Independent Monitor for McArthur River Mine

NT Govt media release

Victorian company Environmental Earth Sciences (EES) has been appointed the Independent Monitor for the McArthur River Mine (MRM) project.

Minister for Mines and Energy Chris Natt said the appointment of an independent monitor was a condition of the project being approved last year.

“Xstrata agreed to fund the appointment of the monitor and the payment of a $55.5 million security bond to be reassessed annually.

“EES will begin monitoring the environmental performance of McArthur River Mine in November for five years.

“The company will also review environmental assessments and audits undertaken by the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines.

“Specific clauses have been put in place to ensure EES is completely independent from both the mine operator and the Territory Government.

“EES will not be responsible for reviewing either mine safety or social issues arising from the mine’s operation.

“Reports from the Independent Monitor will be posted on its website so that everyone can access the information.

“The tender specifications for the monitor were developed with input from community groups and stakeholders.

“The Territory Government remains committed to delivering a strong and growing economy and to promoting environmentally sustainable development,” said Mr Natt.

Federal Court

mcarthuriver has been a bit quiet lately as we wait for the Federal Court decsion - no word yet on the date, but I will let you know as soon as it happens. I favourable decsion will see the mine stopped, I wonder what Howard and Rudd would say to that.

 Here is something to remind you of what we are fighting for (thanks to anon for the photos)

Govt seeks environmental monitor for McArthur River Mine

The Northern Territory Mines Minister has announced the Government will soon ask for tenders for an independent environmental monitor for the McArthur River Mine.

Mines Minister Chris Natt made the monitor a condition for approving the diversion of the McArthur River for five kilometres, to allow for an expanded open-cut lead and zine mine.

Environment Centre Northern Territory spokesman Charles Roche says his group was consulted about the role of the monitor early this year.

But he says there has been no follow-up since then.

“As far as I know, MRM [McArthur River Mine] will still be making most of the decisions about what is monitored,” he said.

“So at that stage, we saw there was still a real lack of independence for the monitoring program, and hopefully that’s been rectified.”

Mr Roche says when he last saw the project two months ago, most of the land clearing had already been done.

“I am concerned that by only starting in November 2007, that whoever the successful tenderer will be won’t have the baseline information that’s required to monitor this mine and river diversion effectively,” he said.

He says Justice John Mansfield has adjourned a decision on whether the Environment Protection and Conservation Act was followed properly.

“If a decision is made in favour of the plaintiffs, then we would expect that the approval for the mine would once again be declared invalid as it was earlier this year, and all work at the mine and the river diversion would have to cease,” he said.

from the abc…

Elders challenging mine in Fed Court

 Yanyuwa elders from Borroloola in the Northern Territory have arrived in Darwin to attend this week’s Federal Court case against the Commonwealth.

The case follows the approval of expansions at the McArthur River Mine, allowing the company to convert from an underground to an open-cut mine and divert five kilometres of the McArthur River.

Traditional owners from Borroloola are challenging whether the Commonwealth followed due process in approving the changes.

The case will continue for the next three days.

http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/30/1991463.htm
 

Indigenous group ‘refused entry’ to McArthur River Mine site

 A man claiming cultural ties to the McArthur River Mine (MRM) site says a group of women and children have been refused entry to sacred land by management.

Jackie Green says about 25 people wanted to perform a cultural dance on land just inside the boundaries of the mine site yesterday, but were stopped at the gate.

The group had a documentary film crew and a representative of the Territory Environment Centre with them.

Mr Green says the mine should allow local Indigenous people to exercise their culture on the land.

“We can’t exercise our culture any more because they’ve got that lease and they’re stopping us from doing that,” he said.

Mr Green says he was embarrassed when a mining company executive arrived at the stand-off in a helicopter.

“The manager of McArthur Mine, Brian Hearne, landed the chopper, right in front of the Toyota that I was driving,” he said.

“All the dust and grass was blowing into my kid’s eyes, and that was really embarrassing.

“We feel no good because we can’t go back in there and exercise our culture.”

http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/26/1988930.htm?section=justin