New Hope welcome progress for New Acland Stage 3, Oakey Coal Action Alliance vow to fight against coal mine

The proposed expansion of a coal mine near Toowoomba has taken a step towards approval, with Resources Minister Scott Stewart responding to the latest development and calls for the $1bn project to be given the green light.

UPDATE: Resources Minister Scott Stewart has said he will give “careful consideration” to any mining lease application for the proposed stage 3 expansion of New Acland coal mine west of Toowoomba.

Mr Stewart said he would consider the application when he received it from the Department of Resources.

“We’ve always said we will let the legal process finish before any decision was made about New Acland,” he said.

“Any resources project must stack up environmentally, socially and financially.”

Resources Minister Scott Stewart has commented on the New Acland stage 3 expansion plans. Picture: Shae Beplate.

EARLIER: Oakey farmers and landholders have vowed to continue their fight against the expansion of the New Acland mine after an amended Environmental Authority was issued this week.

New Hope Group CEO Rob Bishop welcomed the progress claiming the company’s Stage 3 project was “the most reviewed, assessed and scrutinised resources project in Queensland’s history”.

On Tuesday the Queensland Department of Environment and Science approved New Hope Group’s plans to expand its coal mine west of Toowoomba, with its amended Environmental Authority including strict conditions, such as limits on air and noise emissions as recommended by the Land and Environment Court.

New Hope Group executive general manager Dominic O’Brien said the amended authority was a very important step towards seeing the mine reopen, and that the Land Court and the independent Queensland Department of Environment and Science said the expansion “stacks up environmentally”.

New Hope Group executive general manager and company secretary Dominic O'Brien.

Mr O’Brien said all that stood in the way of the mine’s expansion was the granting of a mining lease and associated water licence.

“We don’t have a timeline because there’s actually no statutory deadlines under the current approvals process with the Queensland government, but we are hopeful however given the extensive reviews that have been undertaken that they should be issued quite promptly.”

Oakey Coal Action Alliance secretary Paul King said the approval was “devastating”, but confirmed the group would continue to oppose the planned expansion.

“New Hope still needs a water licence for this project, and it’s now up to Water Minister Glenn Butcher and his department to step up and reject the application,” he said.

“The world we find ourselves in today is very different from when the mine expansion was first proposed in 2007. Expanding polluting coal mining is not the way ahead.

“Our future lies in our prime farmland and new opportunities in the South West Renewable Energy Zone.”

Condamine MP and opposition resources spokesman Pat Weir has called on the mining lease and water licence to be issued to get workers back to work and have the Acland mine reopened to boost the Oakey economy.

“We have gone through the most rigorous process in history. It has been done to death. Let’s get this show on the road,” Mr Weir said.

“The minister now needs to come forward, grant the lease, get the associated water license with it and get everybody back to work.

“I would be hoping for weeks. This is not a blank sheet of paper. It has been going for 15 years and everyone has had a say.”