FIVE Wandoan landholders will attempt to overturn the State Government decision to green-light Xstrata Coal's 30,000ha open-cut mining project in the Queensland Supreme Court in early June.
The five farming families Key, Erbacher, Edmonds, Devlin and Bruggemann have had their Supreme Court application under the Judicial Review Act accepted at a directions hearing last Friday, which challenges the decision by State Environment Minister Andrew Powell to grant the project an environmental authority (EA) in August last year.
Early indications suggest the court hearing will be held in Brisbane in early June.
The landholders argue they are being left with uncertain years ahead, as Xstrata claims that if it decides to go ahead with the project, start of production remains at least four years away.
Mr Powell has previously said the EA sets strict conditions for groundwater monitoring for the Hutton and Precipice Sandstone aquifers, following recommendations by a Land Court ruling in March.
He said the EA recommends Xstrata reach suitable "make-good" agreements with nearby landholders about the availability and quality of groundwater.
However, impacted landholders have told Queensland Country Life the EA decision was made despite insufficient emissions testing information being collected for the company's environmental impact statement (EIS).
Landholder John Erbacher told Queensland Country Life the group was determined to pursue the matter through the courts because of the long-term impacts the project could potentially cause to the region.
"I have got to be able to look my grandchildren in the eye and tell them that I tried to protect the underground water supplies," he said.
"We need the mining and gas companies to take responsibility for the potential dangers of contaminants of our vital underground water supplies, which are important for the viability of farming enterprises in the district."
