Coal problems - mining, "Clean Coal", etc

Tonight the local Environment group (REPS) had a meeting addressed by Julie Sheppard and Caroline Graham, of the Rivers SOS group speaking about the damage done to the rivers by coal mining. Their primary issue is "subsidence" resulting in cracking of the beds of rivers. This has been caused by "longwall mining" underneath the Sydney Water Catchment's "Special Areas".

Rivers have died. I have seen this with my own eyes.
Tonight Julie and Caroline showed us pictures from the Nepean, Cataract, Georges Rivers and the Waratah Rivulet (part of the Woronora River catchment). They also showed us the short film "Rivers of Shame".This whole issue has recently been debated in front of an "Inquiry into the Southern Coalfields"
Lets hope something useful comes about, as a result of their deliberations.

It is an appalling indictment of the NSW Government, and particularly the Mining Department and the Department of Planning, which have approved these disastrous mining techniques to be used, under the Rivers which are the catchment for Sydney's water supply.
When the estimated 91% of the Catchment has been undermined (estimated at some 20 years), what will Sydney do for water, then?It is crazy to trade off short term profits (from coal) for perpetual loss of water. In every sense it is uneconomical, and environmentally irresponsible.

It has taken some 400 million years to develop the Woronora (Illawarra) Plateau which we know as the Sydney Water Catchment. We are trading this off, for 20 years of profit. How stupid is that?

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Tomorrow, Climate Action Now (Wingecarribee) will host the Walk Against Warming, in Bowral. This event has been originated by GetUp, and CANWin is participating (but doing it on the Saturday, not the Sunday. This event will gives us the opportunity to help bring public attention to issues to do with so-called "Clean Coal", and Global Warming, Climate Change, as well as the damage to rivers which we have just been discussing tonight.