Australia, April 21 -- New South Wales Land and Environment Court issued text of the following judgement on March 21:
1. Metropolitan Collieries Pty Ltd ('defendant') has pleaded guilty on 15 March 2024 to three offences under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW) ('POEO Act').
2. Two of the offences relate to pollution of waters with water containing sediment and coal fines against s 120(1) of the POEO Act (collectively, 'Water Pollution Offences'), while the other offence involves a breach of a condition of an environment protection licence against s 64(1) ('Licence Breach Offence'). The offences occurred at the defendant's coal mining operation comprising an underground coal mine near Helensburgh in NSW.
3. The ...