ONLY about 10 people are expected to address a state government-run public meeting in Singleton on Thursday reassessing an $83million expansion plan for Ashton open-cut coalmine, near Camberwell.
While speakers had to register with the planning assessment commission by 4pm yesterday for the civic centre meeting, which begins at 9am, anyone can come and listen.
In a decision five months ago, the commission refused the expansion because of its potential impacts on human health and groundwater.
The China-based development company Yancoal immediately appealed, partly because state planning department officials lodged supplementary information, supporting the expansion, with the commission a few hours after the refusal.
The Land and Environment Court upheld the appeal last month and directed commission members Neil Shepherd and Gabrielle Kibble to reconsider its findings.
When announcing Thursday’s public meeting, the commission said in part “. . . only new information should be presented . . .”
Planning department officials say they are satisfied that the open-cut’s “residual impacts” could be adequately mitigated, managed, offset or compensated.
New South Wales Health officials rejected the project, saying it would generate significant noise and dust problems and its cumulative impacts, including the emissions of fine dust particles known as PM10s, were unacceptable.