The release of Engie’s draft Environment Effects Statement (EES) for the Hazelwood coal mine rehabilitation is just around the corner – and it couldn’t be more important for Gippsland, for Victoria, and for our water future.
A Quick Recap
Hazelwood, once one of Victoria’s dirtiest power stations, closed in 2017. What it left behind is a massive, unstable mine pit, 100+ metres deep, sitting right next to the town of Morwell and the Princes Freeway. After the devastating 2014 mine fire and two inquiries into its causes, French-owned Engie was told: you must rehabilitate the site.
Their proposed solution? Flood the pit with water taken from the Latrobe River system.
The issue? That plan would require more water than Sydney Harbour and experts say there is the potential for it to become a toxic, acidic water-filled void.
Why This Environment Effects Statement Matters
- What happens here sets a precedent: Hazelwood is the first of three massive coal mines in the Latrobe Valley to close. What happens at Hazelwood will shape what happens at the other mines, Yallourn and Loy Yang.
- It puts our rivers at risk: Taking this much water from the Latrobe system could have devastating impacts for ecosystems all the way downstream to the Ramsar-listed Gippsland Lakes.
- It threatens water quality: The coal ash dump that sits inside the Hazelwood pit, the (HARA), is already contaminating groundwater. Flooding it doesn’t fix the problem, it threatens to make it worse.
What Happens Next
Engie’s draft EES will be released soon. This is our opportunity to ensure the rehabilitation gets the thorough scrutiny it deserves. The public will be able to read the documents, learn more about the impacts of the proposal and make submissions to highlight what’s missing, what’s flawed and what needs to be changed.
We’ll be providing briefings to break down what’s in the reports, templates to write your own submission and support to help you have your say. Whether you’re a scientist, a farmer, a Traditional Owner, a local resident or someone who just cares about our rivers – your voice counts.
Together, we can make sure that what happens at Hazelwood sets a strong precedent for responsible mine rehabilitation. One that centres our waterways, the needs of people, and a future in a changing climate.
Stay tuned. The EES is coming—and we’re ready.