Director General of DECCW Lisa Corbyn welcomed the Advisory Committee’s endorsement of the final design of the network monitoring locations.

“This is great progress for the Upper Hunter Air Quality Monitoring Network and keeps us on track to deliver all 14 monitors to the Upper Hunter community in 2011 as promised when first announced,” Ms Corbyn said.

“I can now report that the status of the network is:

• 2 sites are operational, one at Muswellbrook and one at Singleton

• 5 sites have been recommended for detailed planning and construction at Singleton North, Bulga, Maison Dieu, Camberwell and Mount Thorley

• 7 locations have been agreed in principle at Aberdeen, Merriwa, Singleton South, Jerrys Plains, Muswellbrook Northwest, Warkworth and Wybong

“The Department is now working towards a timetable of having four new sites operating by mid-2011 with the remainder to be rolled out progressively.”

Advisory Committee Chairperson Cathy Cole said that the Committee had based their final decisions on recommendations from the Holmes Report as well as technical and strategic information from DECCW.

“The committee is confident that after reviewing all of the available information and undertaking location visits that we have recommended the most appropriate sites for a comprehensive network,” Ms Cole said.

“The Wybong site for example was recommended after reassessing the number of Muswellbrook sites to ensure the network provides appropriate coverage to the northwest of mining operations.

“The Committee also accepted the Holmes report recommendation that a monitor at Denman would be less valuable to the network because it is south of the main airflow path that is influenced by coal mining in the Hunter Valley.

“However the committee has recommended that future planning and approval processes for proposed new mines, such as mines proposed around Denman, reassess the network to ensure it continues to meet its objectives.”

Ms Corbyn said DECCW will now investigate specific sites for the seven locations endorsed in-principle, based on technical and geographic information so as to ensure the most efficient regional air quality monitoring.