According to Namoi Valley Independent, the coal company consequently received an $82,500 fine by the NSW Land and Environment Court and was ordered to pay $38,000 for legal costs of the state government’s planning department.
“Environmental conditions are imposed on mines for good reasons and we won’t tolerate mining companies ignoring them,” the department said.
“The community expects us to watch mines closely and step in as soon as we see the rules being broken and that’s exactly what’s happened here.
“The court’s decision can give people confidence in the department’s ability to make mining companies play by the rules.”
The coal company has separately applied to modify its project approval to allow it to store excavated material at the quarry site.
The Boggabri open cut coal mine is located in the Gunnedah basin.
Construction of the mine’s new coal handling and preparation plant to lift production capacity to 7 million tonnes per annum is due for completion in the June quarter of 2015.
