Friday, March 7, 2014

AUSTRALIA: Airs residents' concerns about limestone mine expansion

Residents concerned about the proposed extension of Cement Australia's East End mine site have had their views tabled in state parliament.

Member for Gladstone Liz Cunningham this week tabled letters from the East End Mine Action Group.

The State Government is processing an environmental impact statement from Cement Australia in relation to extending its extraction industry for the mine near Mt Larcom.

Mrs Cunningham told the parliament that over many years residents who lived near the mine site had expressed concern about the impact of mining on their properties, and in relation to dewatering.

"It would be correct to say that the previous government - the Labor government - dismissed their concerns, and it is with regret that the current government has also not given weight to their concerns either," Mrs Cunningham said.

"For people like Bill Geaney, who lives across the road from the mine, the impact of that mining extraction has been significant to his property.

"He has to purchase water. He has had to face the possibility of his stock not having an appropriate water supply." 

Mrs Cunningham said the East End Mine Action Group had been active for years, trying to give government an understanding of the impact of the Cement Australia project on properties.

"I have had to deal with both representatives of Cement Australia and these landowners, and I would have to say that each of them are wonderful people to deal with," she said.

"But I would ask the government today to consider these submissions and to understand that a farm without water is useless and that the concerns that these farmers have are genuine.

"They deserve to be considered in the context of an increase in the project and also the impact of that on their farms."

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