NOWA NOWA – the new Pilbara of the South?
An iron ore mine planned for the forests 7 km north of Nowa Nowa (east of Lakes Entrance) would have a 25 ha open cut mine plus much larger mine infrastructure footprint and three tailings dams. It would have a major impact on the Gippsland Lakes, a Ramsar listed wetland, the underground aquifers, the forest, local roads and the tourism industry.
The Environmental Effects Statement has been described as a whitewash, and it appears as though the government and shire are keen on fast tracking regardless of the wider impacts on the local area and economy. It will supposedly be using magnetic extraction which requires serious megawatts. The local Montana sawmill down the hill has been granted approval to build a forest-fired electricity generator to supply power locally.
Read the local Landcare group’s detailed comments and criticisms of the plan here, the ABC news story here and the company’s EES here.
The governments must abide by the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty to protect wetlands, but the Abbott government has decided not to assess the impacts under this agreement.