SHENHUA'S Watermark Coal Project near Gunnedah will be considered by the government's new Gateway Panel that has been established to scrutinise mining and CSG projects on valuable farm land ("Gate open to all but 3 mines" Herald 5/10).
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Even though it has already progressed well beyond the stage at which the panel's involvement is normally triggered, the government will be referring the Watermark project to the panel for advice, which will then be taken into account in the merit assessment process.
This was made clear in a media release issued when the project was placed on public exhibition in February this year.
Claims in Saturday's Herald that the project is "off limits" to the new panel are in our opinion not correct ("Gate open to all but 3 mines" Herald 5/10).
Chris Wilson, Executive Director, Development Assessment Systems and Approvals, NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure
