainable renewable energies that would be viable if given the chance.