Abbot Point
Why Adani is wrong in saying they did not pollute the Reef and Caley Valley Wetlands during Cyclone Debbie
Posted by Peter McCallum · September 03, 2018 5:32 PM
RTI docs show Adani & Qld govt knew Reef pollution at Abbot Pt likely
Posted by Peter McCallum · August 10, 2018 6:13 AM
new proposal for dredge spoil dumping at Abbot Point
Posted by Ellen Roberts · March 23, 2015 12:02 PM
Adani dodges responsibility for fixing Abbot Point Port
Media Release
Adani should start engineering works on its Abbot Point port facility to ensure no repeat incidents of pollution of the Great Barrier Reef coast, not fight a $12,000 fine for a breach the company itself reported to the Queensland Environment Department, says the Mackay Conservation Group (“Adani denies stormwater breach”, Townsville Bulletin, today).
Mackay Conservation Group coordinator, Peter McCallum, who visited Abbot Point with department officials in April to inspect the pollution said, “It’s a bit rich of Adani to claim it has been singled out by the Queensland Government given all the special treatment they have received.
“The Queensland government has granted Adani free, unlimited water, it has amended water laws to stop objections by farmers and granted Adani a secret royalties deal. For Adani to cry ‘poor me’ really beggars belief.
“The reality is that Adani is being given privileged treatment by the Queensland government, a prime example being this puny $12,000 slap on the wrist.
“Adani admitted to the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection that it released more than eight times its licenced concentration of pollution in March.
“Rather than considering challenging the measly $12,000 fine for polluting the Great Barrier Reef coast Adani should begin work immediately to secure its coal terminal from storms and cyclones to avoid repeat pollution of the Reef coast and the Caley Valley Wetlands.
“The Department handed Adani a license to pollute before Cyclone Debbie hit which placed no limit on the volume of polluted water Adani could let flow into the wetlands.
“A day later this license was retrospectively amended to protect Adani from liability for releasing coal polluted water at several other locations including the sea.
“It took over a week for the Department of the Environment to begin even the most basic survey and five months later we still have no report on the pollution of the Caley Valley wetlands.
“I visited the site with Department officials, a good month after the Cyclone, and it was clear there was still coal present in the Caley Valley wetlands. We saw sediments which appear to be laden with coal within the wetlands adjacent to Adani’s storm water system outlet.
“Adani’s environmental record overseas, and this incident, shows it can’t be trusted to construct a new coal terminal, build a massive coal mine or ship its coal out through the Great Barrier Reef,” Mr McCallum said.
Mackay Conservation Group exposed aerial photography of Adani’s pollution of the Caley Valley wetlands in April which led to the company admitting to releasing 806mg/L of coal and other pollutants from its port at Abbot Point.
-ENDS-
For further information or interviews, please contact: Peter McCallum 0402 966 560
Mackay Conservation Group is a volunteer based organisation that was established in 1983 and works to protect Central Queensland’s environment www.mackayconservationgroup.org.au
Adani $12k fine inadequate
Media Release
Date: 11 August 2017
Contact: Peter McCallum
$12K Abbot Point fine for Adani pollution of Reef coast risks the environment
A $12,000 fine imposed on Adani by the Queensland Government for polluting the Great Barrier Reef coast is inadequate and will encourage future environmental harm at Abbot Point rather than preventative action by the company, according to the Mackay Conservation Group.
The Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection has imposed a fine of $12,190 on the company after it admitted to releasing more than eight times its licenced concentration of pollution in March this year. The Department is yet to report on pollution of the Caley Valley wetlands.
Mackay Conservation Group coordinator, Peter McCallum, who visited Abbot Point with department officials in April to inspect the pollution said, “It is hard to see how this fine can act as a deterrent. Adani made over $250 million in revenue at Abbot Point in the last financial year, with this fine representing a miniscule 0.005 percent.
“Adani is likely to make a business decision that it is cheaper to pollute the Caley Valley wetlands and the waters of the Great Barrier Reef than to put in place infrastructure that will ensure the sensitive environments at Abbot Point are never damaged again.
“Without sufficient penalties for breaching environmental conditions there’s little point in having them.
“Adani is operating a coal terminal in a cyclone-prone area that cannot withstand a cyclone without risk of polluting the Reef and the Caley Valley Wetlands.
“We need much more than a fine to prevent future pollution if the port is destined to carry Adani’s dirty coal.
“The port’s wastewater management systems are clearly inadequate and sediments which appear to be laden with coal were seen within the Caley Valley Wetlands adjacent to Adani’s storm water system outlet.
“Adani has been given free water, free coal and now almost free rein to pollute the environment and our precious Reef coast. The company can’t be trusted to operate anywhere in Queensland.”
Mackay Conservation Group exposed aerial photography of Adani’s pollution of the Caley Valley wetlands in April which led to the company admitting to releasing 806mg/L of coal and other pollutants from its port at Abbot Point.
-ENDS-
For further information or interviews, please contact: Peter McCallum 0402 966 560
Before and after vision of the port available on request.
Mackay Conservation Group is a volunteer based organisation that was established in 1983 that works to protect Central Queensland’s environment www.mackayconservationgroup.org.au
Adani’s Abbot Point pollution demands prosecution
Mackay Conservation Group, which last week joined government scientists on a site visit to Adani’s Abbot Point facility where it was evident Adani had allowed coal to pollute the sensitive Caley Valley wetlands during Cyclone Debbie, say the wholesale breach of Adani’s pollution license shows the company cannot be trusted to operate in Australia
Coordinator of the Mackay Conservation Group, Mr Peter McCallum said, “Even with a license to pollute in its back pocket, Adani has still managed to exceed the permitted discharge of contaminants by 800 per cent. This is one more sign Adani’s mine should not proceed
“This breach isn't a minor one. It's equivalent to driver travelling at over 300km/h in a school zone
“Adani have been found to be operating a coal terminal in a cyclone-prone area that cannot withstand a cyclone without risk of contaminating the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and the Caley Valley Wetlands.
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