Angus Place Extension Project.

Dear Sir/Madam,

State Significant Project - Angus Place Mine Extension (SSD 12_5602)

I oppose the Angus Place Mine Extension

Important terrestrial and stream environments in this significant part of the Gardens of Stone region must not be damaged by longwall mining but instead protected in a state conservation area.

The Angus Place and the adjoining Springvale mine extension proposals must be subject to a Planning Assessment Commission review with concurrent Public Hearings.

Centennial Coal must not be allowed to simply replicate the damage it has already caused to nationally threatened upland swamps on the Newnes Plateau for which it was required by the Commonwealth Government to pay $1.45 million in reparations.

The sandstone strata supporting the 22 nationally endangered swamps, including the 7 shrub swamps must not be fractured.

The proposed clearing of 14 hectares of forest for an additional ventilation facility is excessive and its proposed location close to the Wolgan River is unacceptable.

The proposed discharge of up to 43.8ML/day of eco-toxic mine effluent must be treated using reverse osmosis technology to remove all metals and salts before discharge to the Coxs River.

Carne Creek is currently in a pristine state, and its waters that flow through the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area are of the highest standard. This creek must not run bright orange or suffer reduced flows, just like the Wolgan River after Centennial Coal wrecked it.

Please require Centennial to revise this proposal to improve environmental outcomes. Carne Creek, pagodas, cliffs and the many nationally endangered swamps that the current proposal puts at risk must not be damaged.

Yours sincerely,
Sarah Ellen Graham

Mining and Industry Projects
NSW Department of Planning & Infrastructure
GPO Box 39
Sydney NSW 2001

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am referring to the State Significant Project - Angus Place Mine Extension (SSD 12_5602) and I have the following concerns:
*Important terrestrial and stream environments in this significant part of the Gardens of Stone region must not be damaged by longwall mining but instead protected in a state conservation area.
*The Angus Place and the adjoining Springvale mine extension proposals must be subject to a Planning Assessment Commission review with concurrent Public Hearings.
*Centennial Coal must not be allowed to simply replicate the damage it has already caused to nationally threatened upland swamps on the Newnes Plateau for which it was required by the Commonwealth Government to pay $1.45 million in reparations.
*The sandstone strata supporting the 22 nationally endangered swamps, including the 7 shrub swamps must not be fractured.
*The proposed clearing of 14 hectares of forest for an additional ventilation facility is excessive and its proposed location close to the Wolgan River is unacceptable.
*The proposed discharge of up to 43.8ML/day of eco-toxic mine effluent must be treated using reverse osmosis technology to remove all metals and salts before discharge to the Coxs River.
*Carne Creek is currently in a pristine state, and its waters that flow through the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area are of the highest standard. This creek must not run bright orange or suffer reduced flows, just like the Wolgan River after Centennial Coal wrecked it.
*Please require Centennial to revise this proposal to improve environmental outcomes. Carne Creek, pagodas, cliffs and the many nationally endangered swamps that the current proposal puts at risk must not be damaged.

Yours sincerely,

Anika Heintze

Angus Place has had a good track record of mining in the local area, supporting a work force of up to 300 people. Their product directly supplies Mt Piper electrical power station which is only several kilometres away. This power plant also employs many local people and requires coal to operate. Angus Place continued operations are critical for supporting this local community through adding value back into the community through jobs, sponsorship and having an active involvement in the local sporting community.
Late last year Angus Place employees helped staff the volunteers' canteen during the State Mine bush fire at Lithgow. Angus Place contributed food and drink for the volunteers during this local community crisis.
This is a local business worthy of a continued consent in order to operate into the years ahead.

As I was growing up many of my most memorable moments were trips to the Blue Mountains. Whether walking to ruined castle, going through the glow worm tunnel, or exploring canyons, peaks, and valleys, they were always a special place of wonder. The gardens of stone region and pagoda country is one area I haven't yet made it to, but it's reputation for pristine beauty and amazing rock structures recommends it highly to me and other ecologically minded people.

