Opposition to Western Australia’s first uranium mining project
“The EPA has ignored the serious risks associated with transporting toxic and radioactive material through Western Australian communities, and has given us no confidence that radioactive mine waste would be safely isolated from the environment for the required 10,000 years,”
The EPA report is now open to public appeal for two weeks. WA’s environment minister is required to review any appeals before finalizing a decision on the project. A federal government decision on the assessment will follow after the WA process is finalised.
Energy Watch: Australia’s First Uranium Mine Project Meets Opponent International Business Times, By Esther Tanquintic-Misa | May 22, 2012 “….The Conservation Council of Western Australia (CCWA) said it is opposed to the construction of the uranium mine project in Wiluna town in the northern Goldfields on the basis that Toro Energy has yet to provide a safe and reliable track record in uranium mine construction, development and maintenance…
.. According to Toro Energy’s plans, tonnes of radioactive mine waste would be left in an open-air dump, while radioactive ore would be transported nearly 2,700 kilometres through Leonora, Kalgoorlie, Norseman and other
communities.
“This is a dodgy approval for a dodgy uranium mine. Under this plan,
WA’s first uranium mine would be constructed without public support,
without proper regulation, and by a company that has no track record
in mining,” Mr Verstegen said.
The group likewise lambasted the EPA’s apparent hasty decision to
approve the submitted proposal of Toro Energy, especially since it was
only last week when the government’s Uranium Advisory Group
recommended updates to the approvals process.
“The EPA has ignored the serious risks associated with transporting toxic and radioactive material through Western Australian communities, and has given us no confidence that radioactive mine waste would be safely isolated from the environment for the required 10,000 years,” Mr Verstegen said……
The CCWA, according to its Web site, is WA’s foremost non-profit,
non-government conservation organisation. It has over 100 member
groups and been around WA for over 40 years. It essentially
facilitates communication on conservation and environmental issues
between its member groups and the entire WA state.
The EPA report is now open to public appeal for two weeks. WA’s environment minister is required to review any appeals before finalizing a decision on the project. A federal government decision on the assessment will follow after the WA process is finalised. http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/343693/20120522/uranium-toro-energy-epa-western-australia.htm
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