Anti-mining activists have started to lay down their legal arguments before the Land Court against the controversial $900 million New Hope Coal Group's Acland mine expansion, claiming it ruined the region's rich agricultural land.
The alliance will be represented by the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO), which has also fought against Adani and other mining projects.
EDO argued, "The existing mine has caused extensive hardship, damaged community members' physical and mental health and livelihoods, and eroded the once-thriving and cohesive rural. Objectors fear any further expansion would be an unsustainable blow to the community and the region.''
Frank Ashman, who headed the group, argued that the legal clash will boil down to the battle between jobs and economic benefits against the survival of the farmers.
"If we lose our water, our property has no value to us, we are totally dependent on that bore water," Mr. Ashman said.
Ashman believed that if the mine expansion will be implemented, his property will be worthless because the expansion will act like a drain pulling surrounding groundwater into the pit. New Hope has promised make-good agreements to overcome the problem.
The project's Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) estimated that the mine's operations will use almost nine billion liters of water per year, with 1.170ML being drawn from bores or from rainfall run-off. Moreover, the aquifers may drop by up to 47 meters on the mine site.
However, counsel for New Hope Coal Peter Ambrose QC told the court that coal mining and agriculture had been the two principal industries on the Darling Downs for about 175 years.
He said emotion and anti-mining sentiment were driving much of the objection to the mine.
In the defense of his client, he argued that New Hope Coal had a good record of compliance and the company had a willingness to work with government and the local community to address concerns to reduce impact on nearby communities and the environment.
In an earlier statement sent to ABC Rural, New Hope Group managing director Shane Stephen said, "Key benefits of this continued project include operational employment of approximately 435 people during the peak operational phase, and total economic impact to the economy of an estimated $12.5 billion over the life of the project." Thus, 260 jobs will be created during peak construction phase, and the flow-on jobs and benefits will be substantial.
The court heard New Hope Coal had been a good corporate citizen over the years and had dramatically improved environmental monitoring of its existing operations
The New Acland Mine is located adjacent to Acland township, about 10 km north of Oakey on the Darling Downs in Queensland, Australia. Geologically it is part of the Wallon Coal Measures and contains more than 500 million tons of coal that is removed by the open cut method.