After hearing of the damage to the Wolgan river by Centennial coal, I was shocked to hear of yet another proposal that will impact on areas of great natural value. The Carnes creek catchment is a pristine watershed that flows through the greater blue mountains, and yet it is to be subject to industrial effluent and the effects of mine subsidence.
This is a ridiculous situation, in a time where our natural heritage has never been more at risk, to increase that risk and impinge ever more on a pristine wilderness area. This proposal should be rejected out of hand.

Dear Sir/Madam,

State Significant Project - Angus Place Mine Extension (SSD 12_5602)

Important terrestrial and stream environments in this significant part of the Gardens of Stone region must not be damaged by longwall mining but instead protected in a state conservation area.
The Angus Place and the adjoining Springvale mine extension proposals must be subject to a Planning Assessment Commission review with concurrent Public Hearings.
Centennial Coal must not be allowed to simply replicate the damage it has already caused to nationally threatened upland swamps on the Newnes Plateau for which it was required by the Commonwealth Government to pay $1.45 million in reparations.
The sandstone strata supporting the 22 nationally endangered swamps, including the 7 shrub swamps must not be fractured.
The proposed clearing of 14 hectares of forest for an additional ventilation facility is excessive and its proposed location close to the Wolgan River is unacceptable.
The proposed discharge of up to 43.8ML/day of eco-toxic mine effluent must be treated using reverse osmosis technology to remove all metals and salts before discharge to the Coxs River.
Carne Creek is currently in a pristine state, and its waters that flow through the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area are of the highest standard. This creek must not run bright orange or suffer reduced flows, just like the Wolgan River after Centennial Coal wrecked it.
Please require Centennial to revise this proposal to improve environmental outcomes. Carne Creek, pagodas, cliffs and the many nationally endangered swamps that the current proposal puts at risk must not be damaged.
Yours sincerely,
Jordan Mansfield

The proposed discharge of up to 43.8ML/day of eco-toxic mine effluent must be treated using reverse osmosis technology to remove all metals and salts before discharge to the Coxs River.

The Angus Place and the adjoining Springvale mine extension proposals must be subject to a Planning Assessment Commission review with concurrent Public Hearings.

Please require Centennial to revise this proposal to improve environmental outcomes. Carne Creek, pagodas, cliffs and the many nationally endangered swamps that the current proposal puts at risk must not be damaged.

I support the Angus Place Colliery Extension Project. Angus Place has a outstanding track record of mining in my local area with minimal environmental impact.

State Significant Project - Angus Place Mine Extension (SSD 12_5602)

* Important terrestrial and stream environments in this significant part of the Gardens of Stone region must not be damaged by longwall mining but instead protected in a state conservation area.

* The Angus Place and the adjoining Springvale mine extension proposals must be subject to a Planning Assessment Commission review with concurrent Public Hearings.

* Centennial Coal must not be allowed to simply replicate the damage it has already caused to nationally threatened upland swamps on the Newnes Plateau for which it was required by the Commonwealth Government to pay $1.45 million in reparations.

* The sandstone strata supporting the 22 nationally endangered swamps, including the 7 shrub swamps must not be fractured.

* The proposed clearing of 14 hectares of forest for an additional ventilation facility is excessive and its proposed location close to the Wolgan River is unacceptable.
* The proposed discharge of up to 43.8ML/day of eco-toxic mine effluent must be treated using reverse osmosis technology to remove all metals and salts before discharge to the Coxs River.

* Carne Creek is currently in a pristine state, and its waters that flow through the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area are of the highest standard. This creek must not run bright orange or suffer reduced flows, just like the Wolgan River after Centennial Coal wrecked it.

* Please require Centennial to revise this proposal to improve environmental outcomes. Carne Creek, pagodas, cliffs and the many nationally endangered swamps that the current proposal puts at risk must not be damaged.

Yours sincerely,

To whom it may concern:

I am very concerned about the possible adverse affects that the Angus Place Mine extension will have on the environment of the Newnes Plateau, particularly on the nationally endangered upland swamp communities, which rely on groundwater to survive. Cracking the sandstone base is very likely to result in the groundwater level falling by up to 10m, which would result in the swamps drying out and being replaced by dry land floral communities. Centennial Coal has already shown that it is not capable of protecting these sensitive environments, as demonstrated by the damage it has already caused to nationally threatened upland swamps on the Newnes Plateau for which it was required by the Commonwealth Government to pay $1.45 million in reparations (See more at: http://www.colongwilderness.org.au/stop-centennial-coal-wrecking-gardens-stone-region#sthash.5NJNWg6D.dpuf). I believe that the important terrestrial and stream environments in this significant part of the Gardens of Stone region must not be damaged in any way by longwall mining, and their status of being nationally threatened warrants them being protected in a state conservation area.


Yours sincerely,

An extremely worried citizen.

Important swamps, pagodas, and stream environments in this significant part of the Gardens of Stone region must not be damaged by longwall coal mining but instead protected in a state conservation area.
The Springvale and the adjoining Angus Place mine extension proposals must be subject to a Planning Assessment Commission review with concurrent Public Hearings.
Centennial Coal must not be allowed to simply replicate the damage it has already caused to nationally threatened upland swamps on the Newnes Plateau for which it was required by the Commonwealth Government to pay $1.45 million in reparations.
The sandstone rock supporting the 41 nationally endangered swamps, including the 11 shrub swamps affected by the proposal must not be fractured.
The proposed discharge of up to 43.8megalitres/day eco-toxic mine effluent must be treated by reverse osmosis technology to remove all metals and salts before discharge to the Coxs River.
The scenic western edge of the Newnes Plateau must be protected from further scarring by new roads, pipeline and electricity easements.
Carne Creek is currently in a pristine state, and its waters that flow through the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area are of the highest standard. This creek must not run bright orange or suffer reduced flows, just like the Wolgan River after Centennial Coal wrecked it.
Please require Centennial to revise this proposal to improve environmental outcomes. Carne and Bungleboori Creeks, pagodas, cliffs and the many nationally endangered swamps must not be damaged.
Yours sincerely,

Thank you

Mikala dwyer

We must stop mining fossil fuels and concentrate on establishing renewable sources.

I object to any further disturbance on the Newnes Plateau by coal mining.
Longwall mining is especially damaging to the environment causing surface subsidence.
The EEC listed endangered ecological community of Newnes Plateau Shrub Swamps should not be mined under.

Dear Sir/Madam,

State Significant Project - Angus Place Mine Extension (SSD 12_5602)

I am writing to you to object to the proposed extensions of the Angus Place Mine. I strongly believe that the environmental impacts that would result from the extension are unacceptable. The areas within the Gardens of Stone are of significant environmental value and need to be protected. The proposed extensions however do the exact opposite of that.

Please revise the proposal taking into consideration the following points.

-Important terrestrial and stream environments in this significant part of the Gardens of Stone region must not be damaged by longwall mining but instead protected in a state conservation area.

-The Angus Place and the adjoining Springvale mine extension proposals must be subject to a Planning Assessment Commission review with concurrent Public Hearings.

-Centennial Coal must not be allowed to simply replicate the damage it has already caused to nationally threatened upland swamps on the Newnes Plateau for which it was required by the Commonwealth Government to pay $1.45 million in reparations.

-The sandstone strata supporting the 22 nationally endangered swamps, including the 7 shrub swamps must not be fractured.

-The proposed clearing of 14 hectares of forest for an additional ventilation facility is excessive and its proposed location close to the Wolgan River is unacceptable.

-The proposed discharge of up to 43.8ML/day of eco-toxic mine effluent must be treated using reverse osmosis technology to remove all metals and salts before discharge to the Coxs River.

-Carne Creek is currently in a pristine state, and its waters that flow through the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area are of the highest standard. This creek must not run bright orange or suffer reduced flows, just like the Wolgan River after Centennial Coal damaged it.

-Please require Centennial to revise this proposal to improve environmental outcomes. Carne Creek, pagodas, cliffs and the many nationally endangered swamps that the current proposal puts at risk MUST NOT be damaged.

Yours sincerely,

I offer the following submission in support of the Angus Place Mine Extension project currently on public exhibition.

