Peabody Energy has been ordered to clean up a Royal National Park creek after it had become contaminated with run off at the coal mine near Helensburgh.
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The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) issued a clean-up notice to the Metropolitan collieries last Friday, after environmentalists raised concerns over the heavy black sediment infiltrating Camp Gully Creek and Red Cedar Flat.
National Parks Association CEO Gary Dunnett said the pollution was the result of a spill of coal waste.
"The river looked more like flowing tar than the crystal-clear water you'd expect in the deep rain forest of our first national park," Mr Dunnett said.
EPA confirmed the clean-up plan had been prepared by an independent ecologist who carried out assessments of the waters last week. The organisation suspects the pollution came from the mine.
"EPA officers will be regularly monitoring clean-up activities to ensure minimal impacts on the creek and surrounding areas," an EPA spokesperson said.
"The EPA's investigation is continuing, with water and other samples collected from the creek last week still undergoing laboratory analysis.
EPA said if the investigation finds any breaches, regulatory action will be taken.
Peabody confirmed it received approval to start the clean-up at on Monday and said it will be carried out in phases.
"Clean-up activities will be carried out in stages, with the initial phase focusing on the careful hand removal of coal sediment on the banks above the water line in the Camp Creek area," a Peabody spokesperson said.
"Our teams will be accompanied by aquatic biologists with regular aquatic testing planned to monitor impacts in water courses.
"We are also continuing with our comprehensive program of construction works at the mine site to deliver a series of measures to improve surface water management."
It comes after Peabody was fined $15,000 for polluting a local waterway in June and a new licence condition was imposed in August after an overflow event.
Sutherland Shire Environment Centre communications officer Ricki Coughlan said the fine was "small" and called for thorough examinations of the mine's operation.
"We've seen these spills going on for decades," Ms Coughlan said. "It means we should be examining more than just a spill.
"We should be examining more broadly the management of the mine that means these things continue to happen, and a small fine is issued.
"There needs to be political oversight, administrative oversight, and management oversight of the mine itself.
"But overall there needs to be a will to look out for the environment."
She expressed concern over the run off potentially entering the Hacking River which would harm the wildlife and integrity of the Royal National Park.
"The river ecology doesn't exist in a vacuum, it's also a part of the ecology of the whole park," Ms Coughlan said.
"A multitude of species depend on it, lyrebirds are a maker of the forest and bats drink in that river.
"We have a duty to pass that park on in at least as good a state as we inherited it and we are not doing that.
"We are failing the environment."
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Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
