5
Progress update – Coal mine operators
5.1
Mine Rehabilitation Inquiry report
During the 2015–16 Inquiry, the Board of Inquiry was unable to make a definitive assessment on the viable rehabilitation option for each of the three Latrobe Valley mines due to many areas of uncertainty that were not addressed by relevant agencies and the mine operators. These issues included mine stability, sourcing water, water quality, and fire risk. In the Mine Rehabilitation Inquiry report, the Board of Inquiry made 17 recommendations to be implemented by the state. The two Victorian Government actions that remain in progress are reported on in Chapter 4. The Board of Inquiry made two recommendations, and one affirmation, for implementation by the Latrobe Valley mine operators. The following is a summary of progress on the recommendation that remained in progress in the 2020 IGEM Hazelwood report. Refer to Appendix A for a full list of recommendations and affirmations, including those previously reported as complete. Table 8: Status of Mine Rehabilitation Inquiry report coal mine operator recommendation reported as ongoing (in progress) in 2020 NO.
RECOMMENDATION/AFFIRMATION
STATUS
Rec 19
Increase the rate of progressive rehabilitation by achieving milestones within the mines' progressive rehabilitation plans, as set by the Mining Regulator under Recommendation 4.
In progress
5.2
Mine Rehabilitation Inquiry report: Recommendation 19
Increase the rate of progressive rehabilitation by achieving milestones within the mines' progressive rehabilitation plans, as set by the Mining Regulator under Recommendation 4. This recommendation is linked to Action 158 in Chapter 4. The Mine Rehabilitation Inquiry report recommended that the three Latrobe Valley coal mine operators increase the rate of progressive rehabilitation by achieving milestones within their progressive rehabilitation plans. The Victorian Government Implementation Plan sets out that progressive rehabilitation milestones will be built into work plan variations for the Latrobe Valley coal mines and approved by DJPR as the regulator. ENGIE ceased mining at Hazelwood in March 2017 and moved to an immediate post-station closure and closure planning period. Final rehabilitation works are expected to take a further 10 to 15 years. IGEM notes that progressive rehabilitation milestones are no longer relevant to ENGIE.
