Opencast Coal Mine Restoration Plans

Part of 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs – in the Senedd at 2:19 pm on 17 April 2024.

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Photo of Sioned Williams Sioned Williams Plaid Cymru 2:19, 17 April 2024

Diolch. You've no doubt heard the concerns in the press and heard my colleague Delyth Jewell also raise concerns about water collecting in the void left by the Ffos-y-Fran opencast site. So, this isn't really about coal tip safety. The Welsh Government responded, saying it was closely monitoring the situation and its priority is the safety of the local community. So, I would like to emphasise that this must not be considered as an isolated case, because Ffos-y-Fran is one example of a systemic failure of the restoration of opencast mines. Similar problems exist in East Pit in Tairgwaith and Margam in Neath Port Talbot. Water filled voids are a great and long-standing concern to local communities there. These mining voids were never planned geologically, structurally, or hydrologically surveyed to hold millions of tonnes of water. In East Pit, recent earthquakes increased residents' concerns regarding the risks of leaving 40 million cu m of water on an active earthquake fault at around 150m above the valley floor with no constructed dam to retain water. Residents want to see surveys and reports from qualified indemnified engineers and measures taken to address the risks. So, how will the Welsh Government intervene to ensure action is taken to safeguard communities who've been left to deal with the serious environmental aftermath of opencast mining, and how, specifically, do you envisage upcoming Welsh legislation will aid the safety and environmental well-being of communities that contain post-industrial sites?

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