Environment Protection Authority v Wambo Coal Pty Ltd [2017] NSWLEC 152

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Environment Protection Authority v Wambo Coal Pty Ltd [2017] NSWLEC 152 Hearing dates: 1 November 2017 Date of orders: 20 November 2017 Decision date: 20 November 2017 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Pain J Decision: See par 75 Catchwords: SENTENCE – environmental offence – plea of guilty to charge of water pollution from coal mine – low objective seriousness – mitigating factors considered – totality principle applied

SENTENCE – environmental offence – plea of guilty to charge of failure to comply with licence condition – low objective seriousness – mitigating factors considered – publication order made Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 ss 3A, 21A, 22, 23 Criminal Procedure Act 1986 s 257B Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 ss 3, 64, 120, 129, 241, 248, 250, Dictionary Cases Cited: Bentley v BGP Properties Pty Ltd (2006) 145 LGERA 234; [2006] NSWLEC 34 Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Limited v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Director-General of the Department of Environment & Climate Change v Rae (2009) 168 LGERA 121; [2009] NSWLEC 137 Environment Protection Authority v George Weston Foods Ltd [2013] NSWLEC 16 Environment Protection Authority v Orica Australia Pty Ltd (the Nitric Acid Air Lift Incident) [2014] NSWLEC 103 Environment Protection Authority v Port Kembla Copper Pty Ltd (2001) 115 LGERA 391; [2001] NSWLEC 174 Environment Protection Authority v Port Kembla Copper Pty Ltd [2003] NSWLEC 256 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2015] NSWLEC 80 Environment Protection Authority v Warkworth Mining Ltd [2017] NSWLEC 107 Environment Protection Authority v Waste Recycling and Processing Corporation (2006) 148 LGERA 299; [2006] NSWLEC 419 Environment Protection Authority v Wattke; Environment Protection Authority v Geerdink [2010] NSWLEC 24 Hili v The Queen; Jones v The Queen (2010) 242 CLR 520; [2010] HCA 45 Hoare v R (1989) 167 CLR 348; [1989] HCA 33 R v Araya (2005) 155 A Crim R 555; [2005] NSWCCA 283 R v Olbrich (1999) 199 CLR 270; [1999] HCA 54 R v Thomson; R v Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383; [2000] NSWCCA 309 R v Visconti [1982] 2 NSWLR 104 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Environment Protection Authority (Prosecutor) Wambo Coal Pty Ltd (Defendant) Representation: COUNSEL: M Bragg, solicitor (Prosecutor) J Johnson (Defendant)