Coal miner Peabody has been directed to take the next series of steps to clean up the pollution from coal spillage into a creek which flows into the Royal National Park, after the pollution was revealed to have initially been so bad it was "not possible" to see the creek bed or rocks beneath the water.
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The latest clean-up notice from the Environment Protection Authority orders the miner's Metropolitan Collieries to clean up coal reside from beneath the surface of Camp Gully Creek and the Hacking River, and will continue into the national park.
The EPA issued a clean-up notice to Metropolitan in mid-September after environmentalists raised concerns over the heavy black sediment infiltrating Camp Gully Creek, which feeds the Hacking River.
Two inspections conducted by the EPA on August 17 and September 8 found the extent of the problem.
"The EPA observed coal fines deposited on the creek bank and in the creek bed," its clean-up notice states.
"The coal fines were observed in the creek from discharge point 8 to at least 50 m downstream of the railway bridge. The coal fines covered the rocks and the sandy substrate of the creek bed.
"The amount of coal material was such that in many places it was not possible to see the bed material or surface of the rocks."
Phase 1 of the cleanup has been already enacted. This latest notice requires the miner to submit its plans and protocols for Phase 2 and cleaning up will extend into the Royal National Park.
"Phase 2 of the clean-up involves removal of coal material from beneath the water line, on the bed, and within the banks of Camp Gully Creek and the impacted areas of the Hacking River," the EPA direction states.
"Removal of coal material at these locations has a greater potential to cause water quality impacts due to the location and the fine nature of some of the coal material."
A Peabody spokeswoman said the water quality had been improved.
"Visible impacts of coal sediment in in Camp Creek and the Hacking River is now far less apparent and Peabody is also very encouraged by independent water test results," she said.
"Teams of employees from our Metropolitan mine continue to carefully hand remove sediment from the banks above the water line in a 650m stretch of Camp Creek closest to the mine site and remediation in this area is almost completed.
"Consultation with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the EPA continues prior to remediation activities being able to start in the Royal National Park, with the approval of both authorities required."
The latest problems only came to light after the Sutherland Shire Environment Centre alerted the EPA and the media.
SSEC spokeswoman Dr Catherine Reynolds said it was not new.
"This event is particularly shocking, but we saw coal sludge pollution last year, and in 2020," she said.
"If the government and Peabody Energy are unable to prevent coal sludge pollution escaping the mine, and unable to prevent it flowing into the Royal National Park, this mine should not be allowed to operate in this location.
"This is the sort of pollution that happens in countries with no proper environmental protection regulations."
The Phase 2 plans need to be approved by the EPA as not likely to further damage the environment. Once they approved the work will commence.
It is still not clear how far into the river the coal pollution has flowed.
The EPA estimated it had gone at least 50m. The Mercury asked Peabody for its estimate of how far the pollution had extended but has not received an answer.
"Access to the creek and river has been limited by recent increased rainfall and water levels during the evaluation period," the notice stated.
"Decisions about areas to be cleaned up can be made with consideration of observations from the time works commence."
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