{"id":32018,"date":"2016-04-19T16:33:51","date_gmt":"2016-04-19T06:33:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nofibs.com.au\/?p=32018"},"modified":"2019-04-16T13:31:14","modified_gmt":"2019-04-16T03:31:14","slug":"victoria-increases-coal-mine-rehabilitation-bonds-in-response-to-hazelwood-mine-fire-reports-takvera","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/victoria-increases-coal-mine-rehabilitation-bonds-in-response-to-hazelwood-mine-fire-reports-takvera\/","title":{"rendered":"Victoria increases #coal mine rehabilitation bonds in response to #Hazelwood mine fire reports @takvera"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Victorian

Victorian Premier Dan Andrews announces response to Hazelwood Mine fire Inquiry<\/p><\/div>\nThis is a repost of an article by John Englart published<\/a> at Climate Action Moreland.<\/em><\/p>\n

On Friday 15th April Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced in Morwell the Victorian government’s response to the final landmark inquiry into the 2014 Hazelwood Mine Fire. This response includes an initial $50 million in the Victorian state budget to implement the recommendations, and a major increase in the rehabilitation bonds for the three La Trobe Valley brown coal mines.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe people of the Latrobe Valley have been completely vindicated. I\u2019m so proud of their efforts. They never gave up and neither will we.\u201d said Premier Dan Andrews.<\/p>\n

The recommendations focus on 3 major areas: improving the health outcomes of the La Trobe Valley community, increased monitoring of air pollution, and improve progressive rehabilitation and end of life mine planning. <\/p>\n

It highlights the importance of helping the La Trobe Valley transition away from coal, and in putting in place a just transition for the community. The increased focus on health and mine rehabilitation is a necessary first step for this transition.<\/p>\n

Increased Air pollution monitoring and Health focus<\/h3>\n

The report made clear that the mine fire likely contributed to increased deaths in the La Trobe Valley in 2014. <\/p>\n

Equally clear is that regional health outcomes are well below the average for the state. The Government announced the establishment of a new Latrobe Valley Health Zone, the first of its kind in Australia, which will focus on improving health outcomes for the Valley\u2019s youngest residents to its oldest. This includes increased access to health screening so serious diseases and illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and kidney disease can be detected earlier and treated sooner. <\/p>\n

There will also be expanded allied health services for people suffering from chronic disease management, support telemedicine and provide targeted funding for local Aboriginal communities. Preventative medicine and health programs will also be promoted as well as targeted improvements for mental health and addressing family violence.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe community raised concerns about the impact of the Mine Fire on their health but these were ignored by the former Government. We\u2019ve listened to their concerns and we\u2019re putting the health and well-being of families in the Valley first.\u201d said Victorian Minister for Health Jill Hennessy. <\/p>\n

Coal ash contamination in roof cavities in Morwell will also be investigated. <\/p>\n

The government response comes hard on the heals of the latest National Pollutant Inventory’s 2014-15 report which details that PM10 emissions have increased 69 per cent in one year, and 194 per cent in five years. <\/p>\n

Environment Justice Australia (EJA) have done analysis of air pollution and highlight that 3000 Australians die prematurely from urban air pollution each year. They argue strongly in a report – Clearing the air: Why Australia urgently needs effective national air pollution laws<\/a> – that air pollution regulation is failing to the detriment of population health. Political delay on increased air pollution regulation over the last decade means that about 33,000 preventable deaths are likely to have occurred.<\/p>\n

EJA researcher Dr James Whelan called for tougher federal government regulation, an urgent transition from coal to renewable energy, and a National Air Pollution Control Act. “Watching the continuing escalation of air pollution across Australia, particularly from coal mines and coal-fired power stations, is like seeing a car speed faster and faster with no police response.” Whelan told<\/a> the Sydney Morning Herald.<\/p>\n

\"EJA

EJA report on air pollution<\/p><\/div>\n

Mine Rehabilitation costs increased in staged process<\/h3>\n

It was well known that Mine rehabilitation bonds were alarmingly small in comparison to the estimated costs involved. Existing bonds were increased to 50 per cent of the mine’s self-assessed value by June 2016 and 100 per cent by January 2017. It appears this is just an initial step though as the Government said they were developing a more effective system to set future mine rehabilitation bonds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Mine<\/th>\nCurrent Bond<\/th>\nTotal bond by 30 June 2016<\/th>\nTotal bond by 31 Dec 2016<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Yallourn mine<\/td>\n$11.46 million<\/td>\n$34.25 million<\/td>\n$68.5 million<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hazelwood mine<\/td>\n$15 million<\/td>\n$36.7 million<\/td>\n$73.4 million<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Loy Yang mine<\/td>\n$15 million<\/td>\n$56 million<\/td>\n$112 million<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

\u201cWe are acting immediately to increase the rehabilitation bonds for the Latrobe Valley coal mines so the community can be confident the mines are safe and will be rehabilitated.\u201d said Energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio.<\/p>\n

Lily D’Ambrosio told the Morwell community that an independant commissioner will be appointed to oversee mine rehabilitation. A mine fire safety unit has also been established in the Traralgon to provide additional reassurance to the community.<\/p>\n

This is a significant improvement in ensuring mine owners cannot simply walk away, or default through bankrupcy, on mine rehabilitation. The only issue is that the bonds are based on self-assessed rehabilitation costs, rather than an independant third party evaluation of costs. An effective framework for ensuring mine rehabilitation is sorely needed, not just in Victoria, but nationally.<\/p>\n

\n

.@DanielAndrewsMP<\/a> has saved the taxpayers a massive amount of money, the cost of rehabilitation of mining will be born by the the companies<\/p>\n

— Wendy Farmer @VotV (@WendyFarmer_) April 16, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

According to a report in the LaTrobe Valley Express<\/a>, an independent assessment by American technical services company AECOM estimated the cost of rehabilitation of the mines as much higher. Their report outlined that conservative but realistic estimates of the liability cost of end of mine life was $266 million for Yallourn, $286 million for Hazelwood and $305 million for Loy Yang.<\/p>\n

Morwell Community and Environment Victoria applaud Andrews Government<\/h3>\n

This announcement was warmly welcomed by members of the La Trobe Valley community and justify Labor’s re-opening of the 2014 Minefire Enquiry. Wendy Farmer from Morwell based community group Voices of the Valley tweeted<\/a> “You have listened @DanielAndrewsMP our community cried out for your help, today you delivered. Thankyou” <\/p>\n

\n

You have listened @DanielAndrewsMP<\/a> our community cried out for your help, today you delivered. Thankyou @TracieLund<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Gp3dTtCsnD<\/a><\/p>\n

— Wendy Farmer @VotV (@WendyFarmer_) April 15, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Wendy Farmer articulated the feeling of betrayal by Morwell and Valley residents by the former Napthine Liberal Government in the handling of the mine fire disaster. “It was pretty disgusting. Not only did they turn and ignored us, they turned and lied to us.” Wendy Farmer told<\/a> ABC News.<\/p>\n