MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st April, 2021) The government of the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) on Wednesday reached a $100 million deal with China's Shenhua Energy Company to stop the latter's coal mining project in the state's Liverpool Plains agricultural land.
"The NSW Government have reached a $100 million agreement with Shenhua in which they will withdraw their mining lease application and surrender their development consent for the Shenhua Watermark Coal project in the Liverpool Plains," NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro tweeted.
According to the government's press release, the agreement stipulates preservation of the NSW state's prime agricultural lands, prohibition of future coal mining projects in the area and protection of indigenous cultural sites among others.
"The cancellation of this project will mean that no open cut coal mining can occur in the area. Coal will of course continue to be an important part of our economy and is essential to supporting jobs, and the NSW Government continues to support coal exploration in areas where it makes sense," NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said, as quoted in the statement.
The Liverpool Plains is one of Australia's richest agricultural lands. Shenhua's coal mining lease application divided the local community and led to protests.
