Bengalla Coal Mine - Continuation

I am an employee at Bengalla and feel that it is important for me to provide a submission in support of the continuation of mining operations at Bengalla. In the past 10 years of my professional life I have worked for three different companies based in a few different locations including the Mid North Coast, Hunter Valley and Central Coast. In that time I worked out of a number of different offices and travelled temporarily to many locations in NSW and QLD. For all my reasonable experience I have never encountered a company with such a high level of community support that I have found at Bengalla. I feel that my decision to move my wife and two young children away from our comfortable life on the coast was the right choice, based in-part on the level of closeness and support within the community here.
In my time working at Bengalla I have volunteered to be involved in tree planting projects and have enjoyed attending various Bengalla sponsored and other local events. In 2012 myself and a number of colleagues enjoyed assisting local school students in the Upper Hunter Science and Engineering Challenge. It is a wonderful company that provides so much support to the community and encourages its employees to be involved in a variety of community projects. I hope that my family and I will enjoy many happy years living in this interesting, fun and progressive region.

I believe that this contiuation of Bengalla Mining Company would be a great asset to the local community in the Hunter. This provides many job oppurtunities for people living in the near by area and also gives a chance for new generations to be trained up as apprentices and recieve great training through the company as I have just recieved.

This company also supports the local community greatly with its massive donations and continued sponsoring of local events.

It is critical that the Bengalla Mine continues to operate into the future as it provides local employment for not only the employees but numerous local contracting businesses and service providers. The employees who reside in the local community provide economic benefits for local retail and also provide occupancy and growth for the housing sector.

I support the contiuation of the Bengalla Mine as it will sercure jobs in the local area and provide more when it is approved.
Bengalla has had many years in the area and its pit is moving away from town.The regeneration that has been done already is looking good and I look forward to the completion of the hill near the race course.

I believe that Bengalla's expansion project should go ahead due to securing current jobs and providing future careers in the local area.
The current pit is moving away from town and the regeneration that has been done well and is flourishing in this climate.

This mine also supports the local community through the schools and sporting events. e.g. primary and secondary school solar boat challenge.

To whom it may concern,

We would like to address some concerns that we have with the expansion of Bengalla Coal Mine. As stated in the EIS, all revelant neighbours were contacted in relation to the expansion. Our property is approximately 1 km from the new mine boundary and the first notification of the expansion was through pubic notification / newsletters etc. The EIS states that the predicted noise, airborne dust and vibration levels that our property will be subjected to, will exceed governing regulations. We feel this is a major concern and needs addressing as it will obviously greatly impact upon our families health, quality of life and sustainability of our farming operations. Any feedback on these matters and personalised contact or negotiation with Bengalla would not only be appreciated but one would assume, a mandatory measure.

I commenced work at Bengalla in 2002. Over the years Bengalla has been an enjoyable place of work and I have made many life long friends through my Bengalla relationships. Being a large and responsible company, Bengalla has provided my family and I with stability.

At Bengalla, we work in a manner that is respectful and considerate to our neighbours and local environment. We promote openness with our community through our mine open days namely, the community day, family day, bird watching event plus support of several other community such as the art prize, race club, Muswellbrook high student solarships.

In summary, Bengalla provides many benefits to the local community. I hope the Bengalla Continuation Project is seen favorably as the positives are many.

Regards

Jamie Costello

I support the Bengalla application to continue mining beyond its current approval limit. Bengalla is a good supporter of the local community and will continue to provide employment opportunities to the local area and as result the local economy.

Hi,
I am writing a submission in support of the submission as I feel it is the right thing to allow Bengalla Mining Company to continue it's legacy of environmentally conscious and community minded production of coal products.

I have worked in the coal industry and liased with the industry for more than 6 years. In that time, I have been working for Bengalla Mining Company for almost 2 and a half years as a CHPP Production Planner. In my position, all coal products pass through me on the way to the train load out and onto external stockpiles. At every stage of the process from mine to the customer, I have been impressed with BMC's commitment to not only supporting the environment and community, but constantly trying to achieve the most from the resource in order to maximise returns for both the Joint Venture partners and also through the Commonwealth and local community through relevant taxes, community events and royalties. The environment and community is discussed daily in meetings and at every stage of decision making and strongly influences everyday business decisions, with production sometimes taking a back seat in order to deliver the best conditions and outcomes for the local residents.

I relocated to Muswellbrook in order to work here, and I feel my story is an example of the way the mine workers have come here and contributed to the community. I purchased property here, I purchase local goods, my kids are in local daycare/preschool and support local people and businesses in my everyday shopping choices supporting the community. I have had a son at the local hospital and got to know local residents through the PCYC and Rotary clubs. This shows the trans-formative powers and local community support provided by workers of mines such as BMC and that if BMC were to shut down, these contributions would be lost. On the other hand, if expansion was to occur, these contributions would increase through more full time employees further benefiting the local community.

