Cover the Coal Wagons Campaign Meeting (CTCWC)
with E.P.A. representatives.
(Under the auspices of the Blue Mountains Union and Community)
23rd May 2018.
Present: EPA representatives Jacinta Hanemann Regional Manager Operations, Metropolitan Infrastructure, Sarah Thomson, Unit Head, Metropolitan Infrastructure.
Nick Todd, Paul Hannah, Nick Franklin and Peter Lammiman.
The purpose of this meeting was to discuss developments following our last meeting with the E.P.A. on 02/2/2018. Jacinta explained that her section had followed through in exploring the feasibility of locating an air quality Pod on a site identified by the CTCWC in Katoomba. However, in discussions with ‘OEH scientists’ it became apparent senior managers wanted a written submission before any further commitment was made. Jacinta explained there were only a small number of Pods available and she and Sarah wanted to discuss with the group our perceived requirements so that they could be included in their submission to the OEH. Jacinta added there was a financial implication for the EPA that needed to be thought through in this submission.
It was explained that there were smaller/less complex air monitoring units available but they didn’t have as wider ranger to monitor different air components as did the POD, or their information was accessible to the public.
Jacinta’s team had to rationalise in their submission, a) what was the air monitoring unit to be used for and why b) did we want smaller units siting Upper, Mid and Lower Mountains , rather than just in one location? c) for what length of time would we wish the units to be in place for?
It became apparent through discussion that the submission paper would be one amongst a number of other submissions to be assessed by Jacinta’s senior scientist managers.
Our group identified a number of reasons to back up a case for the Blue Mountains to have air quality monitoring undertaken.
Currently there is no air quality monitoring in the Blue Mountains. The only air quality monitoring undertaken was by the BMCC in 2008, using a very small sample, the report and results of which the EPA have. The closest air monitors are at Bathurst and St Mary’s.
The Greater Blue Mountains Area is a UNESCO World listed Heritage site. Tourism is the main industry of the upper mountains. Besides the landscape, fresh air is another reason why people come. Over a million visitors a year to Scenic Railway in Katoomba.
The Great Western Highway and rail corridor pass through large and growing conurbations and communities situated along the Upper, Mid and Lower Blue Mountains. Along this road/rail corridor there are many schools, a number of hospitals and nursing homes.
Recent upgrades to the Great Western Highway in the mountains have led to a marked increase in 24 hr road traffic including LDGV, HGV’s and Double-Ds.
The CTCW group remain concerned by the number (32+) of uncovered coal wagons that pass through the rail corridor day and night, moved by at least 4 diesel engines, we believe their environmental impact on the air quality could lead to adverse health impacts in the communities they pass through. We note that there is no national standard for non-road diesel emissions in Australia. This is ‘despite non-road plant and equipment being the forth largest human made source of fine particle (PM 2.5 & PM 10) pollution in Sydney’s Greater Metropolitan Region’. (source: EPA. Non-road diesel and marine emissions. website). Local doctors, members of Doctors for the Environment have have addressed a public meeting and raised concerns about health risks from coal dust and diesel fumes. State MP Trish Doyle has raised the coal dust issue in Parliament.
It was the group’s view having 3 air monitoring sites through the Mountains or a Pod sited in Katoomba for a minimum of 12 months would establish a base line of observed air quality. We are aware that technology is there for a Pod to put out information on-line accessible to the public interested in Blue Mountains air quality. We believe this would encourage local groups, including schools/collages to become involved in the air quality monitoring research, as some are already doing with water quality monitoring. In making available to the Blue Mountains community air quality information we believe would encourage and foster involvement in protecting our shared environment.
We expressed the view that the monitoring units should be able to register particulate matter ‘in general’ PM 2.5 and PM 10 both of which contain Nitrogen Oxide and Sulphur Dioxide in emissions and have been declared serious health hazards, even if at this stage their specific originating source cannot be identified.
The group agreed to contact BMCC with the view to informing them of our contact with the representatives from the EPA and seeking their support in identifying locations to site the air quality monitors or Pod. We shall continue to liaison with our local State member Trish Doyle and share with her the results of this meeting as well as encourage her to raise our campaigns aims in Parliamentary arena as well as write to the EPA supporting the CTCWC.
Peter told the meeting that a reporter from the Newcastle Herald had contacted him on the 18th May 2018 and as a result an article had appeared linking our campaign with a similar one in the Hunter Valley, Newcastle region. Our group agreed to contact these activists as well as those in the Illawarra Region where they too are campaigning to Cover the Coal Wagons.
