21st September: Court challenge ruling
Justice Stone found that the EPBC Act does not prescribe a frame of reference by which the Minister can assess the significance or substantiality of an impact, such as greenhouse gasses, on matters protected by the Act.
"On the same day that John Howard releases a report finding the Murray Darling basin is in critical danger of total collapse, world scientists are reporting the polar ice caps are melting at a much faster rate and Africa is suffering unprecedented floods that the United Nations directly contributes to Global Warming, displacing millions of people, our Federal Court demonstrates that our laws have no teeth regards developments that contribute to climate change such as coal mines." said the president of the Anvil Hill Project Watch Association.
7th June: Planning Minister approves the proposed coal mine
Despite massive demonstrated local opposition, expected dire environmental impacts both local and global and adverse impacts on local industries, on the 7th of June the NSW Planning Minister Frank Sartor approved the proposed mine. Now more than ever we need your help to prevent the environmental, social and economic blight known as the proposed Anvil Hill coal mine. Please write to the Planning Minister now, see this letter writing guide/email form for his contact details and some letter writing tips, and help save Anvil Hill and prevent climate chaos.
3rd June: Protest camp a great success!
On 2-3 June, 2007 more than 400 people from around New South Wales, some traveling for more than 5 hours, gathered in peaceful protest near the proposed Anvil Hill mine site.
To voice their opposition the hundreds lined up to form a huge human sign reading "Save Anvil Hill".
27th November: Environmental Victory in Anvil Hill Court Case.
Justice Nicola Pain made the historic decision to set aside the Director-General's acceptance of the Environmental Assessment for the Anvil Hill coal mine, on the grounds that its greenhouse gas assessment did not assess the climate change impact of the burning of the coal once mined.
"This is a turning point in the campaign against greenhouse polluting industries," said Paul Winn of the Hunter Community Environment Centre, "and a victory for common sense and the planet."
Centennial Coal, proponent of the Anvil hill coal mine, may now have to rewrite their environmental assessment to comply with this decision, assessing the impact of greenhouse pollution from coal dug at the mine on the NSW environment.
Read more on the HCEC web site...
6th October: People pledge to stop proposed Anvil Hill mine.
Muswellbrook: People from five states today delivered a pledge to the office of Centennial Coal to "take whatever action necessary" to stop the proposed Anvil Hill Coal Mine. "This mine should be illegal on the basis of its climate impacts alone", said Sophie Cooke from the newly formed group Anvil Hill Action. Read more here...
22nd August: Birds eye view of devastation caused by Hunter Valley coal mines.
Photos from an aerial tour of Hunter Valley coal mines show the devastation caused by their proliferation. It has debunked all talk of rehabilitation of open cut mining in the Upper Hunter. The tour also included the proposed Anvil Hill mine site. Click here to see the photos.