[Greens-Media] Greens visit Somersby sand mine site having won support for its rejection

[Lee Rhiannon]

Greens MP Lee Rhiannon - Media Alert - 10 April 2008

Somersby sand mine: NSW Upper House backs Greens call to reject mine
and legislate for 3km exclusion zone  - Greens MP Lee Rhiannon visits
Somersby this Friday 11 April

Greens MP Lee Rhiannon will tomorrow visit the Central Coast town of
Somersby to meet with local campaigners, residents and students of
Somersby Public School who are opposed to the Somersby sand mine
proposed for a site just 260 metres from the school.

Yesterday in the NSW Upper House the Greens motion calling on the
government not to proceed with proposed sand mine was accepted
unanimously (full text below). 

The motion calls on the Iemma government to reject the proposed sand
mine and introduce legislation to create an exclusion zone forbidding
any mining within three kilometres of a school or residential community
in NSW.

Ms Rhiannon said: "This successful motion is a wake up call for the NSW
government. 

"The Greens are calling on Planning Minister Frank Sartor to reject the
sand mine proposal because of the real risks it poses to the health of
students and local residents, the local environment, water supplies and
local businesses. 

Timetable
10 am		Meet with Ms Hillary Morris, local campaigner
10.30 am		Meet with residents who will be directly
affected by the mine
11.40 am		Briefing by Coachwood Nurseries on mining dust
12 noon		Visit to Somersby Public School and site
inspection

Ms Rhiannon is available for interview during the day. 

For more information:  9230 3551, 0427 861 568

Full text of the successful motion

Ms Rhiannon to move*

1.	That this House notes that:

(a) a Part 3A proposal to establish a Somersby Fields Sand Extraction
project on the Central Coast, a 42 hectare sand mine to operate for
15-18 years is currently before the Minister for Planning for approval,
(b) on two other occasions the same development has been abandoned due
to resistance from the community,
(c) the project is opposed by residents, the local school community,
the regional education director for the Central Coast, Gosford City
Council, the Labor member for Gosford Marie Andrews MP and the Shadow
Minister for the Central Coast Chris Hartcher MP, 
(d) the sand mine will be 260 metres from Somersby Public School,
resulting in students being exposed to noise and dust from the mine
site, with particular concern about the risk of respiratory diseases
such as silicosis,
(e) a school survey showed the majority of parents will pull their
children out of that school if the mine goes ahead,
(f) the mine will impact on scarce local water sources drying up
permanent spring flows on surrounding property and interrupting flows
from three streams on the site which feed into the Central Coast water
supply catchment, and 
(g) community opposition to the mine is also based on:
(i) the impact on more than 200 local residents and many more who work
in the area,
(ii) increased truck movements (eg estimated 35 B-double trucks on F3
to Sydney between 5-9am weekdays),
(iii) disruption to the local agricultural and horticultural industry,
(iv) destruction of native flora and fauna including the Eastern Pygmy
Possum and four endangered plant species such as the Tetratheca
glandulosa and Diuris bracteate orchid,
(v) the impact on property prices.

2. That this House calls on the Government to:

(a) reject the Somersby Fields Sand Extraction project proposal, and

(b) introduce legislation to create an exclusion zone forbidding any
mining within three kilometres of a school or residential community in
New South Wales.



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Lee Rhiannon, MLC
The Greens
Parliament of New South Wales
Macquarie St 
Sydney 2000
Tel: +61-2-9230 3551 Fax: +61-2-9230 3550
Email lee.rhiannon at parliament.nsw.gov.au
Web http://www.lee.greens.org.au/

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