Your feedback can help shape a trailing liabilities regime for the Latrobe Valley's coal mines to better prepare for site rehabilitation as the state transitions away from coal-fired energy.
The intention to introduce trailing liabilities for Victoria's Declared Mines were first announced in May 2022. They aim to ensure no entity can walk away from its mine rehabilitation obligations.
The proposed changes will ensure Victoria has a fit-for-purpose legislative framework allowing the Victorian Government to respond to the challenges of rehabilitating former mine sites.
Victoria will be the first Australian state to introduce provisions of this kind, which are being modelled on the scheme introduced to Australia's offshore petroleum sector by the Commonwealth in 2022. The changes will be backdated to 5 May 2022, when the Government announced its intention to introduce a trailing liabilities scheme.
The provisions do not change the rehabilitation obligations of licensees. In September 2022 new Declared Mine regulations were introduced giving coal mine operators three years to submit their new Declared Mine rehabilitation plans.
Feedback is now being sought on how a trailing liabilities process would work and the potential risks involved. The consultation will finish on at 5:00pm 28 February 2023.
