Margaret River ‘should be protected’ says minister as coal application dismissed

Plans to develop coal mining in Australia’s Margaret River wine region have been rejected – but campaigners fear their fight is not yet over. Bill Marmion, Environment Minister for Western Australia, dismissed an application from LD Operations, acting on behalf of partners Vasse Coal and South West Coal, for the black coal operation. The announcement follows more than a year of campaigning from local groups, who feared the Vasse Coal project at a site 15km from Margaret River might threaten local water resources, reports Decanter.