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BHP gets approval for world's largest open pit mine at Olympic Dam

Wed 12 Oct 2011
By takver

BHP Billiton Olympic Dam mine expansion in South Australia has received a go ahead from Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke on 10th October 2011. This will create the world's largest open pit mine, over 1km deep, 4.5km long and 3km wide. The export of uranium is expected to increase from an average of 4,000 tonnes per year to 19,000 tonnes per year, and the production of copper, gold and silver also expected to increase. Olympic Dam already consumes an inordinate amount of ground water extracted from the Great Artesian Basin every day - for free. The mine expansion will entail BHP Billiton expanding groundwater extraction and building a 280 megalitres-a-day desalination plant at Point Lowly, northeast of Whyalla on Spencer's Gulf which will impact the only known breeding ground of the giant Australian cuttlefish, prawn fisheries and the sensitive marine environment.

Save Point Lowly | Save the Great Artesian Basin |
Events: National Day of Action against BHP Billiton - Thursday, October 20 - Melbourne Facebook page or Adelaide Facebook page | BHP Billitons Annual General Meeting at the Melbourne convention centre on November the 17th at 10:30am.

Carcinogenic chemicals in 5 water bores around the Qld town of Dalby

Tue 30 Aug 2011
By Anonymous

Also relevant to this:
14 anti-fracking songs called "Whole Lotta Frackin' Going On"

Takin' it to the streets....

Carcinogenic chemicals have been reported contaminating a water aquifer near the town of Dalby on Queensland's Darling Downs. Five monitoring bores at Arrow Energy's Tipton West and Daandine coal seam gas (CSG) fields showed significant levels of benzene, toluene and xylene well above levels considered by regulatory authorities as acceptable. Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke has called for Every CSG aquifer must be tested on ABC Lateline, while Queensland mining magnate Clive Palmer at a National Party conference has slammed the coal seam gas industry as 'unproven' and 'unsafe'.

Related: Lock the Gate - Media Release: B-TEX chemicals found in coal seam gas monitoring bores | Arrow Energy Media Release: Arrow Energy advises of monitoring results (PDF)

Italians reject nuclear power, water privatisation, court immunity for ministers in referendum

Tue 14 Jun 2011
By takver

In a referendum over the weekend Italians have rejected plans by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi for nuclear power and water privatisation. More than 50% of the electorate needed to vote, including the estimated 3 million Italians living overseas, for the referendums to be binding. About 57% are estimated to have participated with official projections showing that 95% rejected water privatisation and 90% rejected Berlusconi's plans to build 4 nuclear power plants.

Murray Darling Basin Plan needed despite floods says Conservation Foundation

Mon 10 Jan 2011
By takver

While flood waters continue to rage in Queensland with more rain continuing to fall, debate on the Murray Darling Basin is stepping up. Flood waters are slowly making there way down the Murray Darling system to the Lower Lakes of the Coorong.

The Murray Darling Basin has experienced its wettest year on record and there are now calls for the basin water plan to be deferred and for dams to be built to mitigate future flooding.

CSIRO: South East Australia becoming drier, global warming implicated

Sun 24 Oct 2010
By takver

A new report into the changing climate of South East Australia and particularly the Murray Darling Basin indicates an increasing risk of below average rainfall and runoff into streams and generally drier conditions. The change in the climate has, at least in part, been attributed to an increase in atmospheric anthropogenic greenhouse gases associated with global warming.

Related: Climate scepticism, anthropogenic global warming and drought in south east Australia | Study predicts extreme drought conditions worsening globally with climate change

Study predicts extreme drought conditions worsening globally with climate change

Wed 20 Oct 2010
By takver

Extreme Drought and aridity is likely to increase within decades across much of Africa, Australia, North and South America, South west Asia, and around the Mediterranean Sea according to a new study by National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) scientist Aiguo Dai.

Earlier research published in 2005 by Aiguo Dai and scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in the USA found that Global Warming is a major factor in Drought increasing globally.

New study estimates economic value of wetlands conservation

Wed 02 Jun 2010
By takver

What value our wetlands? How do you value a wetlands environment? How do you value the indirect ecosystem and biodiversity benefits of having healthy wetland environments? An economic study of the Hattah wetlands within the Hattah-Kulkyne National Park in northern Victoria attempts to answer these questions putting a direct economic value of $14.5 million dollars per year for maintaining the Hattah Lakes in a healthy state with adequate water levels.

Related: Protection of Murray River redgum wetlands 'sold down the river' by NSW government

Melbourne water supply at risk from golf course development

Mon 10 May 2010
By Anonymous

Eastern Golf Club is on the move. They are moving from their currently location at Doncaster and are planning to move to a new site at Yering. The sale of their land at Doncaster is expected to raise $100 million and is Australia's largest golf club sale.

Water. The early Christmas present for Melbourne.

Tue 16 Mar 2010
By Anonymous

Water restrictions have been eased, and there seem to be no critics of this decision. But should this really be the case? Or am I out of touch? The ABC calls it "An early christmas present for Melbourne." In Melbourne water capacity is only at 37.4%. When the catchments are less than half full, is it appropriate that more people should be able to water their gardens? Is this really neccassary? Is it a waste? Our roses will look beautiful again.

Proposed dam stopped in Australia

Sat 14 Nov 2009
By Diet Simon

By the Save the Mary Coordinating Group and Diet Simon

A 2007 report by the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology, Sydney and Cardno Brisbane, found supply and demand options being implemented in Southeast Queensland sufficient to ensure adequate water supplies until about 2030 without the need for a Traveston dam.

Related: Gympie Times - Group wades in on debate

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