I am a lifelong resident of Lithgow. I have a good understanding of the Coal Industry having worked in it for 34 years (not for Centennial Coal ) and served for 25 years on Lithgow City Council including 16 as Mayor. I also represented the area in State Parliament for 12 years.

I believe this experience gives me a balanced view of the relative merits of the coal industry.

Having read the relevant documents submitted by the applicant for the Angus Place mine extension project I am confident they have addressed all reasonable community concerns.

For decades Angus Place Colliery has been an important contributor to the local economy by providing stable employment directly and by using local suppliers.

The Lithgow area has suffered more than most communities in job losses because of an over reliance on jobs in the coal, electricity generation and defence industries. This makes it very important for operations such as Angus Place to be kept viable.

Angus Place Colliery has historically been vital as a reliable and cost effective supplier of fuel to the local power stations. Recent years have seen a number of coal mines in the Lithgow area close because of a drop in the world price for coal or because their economical reserves have been exhausted.

Approval of the Angus Place Mine extension will be generally well received by the local community looking for job security in an important local industry that has a significant multiplier affect for the local economy

Yours faithfully
Gerard Martin J P

I am a bushwalker and have walked extensively in the upper Carne Creek Catchment, around Birds Rock and in the headwaters of Bungleboori Creek. I have been visiting these areas for nearly 40 years. I strongly oppose the Angus Place Proposal due to its detrimental effects on the environment. I would not like to see the pristine catchments damaged due to mining subsidence.

We cannot allow the resulting environmental impacts including:
*Poisoning of Sydney's drinking water with metal salts via the Cox River;
*Poisoning of water rats and native species that live in and along the Cox River and others;
*The lowering of the water table which will drain swamps and will induce the extinction of local plant and animal species such as the giant dragon fly;
*Cause subsidence of the unique and beautiful sandstone platforms and structures.

Mining in this area simply must not be expanded.

Submission on the proposed Angus Place Mine Extension Project
Dr Ian A Wright (University of Western Sydney)

26 May 2014

Angus Place and Springvale Coal Mines are both currently causing water pollution
It is my professional opinion that the current coal mining operations (Angus Place and Springvale) are both currently polluting the surface waters of the Coxs River (and other catchments and waterways), according to Section 120 of the NSW Protection of the Environment Operations Act (1997). This is based on my assessment of water quality data provided in the EIS documents (Angus Place Extension Project 2014 and Springvale Mine Extension Project 2014) and the relevant legislation, NSW Protection of the Environment Operations Act (1997).

Both current mine operations are not currently meeting their EPA Environment Protection Licence (EPL) requirements. The Angus Place mine currently holds an Environment Protection Licence (EPL) 467 and the Springvale Colliery has an EPL 3607. The only pollutants that are permitted to be discharged from the Angus Place Colliery (according to EPL 467) are:
* Oil and Grease (10 milligrams per litre)
* pH (6.5-9 pH)
* Total Suspended Solids (30 milligrams per litre)

The Angus Place mine discharge (from the discharge points indicated on EPL 467) generally meets the current EPL discharge conditions for pH; Oil & Grease and TSS. Rather than signifying that the mine is not causing water pollution it points towards the current EPL regulations provide inadequate waste discharge conditions. The EPL licence for the mine (EPL 467) contains the following clauses (extract from EPL 467):


Of particular note in the Angus Place EPL 467 is clause L2.3 `To avoid any doubt, this condition does not authorise the pollution of waters by any pollutant other than those specified in the table\s.'

The water quality data presented in the Angus Place Mine Extension and the Springvale Mine Extension Project reports both clearly indicate that the mines both generally discharged water polluted by salt, metals and nutrients.

The ANZECC (2000) Water Quality Guidelines for Protection of Aquatic Ecosystems (see table 3.3.2) provides guidelines for lowland rivers in south east Australia which include default trigger values of 125-2200 µS/cm, with associated text stating `NSW coastal rivers are typically in the range 200-300 µS/cm'. This means the appropriate guideline for water salinity for the Angus Place and Springvale Extension mines are both 300 µS/cm. Both mines are discharging water that is more saline than this guideline. This indicates that both existing mine discharges have caused salinity pollution and this is in contravention of clause `L2.3' of EPL 467 and EPL 3607.

