Environment group refutes media claims about threat to Mt Piper power station from Springvale coal mine clean up

Environmental group 4nature has dismissed as fear-mongering an article in The Australian on Tuesday that claimed its court action threatens the closure of the Mt Piper power station.

4nature won its case in the Court of Appeal in early August that invalidated the approval for the Springvale mine to operate. The court found that water quality test designed to protect Sydney’s drinking water was not correctly applied.

The court left the decision on final orders pending, subject to further arguments by the parties.

Andrew Cox, President of 4nature said, “The owners of Springvale mine, Centennial Coal, have known for years that their discharge of polluted water into Sydney’s drinking water catchment has to stop. Delay and denial has brought them to this point, with an adverse court finding and a coal contract they may not be able to fill.

“This is a problem of the mine company’s own making but compliance with environmental law is not optional and if there are costs, they must be borne by Centennial Coal.

“The Springvale mine could have avoided pumping its untreated mine water into the Coxs River and avoided destroying endangered upland swamps.”

“Of critical concern to 4nature are the short-term environmental impacts of the mine.

If the court orders mining to cease, Centennial Coal can apply to the government for a new approval and it can purchase third party coal to meet its obligations to Mt Piper.