INGA
I’m really happy to write to you today to share very good news, and to thank the thousands of ACF supporters who helped to make it happen.
The Kakadu uranium miner Energy Resources Australia (ERA) just cancelled their planned controversial and contested underground mine – Ranger 3 Deeps.
The plan never made sense and now ERA has accepted that it wouldn’t make dollars either.
The shelving of this ill-conceived and environmentally damaging project is a big step towards ending uranium mining in the beautiful Kakadu National Park.
How the ACF community spoke out for Kakadu
After over a million litres of radioactive slurry spilled at Ranger uranium mine in 2013, thousands of you called for action. As a result of public outcry the federal government was forced to suspend mineral processing at the embattled mine.
Despite this, and more than 200 leaks, spills, accidents and licence breaches, the company pressed ahead with plans for new underground mining – the Ranger 3 Deeps project.
When the environmental impact statement for the project opened for public comment, thousands of ACF supporters told Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt that a new uranium mine in the middle of a World Heritage listed national park was a bad idea.
With help from you and other environment groups, we’ve kept the pressure on ERA to abandon this project and to instead clean up the existing mess at its troubled Ranger mine.
Life in this beautiful place is safer now
Kakadu is World Heritage listed, home to majestic waterfalls, vast wetlands teeming with wildlife, Indigenous rock art and over 50,000 years of living tradition and cultural practice.
This news means common sense and the national interest has prevailed over the self-interest of the Australian uranium mining industry. We are very pleased that ERA has sought a formal assurance from its parent company, Rio Tinto, to fully fund the rehabilitation of the Ranger mine site.
Huge foreign companies with bad track records should not be allowed to trash the places Australians love and leave citizens to foot the clean up bill.
Today is a day to celebrate – but we’ll keep an eagle eye on ERA and Rio Tinto to make sure they honour their commitment to clean up Ranger.
ACF will keep working with the Mirarr Traditional Owners in the transition to a post-mining regional economy and in helping to protect Kakadu. Our vision of a mine and nuclear free Kakadu is that much closer.
Thank you for your ongoing support. To make a tax deductible donation before
June 30,
click here.Cheers,
Dave
Dave Sweeney
Nuclear free campaigner
Australian Conservation Foundation
