In Europe, technology that has the ability to reduce pollution from coal-fired power stations by as much as 85 per cent, has been in use since the 1980s but in Australia, long suffering communities living near ancient, polluting, coal-fired power stations have to put up with the NSW Government and its toothless Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) kowtowing to these coal-fired dinosaurs.
“It’s a joke. Here we have technology available that could clean up Delta Electricity’s Vales Point
coal-fired power station and the EPA, with government support, is yet again contemplating
extending its licence to pollute over and above NSW emission controls.” said Future Sooner
spokesperson, Gary Blaschke OAM.
“All because the Czech billionaire owner wants more time to trial ways to reduce Vales Point’s
massive NOx emissions that it has been poisoning the Central Coast with for over 50 years.
“Delta Electricity has had years to use the same catalytic reduction technology that’s been
available in Europe for decades to reduce Vales emissions. Now they want more time for more
trials, with no deadline. To do what?
“The Government’s own Inquiry in 2021 was damming of NSW Health, NSW EPA and stated that the
government had demonstrated a complete disregard towards the health of its citizens.
Perhaps Health Minister Ryan Park, Premier Chris Minns and Environment & Energy Minister Penny
Sharpe should also take a look at the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on air pollution.
“If the government and EPA don’t have the political intestinal fortitude to protect the health of its
citizens and reject Delta’s request to extend Vales Point polluting licence and instead demand it
either cleans up its act or shuts down, our Citizens Inquiry will,” said Gary Blaschke.
If you have not already made a submission or RSVP’d to attend, Future Sooner’s Citizens Inquiry, the first of its type in Australia, is on 25 August. More information.