"OPPORTUNISTIC ambush lobbying" is how the NO COAL!ition group has described attacks by commerce and industry organisations on the EPA and the integrity of its processes over the Vasse Coal Project.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA, Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA and the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies submitted three of the five appeals on the EPA’s "environmentally unsustainable" report and recommendations to Environment Minister Bill Marmion on the coal project.
The organisations have claimed their appeals were based on concerns the EPA’s processes were "flawed", including extending the initial public consultation period, interpretation of expert advice provided by other agencies, the time allowed for LDO to respond to expert advice provided by agencies, consideration of commercial and social factors in an environmental assessment, and claims of a lack of transparency in the process.
As reported last week, the other two appeals were made by project proponent LD Operations and the NO COAL!ition group.
NO COAL!ition convener Brent Watson said members expected AMEC to support LDO "because they represent mining companies", however, they were angered by what they saw as "blatant" attempts to influence Mr Marmion’s decision in support of LDO by the two chambers.
"LDO has obviously paid its dues. They’ve (CCIWA, CME and AMEC) gone off half cocked, they haven’t bothered to check the facts," Mr Watson said
"We can’t prove collusion, but there are remarkable similarities between their attacks on the EPA just by coincidence," he said.
"They would have us believing that the EPA’s processes in deliberating on (Vasse Coal Project) were too opaque. To us (NO COAL!ition) transparency means pointing out that they should be held accountable for going off half cocked, accountable for not representing their constituents and accountable for opportunistic ambush lobbying.
"The CME is clearly signalling that it is going to be political. It is positioning itself to clear the way ahead for a mining assault on the South West.
"The CCIWA had obviously not contacted the chamber of commerce and industry down here in Margaret River before it made its submission, otherwise it would have discovered that we have a strong local chamber that does not support a coal mine."
Mr Watson said complaints in the appeals about the extended initial public comment period on LDO’s proposal were an "example of how little homework they’ve done".
"The public comment period was extended because the EPA’s website broke down. Not only did objectors have more time to put submissions in, but supporters of the project also had more time to put them in.
"They have proved (by their appeals) they don’t trust the system, but they do trust that the Minister can be intimidated," he said.
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