THE option of transporting soil contaminated with antimony, arsenic and other heavy metals from a former processing site at Urunga to Hillgrove mine in the upper Macleay remains on the table.
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Some reports this week said the move had been ruled out.
However, the state government confirmed again yesterday that it remained a possibility.
The soil could be moved to Hillgrove for storage and eventual reprocessing.
It is one of three options being considered by the NSW government Crown Lands Department, which is managing the clean-up of the Urunga site in conjunction with the Soil Conservation Service.
A spokesperson for Deputy Premier and local MP Andrew Stoner said all options were still under consideration.
“In managing the legacy of past mining practices Crown Lands is obliged to consider all options for remediation,” they said.
“Until the remediation plan is completed no option can be definitively ruled in or out. All options are being thoroughly examined and the community will be advised further after the plan is completed in around two months.
“Relevant stakeholders and the community will be consulted further once all the options have been assessed for their feasibility and a preferred option has been identified.”
The possibility of the soil transfer option was the catalyst for the formation of the Bellbrook-based Save Our Macleay River protest group, which is campaigning against the plan.
About 100 people attended a meeting at the Bellbrook Hotel on January 12 to give their support to the campaign.
Kempsey mayor Liz Campbell attended the meeting and has since written to Mr Stoner to ask him to take the Hillgrove storage option off the table.
A spokesperson for the Deputy Premier confirmed Mr Stoner had received the letter and that he would be responding in detail soon.
The Hillgrove mine has a history of releasing waste water into the Macleay River as a result of flooding, mishaps or in controlled releases conducted with proper permission.
You can find out more about the Save Our Macleay River campaign on the group’s Facebook page.
