| A new report released this morning estimates that 9 ‘mega’ coal mines proposed for the Galilee Basin, in Central Queensland, will pump out or drain a total of 1,345 billion litres of groundwater during their operation.
 That’s 2.5 times the volume of water in Sydney Harbour, and enough water for 37 million cattle – more than the whole Australian cattle herd.
This will result in more than 400 water bores on adjoining properties being put at risk of groundwater drawdown, along with the townships of Alpha and Jericho. The Great Artesian Basin is also under threat.
This shocking news comes at a time when more than a million square kilometres of Queensland is covered by drought declarations.
We need your help today – join our twitter-storm and post directly to the facebook page of new Environment Minister, Greg Hunt.
The scale of the proposed Galilee Basin coal mines is staggering and unlike anything we have ever seen before. The mines will comprise over 34 open cut pits and 11 underground mines stretching across 270km of iconic cattle country.
The independent report released today was commissioned by Lock The Gate Alliance, and written in consultation with Tom Crothers, the former General Manager of Water Planning and Allocation for the Queensland Government.
To really grasp the magnitude of the risk to water supplies, watch Tom Crothers summarise the extraordinary findings from the report here:
We commissioned this report because our governments, both state and federal, have so far refused to conduct their own assessments of the total impacts of all 9 mine proposals on water resources. They are going ahead and approving the mines, one by one, despite the massive uncertainty.
Join us in calling for state and federal governments to suspend any further coal mine approvals in the Galilee Basin – until proper cumulative water studies have been completed.
Please forward this email – and the links to the report, video and graphics – widely with friends, family and colleagues. Together, we must act to protect our precious water resources and farming communities,
Drew Hutton, President, Lock The Gate Alliance
PS To support Lock The Gate and rural communities under threat, please consider donating today.
Lock the Gate Alliance
http://www.lockthegate.org.au/ |
