Springvale extension has been approved

On 21 September the PAC has approved the expansion of Springvale underground mine. Subject to final federal approval the longwall mining will progress under the water catchment of the pristine Carne Creek. We have lost. But 300 Lithgow miners are breathing some relief. Carne Creek's water catchment will be changed forever and the Wolgan River downstream will be affected.

The issue of salt in the mine effluent has apparently been dealt with by sending it to Mount Piper power station. However the owner of the power station 'Energy Australia' has not declared that they want it yet and it is hard to imagine that the Chinese owned Energy Australia will want to clean up the mine effluent of the South Korean and Thai owned Springvale mine. What an international playground we've become.  And, of course, they all have the local environment at their heart.

We have to see how this all plays out but the local bush and all its wonderful creatures is very sad today.