Chain Valley Extension Project- SSD-5465

Please accept this submission in support of the Chain Valley Mining Extension Project..

I support the cahin valley extension, on the baiss of local and state economical benefit, and local employment.

I would like to advise I am in favour of this approval.

I support the project

I absolutely support the continuation of Chain Valley Colliery. This operation provides employment for me and hundreds of others. It also produces a vital resource which is required to generate the majority of the State's electrical power.

My husband and I own a residential property at Wyee Point, approximately 2.5 km northwest of the Chain Valley Colliery. We have not been impacted by the Colliery's operations to date and, based on the contents of the application, have no reason to believe that situation will change as a result of the proposal to extend the area approved for mining and its life. Furthermore, we believe that approval of the proposal, and particularly the increased supply of coal to the Vales Point Power Station, as opposed to exporting the additional coal to be produced, is not only logical due to its proximity - when built, the power station was deliberately placed close to its energy source - but makes economic sense because of the lower transportation costs compared to coal sourced from more distant areas. An extension of the Colliery's life would also mean a continuation of the direct and indirect employment that the Colliery has provided for over 50 years and the associated benefits to the local community, the Shire, the region and the State. The extension also makes sense environmentally as it would require minimal new surface disturbance, it lies in an area which, because of the dominance of the power station (despite the residential areas that have developed in the immediate area) can only realistically be considered to be industrial, and mining would occur beneath Lake Macquarie in a manner which would avoid disturbance of the foreshore and the associated seagrass beds which support the Lake's fishery. The Colliery is not visible from either the public road network or the adjacent lake with the only evidence of its presence being the sign at the entrance to Construction Road and the arriving/departing trucks. It is also our observation that any noise or dust that originate from it pale into insignificance in the context of the sources at the power station.
Although we have had no issues with the coal trucks on Ruttleys Road or elsewhere, we commend LakeCoal on their relatively recent decision to haul all coal to the power station by private roads and to investigate options to further reduce coal haulage on public roads by the use of rail. However, we are pragmatic and recognise that any decision to use an alternative to road transportation for the coal destined for overseas markets must stand up financially and would, to a large extent, be determined by accessibility to an adequate source of coal to support the infrastructure investment. We therefore encourage the Government to do what it can to ensure that such circumstances occur.

Having worked throuout the mining industry in the Hunter and the Lake , I have full faith in the team at Chain valley to uphold the highest standards of which i have seen whilst being on site. Well done and good luck.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my support for this submission.

As a contractor working for Chain Valley Colliery a great deal of my work is generated via this operation.

Many others are employed directly and indicrectly by Chain Valley Colliery and approval of this application would allow many familys to continue to live and work locally.

The local community would also continue to benefit from this approval being granted though not only the continued ongoing use of local suppliers and businesses but also through the continued supply of coal to the mines local customers.

Approval of this submission will mean a retention of local jobs at the mine, in local businesses and in the mines local customers. In turn this will allowing the dependant families to stay in the local community. Additionally the mines local customers will not need to source coal from producers external to the community which would require additional longer haulage from these sources.

Important for the long term economic stability of the local economy and support industries.

I'm one of the lucky man who work at Chain Valley as a mechanical Fitter. The Coal mine has a good focus on safety and the environment as do all of the employees there.

The Chain Valley Colliery lease extension will have a great financial effect not only on the local men and woman who are employed there but the surrounding businesses and communities! Though the mines local contractors suppling necessary goods and equipment to the mine. To the business the mine supplies: power stations around lake Macquarie & nursery's in the area. These local contractors and business that also employ local people benefit. The mine also supports charities, sporting events, an has been doing this since the early 1960's.

Underground coal mining in the Newcastle area has a great history and unlike an open cut coal mining that scares a massive part of Australia's landscape. The mine is tucked away and if you didn't know it was there you wouldn't know it exists.

For the sake of my position, the position of all the workers on the site, the contractors, the suppliers, the haulers and the community I hope the application is approved. The environmental impact is important to me and I see first hand that all efforts and expense is made to ensure the preservation of the surrounding environment. With the horrific state of the economy approving the application will ensure some growth for the region.

Please consider the WHOLE impact if this is not approved.

I am familiar with the mine and support the mining extension.
The economic contribution to the community and supporting organisations cannot be under estimated.
Job security for the workorce, predominately local personnel will be positive for moral in light of current mining industry downsizing attributed to so called government taxes and value of the australian dollar.
I am impressed with the commitments to environmental compliance and feasibility of removing coal trucks off public raods.

I wish to lodge my support for the project based on the following benefits it provides.
1. Employment. The Chain Valley Mine directly provides employment for myself and nearly 200 other employees. Additionally the flow on effect for the wider community provides opportunity for suppliers of goods and services as well as assisting in the long term viability of the Vales Point Power Station and those employed there.
2. Security of supply for Vales Point Power Station. Chain Valley Mine provides the logical solution for supply of coal to the VPPS. Utilising resources located directly adjacent to the power station, negates the need to transport coal from long distances to provide adequate supply to the station, and reducing the negative impact of additional coal trains on the network.
3. Financial benefit. Chain Valley Mine provides financial benefit to employees directly, to external suppliers of goods and services to the mine and also to the state government in the form of taxes and royalties.

As an employee of lake coal I am strongly in favour of this lease extension being approved. I have a young family and a mortgage and so do the vast majority of our workforce. The community benefits from companies like lake coal through employment and all of our livelihood is at stake. Lake coal have abided by all the environmental legislation in the past and will do so in the future I am sure. Aside from that all of our extraction is under the lake so no homes are endangered from mine subsidence. And the bottom line is we need coal to power our homes so it would make no sense to deny this application. thanks for your time.

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