These observations are made after consulting the water quality data presented in both the Angus Place and Springvale Mine Extension project water quality reports.

For example, the following text has been extracted from p 41 of the `Angus Place Mine Extension project surface water impact assessment':


From `Angus Place Mine Extension project surface water impact assessment'(p41)

`Current water quality in the Coxs River is generally consistent with ADWG and ANZECC 2000 for 95% protection of freshwater ecosystems, with the primary exception being EC due to the predominant source of water in the Coxs River being groundwater.
Water quality in Kangaroo Creek is influenced by mine water discharge at LDP001 and is
~770μS/cm (median value) with pH of 8.3 and is a Na-HCO3 type water.
The water quality of the Coxs River, both downstream of the confluence with Kangaroo Creek and further downstream above Lake Wallace, meets the criteria for salinity from the ADWG. The guideline value for ADWG is aesthetic and is <600mg/L (895&#956;S/cm) for good quality drinking water and is 600 - 900mg/L (895 - 1,345&#956;S/cm) for fair quality drinking water'.


Previous research on salinity of natural streams in the Coxs River headwaters and western Blue Mountains area reveals that typical salinity levels are generally below 60 &#956;S/cm (Wright & Burgin, 2009; Wright 2012). A level of salinity of 770 &#956;S/cm is approximately 2.5 times higher than the ANZECC (2000) water quality guideline for protection of ecosystems. It is also more than 12 times higher than the typical salinity levels of natural streams in the western Blue Mountains (Wright & Burgin, 2009; Wright 2012). The median salinity of 1055 &#956;S/cm from LDP009 from Springvale is even more saline.



From `Angus Place Mine Extension project surface water impact assessment'(p65)


Dissolved Metals
Median value of Aluminium of 0.02mg/L at LDP001 and 0.05mg/L at LDP002 exceeds ANZECC guideline value marginally, and is less than ADWG aesthetic value. There is no health relative criteria in ADWG for Aluminium due to insufficient data.
All other metals except Zinc are consistent with ANZECC. Median values for Zinc at LDP001 is 0.046mg/L and is 0.027mg/L at LDP002 compared to ANZECC value of 0.008mg/L.
Nutrients
Observed value of Nitrate (NO3) at LDP001 of 0.64mg/L and 0.02mg/L at LDP002 are in excess of ANZECC guideline value but are far below the ADWG health value of 11.3mg/L. Discharge at LDP001 and LDP002 exceeds ANZECC guideline for Total Nitrogen, with median value of 1.0mg/L and 0.6mg/L respectively, compared to guideline of 0.25mg/L, however, is not significant.



The two wastewater discharges from Angus Place Colliery (see extract above from p65 of the EIS Surface Water Impact Assessment) also indicate that along with releasing salt, the mine is currently causing metal pollution (in particular aluminium and zinc) and releasing waste with very high nitrogen nutrient levels. The EIS quotes zinc concentrations of 46 and 27 µg/L (from one of the mine waste discharge points) are at levels much higher than ANZECC (2000) guidelines for protection of aquatic ecosystems (`Trigger Values of Toxicants' see Table 3.4.1).

The water quality data presented in the Angus Place Mine Extension reports clearly indicate that the mine discharges water polluted by salt, metals and nutrients. According to the EIS documents and clause L2.3 of its EPL 467, the current mine operation is polluting surface waters due to waste discharges that include pollutants not specified in EPL 467.

The waste discharges from the current Angus Place Mine are modifying surface water geochemistry and this is an unregulated form of water pollution. Both mine wastes that are discharged contain highly elevated concentrations of minerals calcium, potassium, magnesium, sulfate, alkalinity, chloride and sodium. This provides another theme of water pollution from the current mine operation that contributes to the ecological stress that the mine discharge is currently placing on local waterways and aquatic ecosystems. This corresponds to previous published research on the geochemical impact of coal mine discharges in the Sydney Basin (Wright, 2012) which revealed that four coal mine waste discharges caused elevated pH and salinity and also modified the geochemistry of downstream waters. In all cases there was a change to the relative concentration of major anions and cations. Most of the coal mine drainage discharges caused increased concentrations (and often dominance) of sulfate and bicarbonate and other ions, in downstream waters. The levels and types of salts discharged to waterways from the coal mines are inadequately regulated and represent an emerging environmental pollution dilemma. The mine waste discharges from both mines also modify the geochemistry of surface waters with unknown environmental implications.

