“BHP Billiton and the NSW Government are committed to ensuring the protection of key agricultural land and the region’s water supply, through an amendment to the existing Exploration Licence 6505 that governs the Caroona Coal Project,” said Jimmy Wilson, president-energy coal, BHP Billiton.

BHP Billiton undertook a review of its exploration and development plans and has provided recommendations to help address community concerns.

The NSW Government announced amendments to the Special Conditions of BHP Billiton’s Exploration License, preventing BHP Billiton from applying for a mining lease that includes longwall mining underneath the deep alluvial irrigation aquifers and the flood plain; and open-cut mining on the floodplain.

“BHP Billiton has made this public commitment previously, and now it is written in stone—no mining lease application can consider longwall mining under the deep alluvial aquifers or the floodplains,” Wilson said.