In terms of expansion work, I have already seen the way that BMC has performed in recent expansion work in 2011 and how the environment and community was a big part of that process in the management of water and dust, vibration and visibility of the mines activities.

I am confident that BMC would deliver the same standard of upgrade in the future and would also minimise interruption to the local environment and community and that is why I am writing you today in support of it.

Bengalla Mine has provided to the community of Muswellbrook for 14 years delivering income to local families, local sponsorships, social events, stimulated community involvement and has consistently demonstrated its ongoing commitment to maintaining a sustainable environment for the people of Muswellbrook.
I support the Bengalla Continuation Project because I would like to see this continue for another 25 years and am excited to see the potential for community growth under the positive influence that is Bengalla Mine and its employees.

I support the continuation of the Bengalla Coal mine. Bengalla mine has been a long term member of the upper hunter community. Being an employee of Bengalla Coal, I am proud that the company has invested heavily in the surrounding communities (Muswellbrook, Denman, Scone, Aberdeen) and this contribution has extended beyond the immediate benefits of the business.
Being a single income earner for my family, continuation of the Bengalla Coal Mine will be in the best interest of me and my family. So will be the case for my other collegues here on site.

I am a long term resident of the Hunter Valley and have seen and experienced the positive impacts that mining has brought to our communities over the years.
Bengalla has proven to be a reputable and responsible community member providing numerous donations and sponsorships to a wide range of local organisations.
Bengalla supports local people through Undergraduate Scholarships and apprenticeships and provides employment to a large number of local people and families.
I support the Bengalla project continuation and look forward to the ongoing positive impacts Bengalla has on our communities.

I am a current employee of Bengalla mine and this year 44years of age. The continuation of the mine would be critical to my future and my families future as my wife works in the hospitality industry my son works for a contractor that services Bengalla mine. I believe the continuation of the mine would be critical to the local and surrounding communities for current and future growth. I also believe thae standards that we have onsite also benefit our neighbours enviromentally and have manicured the landscape in a way that the mine fits in with the landscape

To whom it may concern,

I support this application with general comments on two aspects: noise and community involvement.

Noise:

I lived on Racecourse Road until recently for approximately 4 years, in close proximity to the mine. Very occasionally, during certain atmospheric conditions, I would notice dozer track noise. However, the level of noise was never enough that it would not be forgotten or unnoticeable immediately, and was never at a level that it caused any annoyance to myself or the others in the house.

In addition, being part of the Maintenance Engineering team at Bengalla, I can say that there are processes and ongoing work to monitor, maintain and ensure that noise levels on new and existing equipment are within our approval limits. I have been asked during my time here to investigate modifying sound suppression components, and have rejected the proposed modifications based on trials that showed that there was a small increase in the noise emissions from the plant.

Community:

Secondly, I feel that Bengalla has always had a strong presence and involvement in the local community. I attend numerous community/sporting/social events during the year and it seems obvious to me that Bengalla provides support in all aspects, from financial to genuine and enthusiastic personal involvement with the various groups.

Sincerely,
Adam

I moved into the Hunter Valley at the beginning of 2011 and have been working at Bengalla since march 2011. In that time my wife and I have built a house and are therefore looking at being in the Valley for sometime and ensuring I have a secure job going forward is very important to me.

The approval of the Bengalla EIS is very important to myself to ensure I have employment and security for my family. Bengalla provides employment for many people who live in the local area. The wealth that this employment brings to the community is to the benefit of the local businesses as this wealth is reinvested back into the community.

Bengalla has been and continues to be very active in supporting the local community. Bengalla is a major sponsor of the Upper Hunter show, Muswellbrook PCYC health and fitness health day, Bengalla race day, Harness racing cup to name but few.

Bengalla has provide funding to assist many local organisations such as the School beef day, The Black coal cu golf day, Muswellbrook Polocrosse and there are many more.

Bengalla provides scholarships for children in Muswellbrook - Engineering scholarship for Muswellbrook, Aberdeen and Scone high schools

Bengalla is very conscious of its environmental responsibilities and is always looking for opportunities to improve its operating practices to minimise the impact on the surrounding communities.

The approval of the Bengalla EIS is very important to the local and surrounding communities to the mine to ensure the continue development of the area from a business and community point of view.

Concerns we have about the Bengalla Continuation Project are the air quality (dust) and noise, and the culmination of 3 existing mines and one other proposed mine We have lived on this property for 40 years, and during Bengalla's 15 years of mining we have had no reason to complain about Bengalla's mining activities. Although we have sighted the Environmental Impact Statement our concern is as mining progresses in a westerly direction the projections may be higher than anticipated and this may affect the property.

