A bid to mine coal in Western Australia's sensitive southwest tourism and wine-producing region has been rejected by the state government after the proponent appealed the original Environmental Protection Authority decision.
WA Environment Minister Bill Marmion announced today he had upheld an earlier decision by the EPA to reject the proposal by Vasse Coal Management to develop a mine north-east of Margaret River.
Mr Marmion said any coal mine in the region would pose "serious risks".
While Mr Marmion's ruling is non-binding - he will still need to consult with other authorities before a final decision on the coal mine is made - it is the strongest indication yet that the state government considers the popular southwest region off-limits to mining.
The Vasse Coal Management proposal had met with strong opposition not only from local residents who rely on tourism, farming and wine-making, but also within the WA government.
Vasse MLA and Liberal frontbencher Troy Buswell has been the mine's most vocal critic inside the government.
Mr Marmion's decision follows an EPA report in May that stated mining coal in the region would be "environmentally unacceptable, due to serious risks to important environmental values in the Margaret River region".
The environment minister dismissed five appeals against the EPA report, including one from Vasse Coal Management, saying the findings were justified.
"Margaret River is a unique region with important environmental values which should be protected," Mr Marmion said.
"From an environmental perspective, this project is too risky."
Mr Marmion said there was a particular risk to surface and groundwater in the region, and that further assessment was unlikely to alter his views.
Shadow environment minister Sally Talbot said Mr Marmion’s belated decision to reject the mine proposal failed to reassure Margaret River residents and people who understand the environmental values of the area.
“The battle over the Osmington mine has been won, but there are dozens more mining leases in the Margaret River region that must be dealt with,” she said.
“Western Australians will have to wait until the next proponent comes along with another mining proposal and the fight starts up all over again.”
However former Greens and now independent member for Fremantle Adele Carles welcomed the decision, saying it provided "much-needed certainty for the people of Margaret River".
"The government has sent a clear message to industry that coal mines are not welcome in the region and that any future pursuance of approvals would be a waste of time and money," Ms Carles said.
"The southwest can continue to be the beautiful tourism region that it is now without the risk of becoming a coal province."
However the Chamber of Minerals and Energy (CME) WA has cautioned against a blanket ban on future resource development in the region, with director Nicole Roocke saying each proposal must be assessed on its merits.
CME lodged an appeal against the EPA's report on the project in May.
“CME is of the view that the EPA Report on which the Minister has based his decision today has taken a number of irrelevant considerations into account," Ms Roocke said.
“This includes giving weight to unsubstantiated statements of public opposition, making assertions as to the economic viability of the project and attempting to influence global energy policy issues.
“It is important for all proponents and parties that such processes are consistent and transparent, and that the EPA establishes an evidence base to support decisions impacting the commercial position of resource companies.
“Such a decision should be undertaken on a whole of Government level and based on sound scientific data, which is clearly lacking in the EPA report.”
The announcement comes after yesterday's decision by Mr Marmion to block a coal mine proposal south of Eneabba.
Conservation Council of WA director Piers Verstegen commended Mr Marmion on finishing 2011 on a high note by rejecting the two coal mining proposals.
“These decisions are an early Christmas present for the thousands of ordinary West Australians who do not want to see coal mining damaging our groundwater and contributing to global carbon pollution and climate change," Mr Verstegen said.
“The Minister’s welcome decisions will build confidence in the WA community that the Barnett Government is capable of listening to Western Australians and striking an appropriate balance between mining and protection of the environment.
“With new coal mines proposed in the Kimberley and near Esperance, the Minister’s decisions should sound a strong warning to other coal and gas fracking proponents, and their investors, that they should not assume their projects will be approved in WA."
