Greens councillor James Ryan said it was clear the increase in mining activity in the Hunter region had influenced the health of residents.

“It is important to have a clear and open process to inform residents of how fine particles, dust and water pollution are affecting our valley,” Cr Ryan said.

“Open cut coal mines in the Upper Hunter pollute the region with coal dust and toxic chemicals.

“Industry figures showed that mines around Singleton in 2008-09 emitted 18 million kilograms of dust, 7.4 million kilograms of nitrogen oxides and 4.9 million kilograms of carbon monoxide.”

Greens MP and Hunter spokesperson Lee Rhiannon called on the State Government to conduct the study as a matter of urgency following reports that the Hunter had the highest proportion of children in NSW diagnosed with asthma.

The 2007-08 report on child health found 25.6 per cent of two- to eight-year-olds and 39.8 per cent of nine- to 15-year-olds living in the Hunter New England area had been diagnosed with asthma.

“Premier Kristina Keneally needs to step in and fast-track a comprehensive population health study in the Hunter,” Ms Rhiannon said.

“Setting up an expert air quality panel is a start, but it should be overseeing a comprehensive health study, not pondering whether one is needed. Coal-affected communities and the Greens have been calling for this study for years.”

The NSW Government voted in April against a Greens motion for the population health study following an investigation into five people with brain tumours in Singleton. The Singleton Cancer Cluster Investigation concluded the tumours were a chance occurrence.

“The high numbers of young asthma sufferers puts the pressure back on the Government to set up the study and enforce the conditions of consent coal mines and other industries operate under,” Ms Rhiannon said.