Press Releases and Announcements - 24 October 2011

Maurice Blackburn lawyers are supporting a legal fight by doctors opposed to the development of a syngas power station in the La Trobe Valley, which will be predominantly fuelled by brown coal.

Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA Inc).along with Environment Victoria and other groups will argue against the development of this plant by Dual Gas Pty Ltd. The hearing of the case will begin at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) on Monday 24 October 2011.
On 20 May 2011, the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) issued a conditional works approval for Dual Gas Pty Ltd to develop a new power plant which will produce power from brown coal and natural gas.
Elizabeth O'Shea, social justice practice lawyer at Maurice Blackburn said: "We are seeking a review of the decision by the EPA under the Environment Protection Act 1970, because we allege that the syngas (brown coal fuelled power) plant does not take into account best practice principles nor the EPA's own rules about precautions that should be applied to protect the health of future generations."
Emissions from the proposed power plant would be a threat to human health said Eugenie Kayak, DEA Victorian Chair.
"This new coal fuelled power plant will contribute to decreased air quality within the area. "We believe that the plant would emit significant amounts of oxides of nitrogen and sulphur dioxide and that the adverse health affects of these emissions can impact on people even at below 'standard' levels," she said.
The emission of particulates, sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen and toxic compounds (such as mercury), have been associated with adverse health affects including nervous system damage, cardiovascular problems, cancer, chronic lung disease and respiratory diseases.
"For some of these substances, there are no 'safe' levels. As such, we will be arguing that the EPA has not given enough weight to the idea of intergenerational equity or applied the precautionary principle appropriately."
Maurice Blackburn is acting pro bono for DEA and it also acts for Greenpeace in some legal cases and for traditional owners in their fight against a nuclear waste dump at Muckaty Station in the NT.  Further details

Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA Inc).along with Environment Victoria and other groups will argue against the development of this plant by Dual Gas Pty Ltd. The hearing of the case will begin at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) on Monday 24 October 2011.

On 20 May 2011, the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) issued a conditional works approval for Dual Gas Pty Ltd to develop a new power plant which will produce power from brown coal and natural gas.

Elizabeth O'Shea, social justice practice lawyer at Maurice Blackburn said: "We are seeking a review of the decision by the EPA under the Environment Protection Act 1970, because we allege that the syngas (brown coal fuelled power) plant does not take into account best practice principles nor the EPA's own rules about precautions that should be applied to protect the health of future generations."

Emissions from the proposed power plant would be a threat to human health said Eugenie Kayak, DEA Victorian Chair.

"This new coal fuelled power plant will contribute to decreased air quality within the area. "We believe that the plant would emit significant amounts of oxides of nitrogen and sulphur dioxide and that the adverse health affects of these emissions can impact on people even at below 'standard' levels," she said.

The emission of particulates, sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen and toxic compounds (such as mercury), have been associated with adverse health affects including nervous system damage, cardiovascular problems, cancer, chronic lung disease and respiratory diseases.

"For some of these substances, there are no 'safe' levels. As such, we will be arguing that the EPA has not given enough weight to the idea of intergenerational equity or applied the precautionary principle appropriately."

Maurice Blackburn is acting pro bono for DEA and it also acts for Greenpeace in some legal cases and for traditional owners in their fight against a nuclear waste dump at Muckaty Station in the NT.

 

 

 

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