LAWYERS acting for landholders seeking damages from Linc Energy are holding a second meeting in Chinchilla on April 17.
Tom Marland, the principal of Marland Law, said the proposed group action was to recover damages from Linc Energy for soil and groundwater contamination caused to about 32,000 hectares of high quality agricultural land in the Hopelands district south. The contamination was a result of the Linc Energy underground coal gasification (UCG) project at Kummerows Road, Chinchilla, he said.
“There has been have significant interest from affected landholders in the Hopelands District in the group action following the decision of Magistrate Ryan on March 11 to commit Linc Energy to stand trial in the District Court at Dalby on five criminal charges of wilfully and unlawfully causing serious environmental harm during the period from July 2007 to December 2013,” Mr Marland said.
“Issues to be discussed will include a review of the Magistrate’s decision in the criminal proceedings, analysis of recently obtained expert evidence in respect of the soil and groundwater contamination caused by Linc and the progress that has been made in respect of the litigation funding for the group action.”
Mr Marland said the purpose of the meeting was to update the group on the progress of the group action following the previous town hall meeting held in early March. It would also detail how affected landholders could become part of the group action.
Mr Marland along with barristers Grant Allan and Charles Wilson will be speaking at the meeting.
The Linc Energy action group meeting will be held in the Chinchilla RSL from 1pm to 5.30pm on Sunday, April 17.
