The Greens and community groups have demanded the state government hold an inquiry into the alleged doctoring of an Australian Rail Track Corporation report into the health impacts of coal dust.
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The leaked draft report dated May 24 concluded air pollution levels were high when unloaded and loaded coal wagons passed the monitoring station, but the final report released on May 30 said loaded coal trains were not associated with unhealthy dust levels, NSW Senator Lee Rhiannon said.
Ms Rhiannon has challenged Transport Minister Anthony Albanese to explain why the report was released with allegedly falsified results.
“Three of the report’s conclusions about coal-related air pollution were changed by inserting a ‘not’ or ‘no’. In a number of other findings, the results were modified to significantly reduce the air pollution levels associated with coal trains,” she said.
EPA chairman and CEO Barry Buffier said the ARTC results suggested there was no appreciable difference between the dust levels measured from the movement of loaded coal trains and other types of freight trains, and this was consistent in the draft and final report.
An ARTC spokesman yesterday admitted environmental consultants who prepared the report discovered an error in the calculations while they were preparing the final report and adjusted the findings accordingly.
He stressed the report went through a review process to ensure the final report was accurate.
He said both reports reiterated there was a very small difference in coal dust between train types and coal trains operating on the Hunter Valley network, which measured the Metford site.
Coal trains did not have a “statistically stronger association with elevated particulate matter concentrations than other trains”, he said.
Coal Terminal Action Group spokeswoman Fee Mozeley has demanded NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell investigate the matter through an independent inquiry.
She said the group wanted a comprehensive study conducted to show the true impacts of coal dust and would appeal to MPs to help push for an inquiry.
The Nature Conservation Council of NSW supports a thorough investigation.
A spokeswoman for the Environment Protection Authority said it was not unusual for changes to be made during the review process and EPA and Office of Environment and Heritage air quality experts had independently reviewed the draft report and made comments requiring further analysis, verification and discussion.
The spokeswoman said the EPA was satisfied that ARTC had addressed its comments.
