In its submission to Department of Planning on the NSW Coal and Gas Strategy scoping paper, the BVPA has argued the Greater Bylong Valley should have been deemed to be “prime agricultural land” and protected from mining under amendments to the Mining Act proposed by the Greens in 2009.

The amendments were defeated by a single vote in the NSW Upper House.

BVPA interim secretary Craig Shaw said the group felt it was important to look at protecting more high quality agricultural land than that which is currently used very productively.

“Just protecting the Liverpool Plains doesn’t do much to help ‘future proof’ food security,” Mr Shaw said.

“We need to be protecting, in advance, areas of innately good quality – such as the Bylong Valley – where production would be able to be increased dramatically in years to come as food demand rises.”

The BVPA submission also calls for stronger protection for rivers and streams near mining developments, especially those near national parks.

The group has urged the Coalition Government to adopt Labor’s pre-election commitment to ban exploration in waterways next to national parks and remove exploration licences on waterways in close proximity to national parks.

The group is also calling for current guidelines regarding how close mine developments can be to streams to be made mandatory.

The BVPA submission notes the “decimation of Wollar” and other villages as a result of mining development, as an example of the flow-on effects of mining on communities.

“In our submission we have noted, as a particular example, the impact on Rural Fire Service brigades and the resulting increase in risks associated with bushfires through lack of adequate manpower and equipment,” Mr Shaw said.

“A strategy is required to maintain or improve fire fighting capacity, rather than see it eroded.”

The BVPA has supported the Mid-Western Regional Council’s submission to the scoping paper.

“Council has shown outstanding leadership on mining and related issues in the region, including their calls for the protection of the Bylong Valley,” Mr Shaw said.

“We – and I’m sure many others – are very grateful for their support.”