Cate Faehrmann wants the state government, the Australian Rail Track Corporation and the Environment Protection Authority to make it mandatory for all coal wagons to be covered by the end of 2012.

NSW Environment Protection Authority chairman Barry Buffier has publicly said that covering Hunter Valley coal wagons could be considered as an option for eliminating dust emissions but it was still collecting air quality data from trackside monitors as part of a 10 month study.

NSW Minerals Council chief executive Stephen Galilee reportedly said the council was keen to see the results of air quality monitoring.

“We’re keeping a close eye on the progress of this work so we can develop the right response,” he told the Newcastle Herald.

“Importantly, we want to make sure any solution is effective. We don’t want to see new costs imposed on the mining industry that have little or no impact on mitigating coal dust.”

An uncovered, loaded 80-wagon train is estimated to emit an average 685.6 grams of dust per kilometre. That means an estimated 37 tonnes of coal dust would be emitted per kilometre in Newcastle every year along some sections of track by 2022.

“The Australian Rail Track Corporation has a licence to operate its rail systems from the Environment Protection Authority, which includes the reduction of coal-dust loads from locomotive loads,’’ Faehrmann’s notice of motion to state parliament says.

“The ARTC must submit a work plan to the EPA for approval outlining how appropriate technology will be adopted to significantly reduce coal-dust emissions on the NSW ARTC rail network and that this work plan is only partially complete and overdue.”