Greens call on Bickham Coal to come clean on coal mine expansion plans

"Bickham Coal should come clean about its future plans to expand into underground mining west of the New England Highway," said Ms Rhiannon.

"The community is rightly concerned about the impact of subsidence from underground coal mining on the nearby Pages River.

"Bickham Coal is not fooling anyone with its response that it has no plans to do underground mining west of the New England highway.  The gas company's submission clearly exposes their plans. 

"Bickham Coal has no doubt made long term plans to exploit local coal reserves using whatever mining method they see fit.  The environment or local community needs rate a poor second with this company.

"It's standard business practice in the NSW coal industry to get approval for a small mining project and then apply for one extension after another, until they have a huge mine. 

"We have seen this approach with BHP Billiton's Mt Arthur mine in Muswellbrook.  It has expanded from one pit to a series of open cut and underground mines.  Bickham looks set to go the same way.

"The community has lobbied to protect the Pages River from mining impacts for years.  They were right all along not to trust Bickham Coal.

"Coal mining expansion is open slather in NSW.  This incident show that the Department of Planning and the Department of Primary Industries will go to any length to encourage more mines in NSW.

"It is short sighted for the Government to encourage such a risk to both local water resources and climate change. 

"Our future needs less coal, not more," said Ms Rhiannon.
  
For information:  Lee Rhiannon - 9230 3551, 0427 861 568

See the Greens' No New Coal campaign at: http://nonewcoal.greens.org.au