The Environmental Protection Authority has fined Buttai Gravel Pty Ltd for not having appropriate ­sediment and erosion controls at the quarry.

Buttai Gravel Pty Ptd is part of the company Daracon, which operates the Martins Creek Quarry.

Martins Creek Quarry Community Action Group spokesperson Darach Saunders said the latest fine meant the company had been penalised for breaching its licence conditions four times in the past 12 months.

He said this called into question whether the company should be granted approval to increase its output from 300,000 tonnes a year to 1.5 million tonnes a year.

An application for the company to increase its operations is being considered by the NSW Department of Planning.

“The community is deeply concerned that Daracon is unable to comply with fundamental licence conditions, which have resulted in these penalties,” Mr Saunders said. 

“The breaches are a clear demonstration of Daracon’s contempt towards the environment and community within which they operate.

“A $3000 fine is a mere slap on the wrist to a multimillion dollar mining operation.” 

The EPA fined Buttai Gravel Pty Ltd last year for a breach of noise conditions after the quarry had been found to be operating before 6am.

Dungog Shire Council has opposed the quarry expansion and residents have called for extra conditions to be placed on Daracon. 

They say that one of the major problems associated with the quarry is the high volume of truck traffic it causes in towns along the common freight routes.

MCQAG has called for Daracon to be forced to transport most of the material taken from the quarry by rail.

“The mining pit is surrounded by residential dwellings and located only a few hundred metres away from environmentally sensitive habitats and water ways including the Paterson River,” Mr Saunders said. 

“With these repeat breaches, ­statistically, it is only a matter of time before a significant environmental incident will occur at the site.”

Daracon is preparing an ­environmental impact statement for the NSW Department of Planning, which will make a ruling on whether the company can go ahead with its increased operations.