The Wallarah 2 coal mine has been rejected by the NSW Department of Planning.

 

The mine, located north of Wyong on the central coast, was rejected due to “unresolved concerns” regarding water impacts, subsidence under Wyong state forest, ecological and heritage impacts.

 

According to the Department of Planning the “project was not considered consistent with the principles of ecologically sustainable development.”

 

Planning Minister Tony Kelly stated that “the reality is, despite a lengthy and rigorous assessment, there remained simply too much uncertainty about the mine's potential risks and, as such, I have decided the mine should not be approved.”

 

Kelly said there were 249 submissions received on the mine proposal, 229 from the public, and overall 220 were objections.

 

The mine was previously labelled dangerous by the region’s director of public health, Dr. Peter Lewis, who said it would “produce increased respiratory symptoms and morbidity among residents.''