Rudd’s climate rhetoric muffled by bulldozers moving in at Anvil Hill coal mine

“While Prime Minister Rudd is talking the talk in Copenhagen this week, bulldozers are lining up to start construction on the massive new Anvil Hill coal mine," said Ms Rhiannon.

“The unprecedented expansion of the coal export industry in Australia highlights the hypocrisy of the federal government on climate change.

"There is a new wave of coal expansion set to sweep across the Hunter Valley in 2010.

“The federal Government has funded $450 million of dedicated coal rail line works in the Liverpool Plains and the Hunter region to aid this coal industry growth.

"The Mangoola mine, formerly Anvil Hill, should never have been approved.  It will produce over 10.5 million tonnes of coal resulting in 27 million tonnes of CO² each year.  

“Bulldozing at the former Anvil Hill site is rumoured to start this week or in early January.

"The area to be cleared is old growth forest with multiple tree hollows that house possums and tree gliders.  I doubt Xstrata will check those hollows for breeding animals before it starts felling.

"Concerned locals expect high mortality rate of gliders and possums, as well as wombats and echidnas, which will be caring for their young in their concealed burrows.

"The former Anvil Hill site is a large, intact and quality stand of remnant Hunter Valley floor bushland, rich in rare and threatened biodiversity.  It is home to at least 178 animal species, including 4 threatened bat species, the squirrel glider, the koala, 14 threatened bird species, and at least 420 species of native flora.

"While the world grapples with climate change the NSW Government pushes ahead with its dangerous expansionary vision for the coal industry.

"Prime Minister Kevin Rudd needs to match his words with action and reign in the NSW Government and the coal industry.

"He can start by placing a moratorium on new coal projects in NSW," said Ms Rhiannon.

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