Queensland coal miner cops fine from for covering up environmental breaches  

The Commonwealth Environment Department has issued a $16,500 fine to the operators of the Baralaba North Coal mine for failing to disclose a potential breach of conditions attached to the mine’s Commonwealth environmental approvals. 

The fine was issued in March this year to Wonbindi Coal Pty Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Baralaba Coal who are majority owned by US-based American Metals and Coal International (AMCI).

Federal environmental enforcement action that results in infringements and fines is rare, with just two issued last year, one in 2022 and three in 2021. See the infringements register here. The fine issued to Baralaba Coal is the first time a coal company has been issued an infringement since Adani breached its environmental approval conditions in 2020. 

The coal mine breached condition 13 of its EPBC approval, which requires the company to notify the department in writing of any potential non-compliance, resulting in the infringement and $16,000 fine.

Environmental Advocacy in Central Queensland Director Dr Coral Rowston said, “The fine comes as Baralaba Coal seeks to gain state and federal approvals for the new Baralaba South coal mine. 

“The Baralaba region is a highly productive agricultural area producing crops such as mung beans, lychees, sorghum, wheat, cotton and beef. The Baralaba South coal mine would impact on 556 hectares of identified strategic cropping land which needs to remain as our food bowl, not a coal mine.

“Apart from the loss of prime agricultural land, all the crops grown close to the mining lease will be impacted by dust at a rate of 64 mg per square metre a day which is just plain unacceptible.

In 2020, community group Save the Dawson conducted a survey in Baralaba which found 97 percent of residents opposed the new coal mine. Despite strong community opposition, the company recently revived plans for a scaled down coal mine at Baralaba South. The community opposition remains strong with serious concerns about the mines impact on water supplies, farmland and agricultural crops. 

The Queensland government is currently reviewing public comments on the proposed Baralaba South coal mine’s Environmental Impact Statement.

“The recent environmental breach at the existing Baralaba North coal mine calls into question the trustworthiness of the company who are seeking to develop the Baralaba South coal mine and win the support of concerned locals,” said Dr Rowston.