About 50 people gathered earlier this month at Chain Valley Bay to hear what the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) had to offer in relation to the health and environmental problems facing residents from coal-fired power stations such as Vales Point and Eraring on Lake Macquarie.
CEO Tony Chappel and other EPA representatives listened to presentations by community group Future Sooner and the Hunter Community Environment Centre providing evidence of health and pollution problems.
“It was great to see Tony Chappel on the Central Coast to listen to what residents had to say,” Future Sooner spokesperson Gary Blaschke said.
“The good news is that he promised to action all the recommendations from the coal-ash inquiry that the EPA is responsible for.
“Even better, he made powerful commitments that coal-fired power stations will close.
“Apparently though, it depends on how quickly the EPA can get the zero-carbon generation and the infrastructure in place.
“He said the EPA was pleased that Vales Point Power Station performance and compliance had improved and they were now finalising its exemption and the expectation was this would be early next year.
“We infer this means that Vales Point Exemption Order, up for renewal in April 2024, will not be extended.
“We were told the EPA has installed 20 top-of-the-range air monitors around power stations and their ash dams.
“We’ve received the link to the mapping of the locations of the Purple Air data (Real-Time Air Quality Map/Purple Air) – and what we’ve now asked for is that suburb names be attached to each number on the map.”
Blaschke said the when asked about including climate pollution targets into licences, Chappel said the Federal Government had already done this.
“That’s good – now that all NSW coal-fired power station licences are up for renewal, this gives the NSW EPA the opportunity to include climate into power station licence conditions,” Blaschke said.
“Tony Chappel’s visit was a positive one.
“Future Sooner looks forward to working closely with him and the EPA and to ensuring that all the promises he made are fulfilled.”