BY ARIANA GATTI
A public meeting was held at the Mercure Hotel in Williamtown on Monday night, to discuss the future plans of the possible extraction of three-million tonnes worth of sand, creating a new quarry.
The forty-two-hectare sight plans were not well received by the public or commissioners who attended the gathering, with at least ten objectors speaking out against the quarry development.
The large sand quarry was proposed for the adjacent block along Cabbage Tree Road, which will once again, cause disruptions for Williamtown residents.
Port Stephens MP, Kate Washington, who attended the meeting last night also expressed her disapproval of the quarry site operations and is asking for more research to be conducted before the Williamtown Sand Syndicate goes ahead with any plans.
“I am still of the view that it should be suspended until at least there is a greater understanding of the health impacts of PFAS in the area,” she says.
“I am asking for it to be suspended until an epidemiological study can be completed, or until the residents can actually leave the area”.
Image source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-22/community-meeting-to-discuss-concerns-over-sand-quarry/7106314