Believe it or not, this mine seems to have failed at 'self regulation". Can you believe it!
And that after the mining companies and the regulators asking us - no telling us - to trust them. "There are sufficient regulations and penalties in place to protect the environment and communities" they say. "It is the miners own interest to self regulate" they say... well blow me down, its not working!
Of course "self regulation" can never work, especially in this age of resource plunder.
The scenario plays out as the "tragedy of the Commons" " The tragedy unfolds in any situation in which it would be in the collective interest of all the players to constrain their depredation of some valuable resource -- here the local environment -- and instead invest in its preservation; but because the participants do not own the resource, everyone's incentives are to grab now and let the devil take the hindmost".
A similar analysis, termed the "prisoners' dilemma", can be applied to all kinds of overhunting and overfishing scenarios, air and water pollution, and indeed the whole range of environmental problems.
A link to an article about the Duralie mine and surrounds : Food and water - not coal
The following media release from the "Barrington - Gloucester - Stroud Preservation Alliance inc" highlights the problem (link to the Alliance below).
Full text begins..
NO CONFIDENCE IN MINE MANAGEMENT
Community members of the Duralie Coal Community Consultative Committee have become so frustrated by the improper practices at the Duralie coal mine near the township of Wards River that a formal Motion of No Confidence in the Management of Duralie Coal Pty Limited, which operates the mine, has been placed on the agenda for the next meeting of the Committee.
The Notice of Motion claims that the Duralie Coal Company has been guilty of blatant and continual non-compliance with the Conditions of Consent fixed by the NSW Government and by the Great Lakes Council at the time the mining lease was granted to the Company.
Mr Tony Tersteeg, a long term community member of the Consultative Committee, commenting on the No Confidence Motion said: “The mine management, despite the many complaints raised by members of the Consultative Committee over a long period, equivocates from meeting to meeting regarding the complaints brought forward while continuing to breach essential aspects of the Conditions of Consent.”
The major complaints relate to:
• the discharge of irrigation water into Mammy Johnsons Creek
• the improper use of Duralie Road
• improper work practices resulting in the death of a vulnerable species
• inadequate response to proven noise complaints
Mr Tersteeg, who is also Chairman of the Alliance, commented on these complaints: “These breaches are of great concern to members of the community generally but particularly to those who reside in the near region of the mine operations. The mine’s own water monitoring has disclosed that one point was higher as a result of irrigation discharge into Mammy Johnsons Creek. The mine management originally claimed that the mine was entitled to proceed as it had done but subsequently, at a later meeting, disputed that the discharged water was “mine water”. The approved water irrigation plan provides for a “first flush” system whereby any water from mining operations must firstly be directed into the mine pit and then, only when monitoring of this water showed that it was of acceptable quality, could it be discharged into Mammy Johnsons Creek. Site visits clearly show that the ground has been heavily over-irrigated and that the breaches of the “first flush” system have resulted in unacceptable pollution of the river.”
Residents of Duralie Road claim that, in breach of the original development conditions imposed by Great Lakes Council, concrete trucks contracted to the mine company continually use the road and that mining company vehicles have done so ever since mining operations started. Not only do these breaches cause considerable inconvenience to local residents but they also cause damage to the road surface, which, in turn, causes expense for repairs to the road, which is the responsibility of Great Lakes Council.
In its 2007 Environmental Management Report Duralie Coal Mine reported that a squirrel glider (a recognised vulnerable species) was killed when a tree was felled. While the kill was reported to the National Parks & Wildlife Service the incident indicates a scant acknowledgment of the flora and fauna management strategies with which the mine management is supposed to comply.
Noise from the mine continues to be a major inconvenience for local residents. The Environmental Management Report acknowledges that 16 noise related reports were received during the reporting period. However, by way of answer, the Report provides monitoring survey results (taken by the mine management itself) that indicate only two breaches of the mine contributed noise levels.
Mr Tersteeg stated: “These noise survey results conflict with independent noise expert monitoring reports that indicate substantial exceeding of Anzus guidelines. The mine management makes contact with complainants and gives dubious explanations as to why the disturbances have occurred but continues with its unacceptable practices to the detriment of the health and enjoyment of local residents.”
“Self regulation by mine management of the Conditions of Consent obviously does not work” Mr Tersteeg added. “Both written and verbal communications with NSW Government and Local Council representatives indicate a minimal concern by them for the continuing non-compliance with the Conditions of Consent. Until such time as a proper independent supervision structure is put in place by which unannounced “spot checks” of compliance standards are made, mine managements will continue to ignore the Conditions of Consent that government authorities insist have been “imposed” on mines throughout the State. If the government authorities cannot afford to provide such a supervision structure from their own resources private enterprise could certainly provide the required services with the cost being recovered from mine owners.”
“We hope to have the Motion of No Confidence passed at the next meeting of the Consultative Committee, which is chaired by Mayor John Chadban of Great Lakes Council, in order to give a real bite to community complaints” Mr Tersteeg stated.
...Ends