Coal Miners Win From Relaxed Environmental Conditions

Fairfax - Peter Ker

Concerns of activists heard: Coal miners will face less strict environmental management conditions. Photo: Anita Jones 

Numerous large Australian coal mines have had their environmental regulations relaxed, in changes the federal government hopes will make life easier for the struggling industry.

Environment law is not red tape, it is a safeguard for Australia's clean water, air and good health.
Australian Conservation Foundation spokesman Paul Sinclair

Certain coal mines owned by Glencore, BHP Billiton and Whitehaven Coal have received favourable changes to their approval conditions within the past month, which in some cases reduce the environment minister's ability to demand changes and reduce public oversight of miners' compliance with approval conditions.
The changes, many of which were initiated by the environment department rather than being requested by mining companies, come after a series of controversial coal approvals in recent years and after the federal government threatened to change environment laws in a bid to prevent green groups using the courts to challenge approvals.
Approvals for two Glencore coal mines in the Hunter Valley, Bulga and Liddell, have had environmental conditions revoked within the past month which appear to remove the environment minister's ability to request changes to environmental management plans.
The Caval Ridge coal mine that BHP operates had eight conditions on its approval altered last week, including one which means the company no longer has to wait for written approval from the minister if it wishes to change the way it manages offset areas or threatened species, so long as the companies believe their new plan will not have an increased impact.
Some miners were also told they can report on compliance with their environmental conditions less often, with BHP now allowed to report on Caval Ridge once every two years rather than annually.
The alterations also mean BHP no longer have to publish their compliance reports for Caval Ridge on their websites, and instead need only submit their documents to the environment department.
BHP's Mt Arthur coal mine in the Hunter Valley and the Tarrawonga and Werris Creek coal mines run by Whitehaven have also had their environmental approvals altered.
A spokeswoman for the Federal Environment Department said that some of the recent changes were initiated by the department, and were not specifically requested by the companies involved.
"In line with the Australian government's broader regulation reform agenda, some recent variations have been initiated by the department as a means of reducing unnecessary regulatory burden. These variations are designed to reduce the administrative burden associated with approval conditions while still maintaining high standards of environmental protection," she said.
The spokeswoman said that 34 project approvals had been changed over the past nine months, with the environmental conditions loosened in 21 of those cases.
The spokeswoman said the changes were being made to a range of project approvals, not just coal mines.
But coal mines appear to be very well represented, with Fairfax Media aware of at least seven coal approvals which have been changed in recent months.
Fairfax Media is aware of just one copper mine (BHP's Olympic Dam) and one iron ore mine (run by BC Iron) which have had conditions changed.
Australian Conservation Foundation spokesman Paul Sinclair said it was not appropriate for the government to be running from Australia's environmental law.
"Environment law is not red tape, it is a safeguard for Australia's clean water, air and good health," Dr Sinclair said.
"The Federal Government has a duty to ensure major resources companies comply with the law."
When asked if BHP was happy with the changes, a company spokesperson said; "BHP Billiton welcomes actions by all levels of Government which are directed towards reducing the regulatory and compliance burdens faced by the sector."
The Minerals Council said it did not believe the environment minister's powers had been reduced.
"We believe that regulation and compliance can be more efficient and effective while continuing to uphold high environmental standards," said a spokesman for the council.
"The MCA supports a risk-based approach to compliance, which account for a company's track record and the maturity of their environmental management systems among other things. This reduces unnecessary regulatory burden on the operator and allows regulators to target their compliance resources more effectively.
"Where appropriate, project conditions should focus on the achievement of environmental outcomes and not unnecessary prescription on how those outcomes are achieved. This flexibility allows for adaptive, innovative approaches to be used."

Links

• Coal mining under review
• Mine rehabilitation fears amid industry slowdown

City To Swelter Under Climate Change Predictions

Fairfax - Benjamin Preiss & Josh Gordon

Prepare for extreme heat in Melbourne. Photo: Leigh Henningham

Melburnians should prepare for more extreme heat with double the number of hot days, less rain and harsher fire conditions in coming decades, the state government has been warned.
Analysis prepared for the Andrews government paints a frightening picture of Melbourne's future climate, with transport infrastructure vulnerable to flooding and heat stress, longer and more severe bushfires and pressure on hospitals from heatwaves.
The modelling, from the CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology, predicts climate change could have a major impact on the state's health system, economy and environment, including shorter snow seasons, food production challenges and problems with transport infrastructure.

Illustration: Matt Golding

The forecasts were prepared as the Andrews government seeks to elevate climate change as a political issue ahead of possible new laws to tackle emissions.
The predictions, based on international climate models, show that under a high emissions scenario similar to the current trend, the number of days over 35 degrees in Melbourne would more than double from an average of eight a year to 17 by 2070. Average rainfall could drop by up to 23 per cent in the most extreme case.
"Despite an overall trend of declining rainfall, more of the rain that does fall will be in increasingly extreme downpours," it said. "This is likely to lead to an increase in the incidence of flooding events, particularly in urbanised and small catchments."
The report says Melbourne has already become warmer and drier in recent decades, with sea levels up about 23 centimetres since 1880.
If the current high emissions trend continues, the report says, Melbourne's temperature could rise by as much as 2.6 degrees above the 1986 to 2005 average by 2070, with sea levels up by as much as half a metre.
"In 2050, under high emissions, the climate of Melbourne will be more like Adelaide now," the report says.
Other scenarios in the report are less dire although even under a lower emissions scenario, average temperatures would still rise by 1.5 per cent by 2070 compared to the 1986 to 2005 average.
Environment Minister Lisa Neville said Victorians were already feeling the effects of a warmer climate. She said the government was working to ensure the "right legislation" was in place to "deliver climate change action".
The economic, environmental and social ramifications of the changes are likely to be significant. The report warns future governments may need to consider moving "selected populations" in areas of extreme heat to other parts of the state. In one scenario Mildura would have 66 hot days a year.
Increased temperatures would have a major effect on Victoria's tourism sector, the projections show.
"The impacts of climate change on tourism are likely to include increased heat waves and harsher fire weather. Significant reductions in stream flows will adversely affect water-based tourism," it says.
The report finds temperatures have increased by up to 1.6 degrees in some parts of Melbourne since 1950.
Victoria's transport network would also be hit under the most extreme forecasts.
"Transport infrastructure will be increasingly exposed to periodic flooding and increased heat loading. Extremely high temperatures may also reduce the performance of the railway network, potentially leading to disruptions."
Warming seas and increased storm surges could also harm coastal ecosystems.
"Loss of biodiversity will place greater stress on the personal and economic wellbeing of communities in Greater Melbourne."
Monash University Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities Professor Nigel Tapper said the latest forecasts appeared consistent with international research.
While increased heat would impact Victorians' health, Dr Tapper said he was optimistic about reducing greenhouse emissions.
He said increasing vegetation in Melbourne could help to cool the city.
"If we do that we can mitigate against some of that extreme heat," he said.
The report also warned more hot days and heatwaves would exacerbate existing health risks, adding to pressure on hospitals and emergency services. "The urban heat island will add to heat stress," it said. "Vulnerable groups may need assistance to manage extreme heat, bushfires and flooding."