Water before coal – one km buffer zone for Cataract Dam

“The NSW government should put Sydney’s water supplies before the interests of a mining company,” Ms Rhiannon said.

“This is not a tough decision for Premier Nathan Rees. Protecting water supplies should come before coal extraction.

“The Premier should move quickly to protect Sydney’s water supply by adopting a one kilometre buffer zone around the Cataract Dam and the waterways that feed this water storage area.
 
“The mining corporation Gujarat NRE is working to boost its profits by maximising coal extraction close to the Cataract Dam and that puts water supplies at risk. Government action is needed quickly to put limits on this operation.

“Comments from the company indicate that they are not taking this problem seriously and the government needs to step in.

“Chris Harvey, head of Gujarat’s technical services, has stated that the company will ‘consider’ not extracting coal in this area if subsidence caused catastrophic damage.

“Mr Harvey does not need to ‘consider’ this matter. The evidence is in on the damaging impact of long wall coal mining.

“This type of mining has cracked the riverbeds of the Georges, Bargo and Cataract Rivers and massive water loss has been the result. The Cataract River ran dry in 1994.

“Subsidence in coal mining areas around Lake Macquarie has been up to five metres.

“No amount of money can rehabilitate subsidence. This damage cannot be repaired.

“Premier Rees needs to recognise that the damage that will occur if long wall coal mining is allowed around the Cataract Dam will result in enormous economic and environmental costs.

“The damage caused to waterways and the threat of runaway climate change provides clear grounds for Premier Rees to rein in coal industry operations in NSW,” Ms Rhiannon said.

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