Moorlarben Mine Approved
The NSW government has announced the approval of the controversial Moorlarben mine near Mudgee NSW.
The Greens were challenging the mine, stating that the mine will increase greenhouse gas emissions by 5.3 per cent a year and use 6.9 megalitres of water each day.
However, NSW Planning Minister Frank Sartor said “It’s just not tenable to refuse a coal mine because people might burn coal in China or somewhere else, unless we refused all coal mining”.
I agree with Mr Sartor. We either mine coal, or we don’t. There is no point singling out one mine for greenhouse gases just to stop the approval.
As Mr Sartor said when approving the Anvil Hill Mine earlier this year, “a black ban on new coalmine applications in New South Wales alone would devastate the economy, but, worse still, would achieve zero net benefit to climate change because our coal would be substituted with coal from elsewhere”. (Hansard 7 June 2007)
Total emissions however would have to be reduced due a refusal to mine Australian coal … economic impact on Australia notwithstanding. Refusal now, however, while recipients still use less than optimum preocesses for power generation using coal, might also lead to higher benefits [though admittedly deferred]for exporters when better processes are developed or coal brings higher returns due to scarcity … and its use then only in higher return activities.
The “Greens” bewilder me with most of their claims and allegations. I’ve have really tired of listening to their mostly unsubstantiated comments. Recently I have begun to remind the Greens that they are dependent upon mining of all types. If they use electricity, computers, automobiles, roads, or nearly anything made by a human to include vitamins and agriculture products, it somehow involved mining. To oppose mining in any capacity is hypercritical. Aside from coal mining, until the world adopts responsible nuclear power we will need coal power to ensure the “Greens” can use their computers to make fliers (made from logging operations) against mining. This subject in inundated with irony.
Rex
http://www.strataboundassayers.com
The specious argument of Frank Sartor is precisely the one condemned by the Bali Summit… that australias emissions of 1.5% of global CO2 means we should do nothing about it but expect everyone else to fix the problem. If you’ve ever been to Anvil Hill and seen the Hill and its surrounds – CastleRock, The Book, Wallaby Rocks, Manobalai Cliffs, Wybong Creek, Myambat, Sandy Hollow, Wollemi NP and the desert of the Central Hunter Valley Floor you’d know why mining Anvil Hill is an ecological disgrace. As usual however none of the pro-mining advocates live anywhere near these evil, stenching pits of CO2 and NOX. They simply come, rape the area, rake off the obscene wages of evil, and fly away. NSW under Sartor is going the way of Nauru. Those who live in The Wybong will NEVER let Anvil Hill be destroyed. We will wage war against any who dare defile our last remaining old growth valley floor forest. Be warned.