THE Barnett government has effectively declared a "no coalmining zone" around the wine and tourism region of Margaret River in the southwest of Western Australia, terminating four coal exploration applications and warning the holders of nine existing minerals titles in the area that any future attempt to mine coal will be refused.
Mines and Petroleum Minister Norman Moore's decision covers a 230sq km area in and around the popular holiday and surfing region about a 3 1/2-hour drive south of Perth. Mr Moore said he took the decision following advice from the state's Environmental Protection Authority indicating coalmining in the area posed an unacceptable environmental risk.
The same advice led the state government to reject the contentious Vasse Coal proposal in the region last February, the first attempt to mine coal in the region.
"The government has now decided that the advice should also be applied to the whole of the coal mineralisation extending through the identified 230sq km zone and applications for coal exploration or mining should not be supported," Mr Moore said.
The Australian
No comments:
Post a Comment