WE WON !!!

On Tuesday 24 September 2002 Australian Silicon Ltd announced that they would not be proceeding with the charcoal plant at Mogo.

Australian Silicon managing director Peter Anderton said that the catalysts for the decision to move the plant out of the Eurobodalla Shire were:

• NSW Liberal party's opposition to the charcoal plant at Mogo
• strong community opposition to the project
• the cost and the time frame of defending the appeal

Australian Silicon announced a new charcoal plant would be built on one of two sites on the east coast of Australia and that a decision on the new site would be made within the next few weeks.

Official Land & Environment Court   order refusing development consent

 
       

ABOUT THE CHARCOALITION

Outrage, revulsion and disbelief are some of the reactions by community members, visitors and businesses when they discover that Australian Silicon Ltd has lodged with the NSW Government a development application for a charcoal plant near Mogo, Mossy Point and Broulee.

Planning NSW received 1530 submissions from 1220 individuals and groups in response to the company's Environmental Impact Statement. Submissions were also received from five local councils. Only nineteen of these submissions were in support of the project.

On 1 May 2002 the Minister for Planning, Dr. Andrew Refshauge, approved the development.

The development was classified as a project of State significance so the Eurobodalla Shire Council did not have development approval.

The Charcoalition group is a subcommittee of The Coastwatchers Association Inc., Eurobodalla's environment group - members who are concerned about the siting of the plant in our area, and the threat to our "Nature Coast" image. Our group comprises residents living close by the plant site, and other people, businesses, and organisations who are concerned about this proposal. We represent thousands of people who do not want the charcoal plant.

We are concerned about the environmental impact of the plant on the air, water, and forests of our pristine area of the south coast, and the effects on employment in local industries, particularly the tourist industry. Tourism success in this area is largely due to the Nature Coast image and the large percentage of self-drive family visits. Premier Bob Carr, in a speech at Eurobodalla Regional Botanical Gardens opening recently, acknowledged the importance of forests and said "The beautiful South Coast, there is nothing like it .. the last coastal wilderness in New South Wales".

The impact on this region is already being felt:

• We are aware of residential developments and a planned expansion of a large tourist complex have been put on hold pending a decision on the charcoal plant. It is highly unlikely that these developments will proceed if the charcoal plant is approved
• Some residents have stated that they will move away from this area if the charcoal plant is approved.

The proposed site is surrounded by rural residences and less than three km from Broulee. From its eastern boundary, it is:

• 2.2 km from Carrol College
• 2.6 km from Broulee Primary School
• 2.6 km from Broulee Pre-school
• 2.9 km from Broulee Retirement Village
• 2.5 km from the proposed Anglican College

Some of our community members live within 100s of metres of the plant site in peaceful rural residences. They are concerned that this plant might impair their environment and life-style with the odour, noise, dust, heat, greenhouse gases and other pollutants which this plant, and the associated 70 (or more) trucks per day, have the potential to produce.

The NSW government have shown disregard for the local community by planning to site a major heavy industrial plant like this so close to residences and towns, and so incompatible with the "Nature Coast" environment.

This plant is not just a local issue:

• It will consume a massive 200,000 tonnes of South East NSW forest timber annually for the next 20 years (170,000 tonnes will be burned, 30,000 tonnes will be used a fluxwood in the Lithow silicon smelter). The company claims that this will be waste from the forest floor however State Forests have a puzzling classification of "standing waste" which can also be used.
• Canberra residents and others who travel to and from the coast on the King's Highway are likely to find themselves frequently stuck behind a charcoal or log truck.

The company, Australian Silicon Ltd, has met with residents and local business groups. These groups have said that the Company gave conflicting information about the environmental effects of the plant. The number of new jobs allegedly created by the plant has also varied considerably.

The Environmental Impact Statement released in November 2001 is a poor quality and piecemeal document. The massive logging, more than double previous volumes, is not required to have an EIS.

The community gradually become more aware of this proposed development following a meeting of about 100 concerned citizens at the Tomakin Hall on Friday 7 September 2001. Following meetings at Mogo Moruya and Batemans Bay attracted 400-500 people each.

The Eurobodalla Shire Council, Eurobodalla Tourism Development Board, Batemans Bay Chamber of Commerce, Aboriginal Land Councils, and many community organisations and businesses have all publicly stated their opposition to the plant.

A charcoal plant is in operation in Kemerton, Western Australia. See photographs of the Simcoa Operations Ltd charcoal and silicon plant.

See maps and aerial views here

We are also outraged that State Forests have been poisoning trees in our area with a herbicide called Tordon. We have been assured that this practice called Silviculture has nothing to do with the charcoal plant but we are not convinced.

The Charcoalition's objective is to convince the Carr Government to stop the Mogo charcoal plant development. Click here to see Charcoalition objectives as agreed at the Mogo Public Meeting 26 September 2001.

The Coastwatchers Association Inc. and Charcoalition:
(a) Support the application of democratic and transparent due process and legitimate challenges under the legal system;
(b) If appropriate, support the community's right to non-violent passive resistance, where our right to protest can be expressed while at the same time respecting the human dignity and property rights of all others in the community.
(c) In no way condone violence, or the destruction of property, or threats thereof.

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