Peter Lammiman
Minute Taker
CTCWC.
with E.P.A. representatives.
(Under the auspices of the Blue Mountains Union and Community)
23rd May 2018.
Present: EPA representatives Jacinta Hanemann Regional Manager Operations, Metropolitan Infrastructure, Sarah Thomson, Unit Head, Metropolitan Infrastructure.
Nick Todd, Paul Hannah, Nick Franklin and Peter Lammiman.
The purpose of this meeting was to discuss developments following our last meeting with the E.P.A. on 02/2/2018. Jacinta explained that her section had followed through in exploring the feasibility of locating an air quality Pod on a site identified by the CTCWC in Katoomba. However, in discussions with ‘OEH scientists’ it became apparent senior managers wanted a written submission before any further commitment was made. Jacinta explained there were only a small number of Pods available and she and Sarah wanted to discuss with the group our perceived requirements so that they could be included in their submission to the OEH. Jacinta added there was a financial implication for the EPA that needed to be thought through in this submission.
It was explained that there were smaller/less complex air monitoring units available but they didn’t have as wider ranger to monitor different air components as did the POD, or their information was accessible to the public.
Jacinta’s team had to rationalise in their submission, a) what was the air monitoring unit to be used for and why b) did we want smaller units siting Upper, Mid and Lower Mountains , rather than just in one location? c) for what length of time would we wish the units to be in place for?
It became apparent through discussion that the submission paper would be one amongst a number of other submissions to be assessed by Jacinta’s senior scientist managers.
Our group identified a number of reasons to back up a case for the Blue Mountains to have air quality monitoring undertaken.
Currently there is no air quality monitoring in the Blue Mountains. The only air quality monitoring undertaken was by the BMCC in 2008, using a very small sample, the report and results of which the EPA have. The closest air monitors are at Bathurst and St Mary’s.
The Greater Blue Mountains Area is a UNESCO World listed Heritage site. Tourism is the main industry of the upper mountains. Besides the landscape, fresh air is another reason why people come. Over a million visitors a year to Scenic Railway in Katoomba.
The Great Western Highway and rail corridor pass through large and growing conurbations and communities situated along the Upper, Mid and Lower Blue Mountains. Along this road/rail corridor there are many schools, a number of hospitals and nursing homes.
Recent upgrades to the Great Western Highway in the mountains have led to a marked increase in 24 hr road traffic including LDGV, HGV’s and Double-Ds.
The CTCW group remain concerned by the number (32+) of uncovered coal wagons that pass through the rail corridor day and night, moved by at least 4 diesel engines, we believe their environmental impact on the air quality could lead to adverse health impacts in the communities they pass through. We note that there is no national standard for non-road diesel emissions in Australia. This is ‘despite non-road plant and equipment being the forth largest human made source of fine particle (PM 2.5 & PM 10) pollution in Sydney’s Greater Metropolitan Region’. (source: EPA. Non-road diesel and marine emissions. website). Local doctors, members of Doctors for the Environment have have addressed a public meeting and raised concerns about health risks from coal dust and diesel fumes. State MP Trish Doyle has raised the coal dust issue in Parliament.
It was the group’s view having 3 air monitoring sites through the Mountains or a Pod sited in Katoomba for a minimum of 12 months would establish a base line of observed air quality. We are aware that technology is there for a Pod to put out information on-line accessible to the public interested in Blue Mountains air quality. We believe this would encourage local groups, including schools/collages to become involved in the air quality monitoring research, as some are already doing with water quality monitoring. In making available to the Blue Mountains community air quality information we believe would encourage and foster involvement in protecting our shared environment.
We expressed the view that the monitoring units should be able to register particulate matter ‘in general’ PM 2.5 and PM 10 both of which contain Nitrogen Oxide and Sulphur Dioxide in emissions and have been declared serious health hazards, even if at this stage their specific originating source cannot be identified.
The group agreed to contact BMCC with the view to informing them of our contact with the representatives from the EPA and seeking their support in identifying locations to site the air quality monitors or Pod. We shall continue to liaison with our local State member Trish Doyle and share with her the results of this meeting as well as encourage her to raise our campaigns aims in Parliamentary arena as well as write to the EPA supporting the CTCWC.
Peter told the meeting that a reporter from the Newcastle Herald had contacted him on the 18th May 2018 and as a result an article had appeared linking our campaign with a similar one in the Hunter Valley, Newcastle region. Our group agreed to contact these activists as well as those in the Illawarra Region where they too are campaigning to Cover the Coal Wagons.
Peter Lammiman
Minute Taker
CTCWC.
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