What are the implications of the water pollution from the Angus Place Colliery?

The `Aquatic Ecology and Stygofauna Assessment'(Appendix F) for contains the following text on p V of the Executive Summary:


`The above indicates that the aquatic habitat and quality of water in the upper Coxs River are both degraded but despite this aquatic biota is relatively diverse. The discharge from LDP001 appears to have adverse effects on the condition of the aquatic habitats and quality of water at KCdn and CR2, but its effect on biological indicators is less clear with only SIGNAL2 and AUSRIVAS scores being poorer on average at KCdn than at KCup, and macrophytes being less diverse at CR2 than CR1'. :


I am unable to form a conclusive view about the nature and extent of any impairment from the Angus Place mine or Springvale mine discharge to local stream ecosystems. The format of the aquatic ecology reports (the macroinvertebrate data in particular) in both assessments are not provided in a manner that would be, in my professional opinion, to be publishable in the current peer-reviewed scientific literature. The aquatic ecology data has a major role to play here to inform the readers as to whether the mine waste discharges are having any adverse impact on stream ecosystems. Both reports have a very large volume of information available yet is presented in a poorly structured manner that prevents me from determining whether the mines are having an adverse impact or not.

The manner in which the data is presented makes interpretation very difficult. For example, both reports quote macroinvertebrate family richness, SIGNAL 2 scores and AUSRIVAS results but does not compare results using hypothesis testing (such as analysis of variance) or community structural differences using multivariate statistics (e.g. PRIMER). It is a very basic question, but are the community differences statistically significant?

Another major concern with both reports is that they include non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) plots, but the critical R statistics and probability scores that `analysis of similarity' (ANOSIM) statistical tests were not presented. This also removes the ability for the reader to see if the macroinvertebrate community was changed below the mine (upstream versus downstream) in a statistically significant manner. An example of such statistical testing from previous research on the ecological effect of a coal mine discharge to a stream ecosystem in a nearby catchment (Grose River) utilised such statistical tests (Wright & Burgin, 2009).

In my opinion the discharge of coal mine wastes into such a sensitive location (local water supply and popular recreation and fishing waters; part of the Coxs River and a major part of the Sydney's water supply - the Warragamba Drinking Water Catchment and the Coxs River, Wolgan River and Carne Creek of ecological and heritage sensitivity Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area) I would have expected that the Springvale and Angus Place EISs would have both presented a detailed study that used `state of the art' ecological assessment design that used multiple impact and reference locations; multiple replicate samples; species-level taxonomic resolution and appropriate statistical hypotheses testing.

However despite my major concerns about the quality of the report, the conclusion suggests that both mines do cause water pollution that is degrading the aquatic ecosystems:

My conclusions:

The EIS documentation provides inadequate data for a reader to assess whether an operation of this scale is causing water pollution and whether that pollution is or is not adversely affect river and stream ecosystems.

However, the information is sufficient to show that the current mining operations are both causing serious levels of water pollution and damage to receiving aquatic ecosystems. The information also shows that both mines are currently failing to comply with their NSW EPA `Environmental Protection Licences' (Angus Place = EPL 467 and Springvale = EPL 3607). Both current mining operations contaminate surface waters with salinity; nitrogen; phosphorus, zinc; nickel and a large number of other water attributes. The current operation also causes degradation to surface water ecosystems according to the sketchy macroinvertebrate data supplied. The EIS details the proposed increased in waste water discharges and this will probably cause a resulting increase in water pollution and degradation of aquatic ecosystems.

