Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development) Bill 2012

The majority voted against a Greens amendment moved by Senator Larissa Waters.

The amendment seeks to extend the remit of the Committee created by this bill to include the impacts of coalmining and coal seam gas on climate change and on public health. In other words, the amendment adds climate change and public health to the issues that the Committee has to advise on.(Read Senator Waters discussion on the amendment here. )

Background to the bill

The bill establishes an Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development ('the Committee')(Read more about the Committee here. ) to provide federal, state and territory governments with scientific advice on coal seam gas and large coal mining developments which may have significant impacts on water resources.(See here for explanatory memoranda and proposed amendments.)

References