The Moorabool Environment Group is urging state Industry, Energy and Resources Minister Lily D’Ambrosio to cancel a Bacchus Marsh coal exploration licence.
As revealed by Star Weekly last month, the exploration licence of mining companies Mantle Mining and Exergen for the 154-square-kilometre Bacchus Marsh Coal Project is set to expire next Tuesday.
But environment group president Ben Courtice is calling on Ms D’Ambrosio to cancel the licence which, he says, could have severe repercussions for Moorabool residents and farmers.
Mr Courtice said he didn’t believe coal exploration, or mining, was appropriate for Bacchus Marsh. “[A mine] is going to be a big, new source of greenhouse gas emissions when the world needs less and not more,” he said.
“We’re very concerned for the dust and water contamination and how that will impact on nearby communities.”
Mr Courtice said the group hoped Bacchus Marsh’s horticulture and farming practices would be maintained and expanded, but coal exploration was “incompatible with these objectives”.
“Coal is last century’s energy source,” he said. “We want Victoria to move into the future with clean energy, a healthy agricultural sector, and a plan to combat climate change.
“Now that the exploration licence is coming to an end, we ask Minister D’Ambrosio to cancel the licence and review the threat that has been hovering on the horizon of our community.”
Mantle Mining coal exploration manager Mark Maxwell said he respected the environment group’s decision to write and request the licence cancellation.
“The department or the minister is not bound to renew the licence, but I would be surprised if it didn’t,” Mr Maxwell said.
“We haven’t finalised our exploration or reassessment of the resource.”
A spokeswoman for Ms D’Ambrosio wouldn’t be drawn on whether the minister would intervene in the issue but said: “The minister will thoroughly consider the issues raised in the letter.”
