Should we really be putting the water security of Australia’s biggest city in jeopardy for a few coal mines?
The NSW Government is making a new planning regulation for Sydney’s drinking water catchment. It’s missing something big: protection from mining.
Follow this link before Wednesday afternoon to tell the Government to ban coal and gas mining in the drinking water catchments of our major cities.
You’re not allowed to walk in the bushland of Sydney’s drinking water catchment, but mining companies can cut huge longwall panels underneath it.
These longwall mines collapse the upland swamps that filter and release Sydney’s beautiful clean drinking water. They crack creek beds, sending rainwater down into mine workings instead of Sydney’s dams. They may even be jeopardising the integrity of the dams themselves.
WaterNSW has opposed longwall coal mining proposals in the Special Areas of the catchment because they pose unacceptable risks to the water flowing into Sydney’s dams.
Before the 2011 state election, Barry O’Farrell made a promise. He said the incoming Coalition government would, “ensure that mining cannot occur in any water catchment area and will ensure that mining leases and mining exploration permits reflect that common sense. No ifs, no buts, a guarantee.”
The deadline to tell the Department of Planning is Wednesday 31 January.
Please also send your thoughts to the Premier here.
What to say:
- Thanks for the opportunity to submit on the Government’s proposed State Environmental Planning Policy for Environment.
- This policy intends to keep the status quo for coal mining in Sydney’s drinking water catchment and that’s not good enough.
- I urge you to keep the Government’s promise to protect Sydney’s water catchment from mining and make the Special Areas of the catchment a no-go zone for any more coal mining.