Adani’s proposal to construct water infrastructure must be subject to a full and rigorous assessment under environmental laws.
In response to Adani’s referral under national environment law of its proposal to construct water infrastructure near the site of the proposed Carmichael coal mine, Australian Conservation Foundation Stop Adani Campaigner, Christian Slattery, said:
“This referral demonstrates that Adani is more committed than ever to building its polluting coal mega-mine. The Adani mine will drain billions of litres from Queensland’s precious water systems, at a time when more than half the state is in drought.
“The Adani mine is just the first step to opening up the whole of the Galilee Basin for coal mining. This is a reminder that now, more than ever, we need a rock-solid commitment from our elected representatives that they will put the future of our water, the Great Barrier Reef, and a safe climate first and stop this dangerous mine.
“Adani’s argument that the federal water trigger should not be applied does not stand up to scrutiny. The latest proposal to build a 10 billion litre dam and pipeline for the Carmichael mine clearly requires a full and rigorous assessment under our environmental laws.
“Adani should not be allowed to slice-up the approval process for their coal mine’s infrastructure. Each component of the project should be subjected to the assessment process of the EPBC Act.
“If the Environment Minister decides not to refer this latest piece of infrastructure, it is a further demonstration of the weaknesses of the EPBC Act and the need for a new generation of federal environment law.”
