Monday, August 13

Council gives coal miner $100m ultimatum

A southern Queensland council says it will only allow Xstrata Coal to develop a coal mine if it funds $100 million worth of local projects.

Xstrata is seeking state approval to develop what would be the Southern Hemisphere's biggest open-cut coal mine at Wandoan.

Western Downs Mayor Ray Brown says it will have an enormous impact on the local community and the company must pay.

"A lot of that funding in that deed agreement is for roads, major infrastructure and moving of roads," councillor Brown said.

"But obviously water, sewerage [and] waste all factored into that.

"We've come to a very good arrangement with Xstrata and that deed's back with Xstrata at the moment to look at and certainly this is what sort of impact that will be occurring in that town."

ABC News (9 Aug)

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