Mine update for Gloucester communityPosted 4 hours 24 minutes...

Mine update for Gloucester community

Posted 4 hours 24 minutes ago


NSW Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham Photo: NSW Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham (www.twitter.com)


Map: Gloucester 2422
Gloucester Council will hold a community meeting tonight to update residents about what it is doing in relation to mining in the shire.

The meeting will also be used to again gauge community feeling on the industry and its impacts.

Director of Planning and Environment Graham Gardner says the council has been extremely active in trying to deal with two new coal proposals and the AGL Coal Seam gas development.

He says another working group has also been established.

"We have established an extractive industries working group and we're looking to produce a strategy for extractive industries in the Gloucester Valley," he said.

"We've also sought to have the comprehensive water study that the community has been looking for and hasn't really had that much success in gaining over many years now.

"We're keen to sort of see that happen so council has taken the lead on that and we'll talk a bit about that as well."

Meanwhile, Greens MLC Jeremy Buckingham says the State Government's decision to renew two large mining licences near Gloucester is a disgrace.

The Gloucester Resources licences cover more than 6,500 hectares.

Mr Buckingham says he wants a Royal Commission to look into the whole mining act.

"Every time we look at the creation and granting of these licences there's a stink," he said.

"We believe that is evident from the ICAC inquiry into the Bylong and Jerrys Plain licences.

"We believe that the Gloucester licences certainly need to be looked at as with licences that were granted by disgraced former minister Ian Macdonald."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-02/mine-update-for-gloucester-community/4664576