In particular, the family-level macroinvertebrate identification failed to report statistical significance of differences and failed to clearly compare the ecological results from nearby reference (unpolluted sites) such as Marrangaroo Creek, the upper Coxs River (in Ben Bullen State Forest) and Kangaroo Creek in the Newnes Plateau. I am also very puzzled by the lack of sampling sites directly below each of the mine waste discharges. This epitomises the inadequacies of `baseline data' provided for this EIS. In my profession of water science such data in this form would be unpublishable. If data of this standard was submitted to a quality scientific journal in this field, it is my opinion that it would be rejected. For informed assessment such an important development in such a sensitive location is my expectation that the data collected should be of publishable quality in professional industry journals.

I recommend that further macroinvertebrate and water chemistry sampling be conducted of a standard that is scientifically rigorous and would be of publishable quality. Water pollution and ecological damage from the existing coal mine is a major issue of considerable community concern and it is not possible to form a strong conclusion about the impact of the existing coal mine, let alone make an assessment of future impacts in the absence of `sufficient baseline data' for this key issue. In my opinion the macroinvertebrate and water chemistry survey needs to include more sampling sites and be repeated on several occasions. At each site replicated quantitative species-level macroinvertebrate data needs to be collected.

The study should include multiple clean reference sampling sites (for invertebrates and water chemistry) located in naturally vegetated local catchments to provide a detailed set of `reference' data to compare with the coal mine affected sites, particularly the sites below the waste water discharge.

The main question that the macroinvertebrate survey (for Angus Place) needs to answer is how does the macroinvertebrate community downstream of the two waste discharge points (LDP001 and LDP002) in Kangaroo Creek and the Coxs River compare to unimpacted sites upstream of the coal mine?

The EIS documentation represents a very clear admission that the Angus Place mine is causing water pollution that is incompatible with the environmental values and significance of the area. It is a drinking water catchment for Wallerawang and for Sydney (Warragamba Dam). It also provides water resources for the local community for recreation (swimming, boating and fishing) and for aquatic ecosystems (including the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area).

The EIS indicated that the extension proposed will likely increase the scale of the pollution. The EPL 467 provides ineffective protection of the environment. The licence needs to list all water contaminants in the mine waste discharges and nominate environmentally responsible contaminant levels (generally concentrations) that protect local waterways from water pollution. The EIS provides no detail on how the wastewater will be treated to a level that will protect waterways from pollution.


Dr Ian Wright

26 May 2014


References
&#61656; NSW EPA Search for Environment Protection licences, applications, notices, audits or pollution studies and reduction programs: EPL 467. and EPL 3607. (http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/prpoeoapp/)

&#61656; ANZECC, (2000). Australian and New Zealand guidelines for fresh and marine waters. National Water Quality Management Strategy Paper No. 4. Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council. Agriculture and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand, Canberra.


&#61656; Wright, I.A. and Burgin, S. (2009) Comparison of sewage and coal-mine wastes on stream macroinvertebrates within an otherwise clean upland catchment, south-eastern Australia. Water, Air and Soil Pollution. 204: 227-241.

&#61656; Wright, I.A. (2012) Coal mine `dewatering' of saline wastewater into NSW streams and rivers: a growing headache for water pollution regulators. In Grove, J.R. and Rutherfurd, I.D (eds). Proceedings of the 6th Australian Stream Management Conference, Managing for Extremes, 6-8 February, 2012 Canberra, Australia, published by the River Basin Management Society p.p 206-213.

Undermining the Environment

The proposals for the Angus Place Colliery will undermine the environment, as has already happened at East Wolgan Swamp, Junction Swamp, Narrow Swamp North and Narrow Swamp South. An extension of longwall coal mining would place further risks on recognised endangered ecological communities, a high price to pay for the maximum of 30 extra jobs created.

The downplaying of threats from mine subsidence, fractured sandstone, toxic mine effluent does not reflect the fact that the company is prepared to gamble against the environment and the pristine Carne Creek, as damage to the Wolgan River confirms.

It is time we stopped undermining the environment.

The area concerned is listed with 10 different EPA protections
It is a place of unique beauty ,its conservation values far outweigh ,short term profits
That is reason enough to not allow this destructive expansion .

The Coal companies must be made to fix previous serious environmental damage done by the pre-existing coal mine and must provide evidence that they are capable of working in an environment without damaging it before any further extensions can be considered.