Antinuclear

Share and submit your objection to a new uranium mine in Kakadu National Park

Lauren Mellor, 12 Nov 14, Energy Resources of Australia, the operators of the ageing and failing Ranger uranium mine in Kakadu, are currently seeking approval for a new underground mine, Ranger 3 Deeps. Public comment on the proposal is open until December 12.

The Ranger lease is due to expire in January 2021, at which time rehabilitation is mandated to start. The company is facing significant time pressures, has suffered a string of recent severe mine-site accidents and faces long-term profitability problems. Any extension of mining at Ranger would inevitably add cost, complexity and delay to final rehabilitation.

Recently, serious concerns have been raised over ERA’s financial capacity to undertake rehabilitation, with the rehabilitation liability of over $700 million now worth more than the company’s market value. Key economic detail on the project is missing from the Draft EIS and parent-company Rio Tinto have repeatedly refused to take responsibility for clean up.

 This assessment process is the first opportunity the public have been given to have a say over the future of a mine that has been trashing and contaminating its lease within the boundaries of a World Heritage Listed national park in over three decades.

The Environment Centre NT and the Australian Conservation Foundation have launched some resources to help as many individuals and organisations as possible to lodge objections during the assessment phase. You can read a copy of the draft EIS here: http://www.ntepa.nt.gov.au/environmental-assessments/assessment/register/ranger-3-deeps-underground-mine/ranger-3-deeps-draft-eis

You can lodge a template submission on our website: http://www.ecnt.org/undermining or download the attached hard copy for distribution at upcoming events.

And if you’re keen to get some of these handy ‘Greetings from Kakadu’ postcards (attached) to send a direct message to Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt please get in contact at lauren.mellor@ecnt.org to get them in the post.

November 12, 2014 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | ACTION