My Submission for Bengalla
My Name is Ben and I'am 32 years old and have been living in the Upper Hunter for well over 20 years. During this time the Valley has seen many changes which started with only a handful of coal mines operating in the area in the early 90's. When I was nearing the end of my High School years it was clear to me that I wanted to be in the mining industry. This is where my story began.
At the end of 1998 I started an apprenticeship as a Boilermaker at one of the local engineering shops that regularly had work from local mines. Over the next 4 years work increased due to Bengalla and Mt Arthur opening and starting to ramp up which saw more people employed, new engineering workshops being built and more overtime being available. As work started to increase in the early to mid-2000's this saw a number of people coming from all over the state to earn the "Dollars".
During 2001 and being a 3rd year apprentice I was able to purchase my first home. This may not have happened if there were no coal mines in the area supporting local jobs. Even in the last 10 years house prices sky rocketed. This was brought on by the MINING BOOM. Again if the mines were not here would we have seen this happen in such a small space of time? You only have to drive through the town to see that the MINING BOOM has had on the town and the upper hunter. Also during the early 2000's to buy T.V's, lounges, computers, home ware etc. etc. you would have to travel to Newcastle to purchase these items. Now you can purchase these items and lots more in and around the Upper Hunter area supporting other local shops.
Fast forward to 2011 and I was lucky enough to gain a full time job at Bengalla. This goes to show that working in the industry and being local, Bengalla choose to employ local people from around the Upper Hunter area.
At the start of 2012 and after spending loads of money and countless weekends on our house due to the age of it, with a wife and 2 young kids we choose to sell our house and begin a new chapter and buy a brand new house. During the 10 or so years that we lived in that OLD house we used tradesman and supplies from the Muswellbrook area. Once again mining has a big effect even when it comes to renovating a house. Why because mining creates jobs, they is more cash flow. It is simple; it is a fact that when jobs are created and there is money to be had people spend more.
2013 has not been a very good year for the coal mining industry. However coal mines including Bengalla heavily Rellie on contractors and small business to keep the day to day running of the mine. If Bengalla had to close its doors not only would it affect people like myself and the 400 other full time employees but contractors, tradesman, schools, small business and suppliers. Also if Bengalla were to continue mining into the future it would see a further increase in full time jobs and the community to benefit such as scholarships.
I still continue to buy local products and use local trades even with a new house. But if this does not go ahead we will be forced to leave the area. I plan around being in the Upper Hunter for at least the next 20 years + of my working life so it is a must. We need this to happen for the next generation and also my kids future.
Regards Ben

As an employee of Bengalla Mine the approval of this project is important to me as it will ensure increased job security into the future for myself whilst giving my family financial stability as a single income household.
I believe that Bengalla Mine is committed to working with the local community providing economical support to local organisations through donations & physical resources. If the proposal was not approved then this vital community development would cease.
As a production operator at Bengalla Mine I believe the company strive to reduce our impact on the environment by constant monitoring of all the day to day operations performed at Bengalla Mine. I'm sure this would continue and be reviewed regularly as part of the consent to continue mining.

I am writing in support of Bengalla Mine proposal to continue mining to the area west of Muswellbrook as an open cut mine.

Daracon Group is a very successful medium size civil engineering organisation based in the Hunter Valley and we have worked on the existing Bengalla Coal Mine project since 1996. Our business objectives of excellence in safety performance and environmental responsibility fit very well with those of Bengalla Mine.

This alignment in values has helped us establish a mutual beneficial business relationship that has resulted in the completion of numerous projects to the highest standards in health, safety and environmental compliance.

Our support for the project is two fold. Firstly there will be direct benefits to Daracon Group in the civil projects generated by the continuation of the mine. But Secondly and more significantly, you can be assured that the continuation will be done with the greatest regard to the environment and especially the community of Muswellbrook. Throughout their current development Bengalla Mine have worked closely with the local community and taken extra steps, such as the installation of monitoring systems, to ensure compliance with the licence conditions.

Your favourable consideration of the proposal by Bengalla Mine would be appreciated.

A completed Political Donations Disclosure Statement is attached.


Yours faithfully




David Mingay
Managing Director
Daracon Group

I am writing in support of Bengalla Mine proposal to continue mining to the area west of Muswellbrook as an open cut mine.

Daracon Group is a very successful medium size civil engineering organisation based in the Hunter Valley and we have worked on the existing Bengalla Coal Mine project since 1996. Our business objectives of excellence in safety performance and environmental responsibility fit very well with those of Bengalla Mine.

This alignment in values has helped us establish a mutual beneficial business relationship that has resulted in the completion of numerous projects to the highest standards in health, safety and environmental compliance.

Our support for the project is two fold. Firstly there will be direct benefits to Daracon Group in the civil projects generated by the continuation of the mine. But Secondly and more significantly, you can be assured that the continuation will be done with the greatest regard to the environment and especially the community of Muswellbrook. Throughout their current development Bengalla Mine have worked closely with the local community and taken extra steps, such as the installation of monitoring systems, to ensure compliance with the licence conditions.

Your favourable consideration of the proposal by Bengalla Mine would be appreciated.

A completed Political Donations Disclosure Statement is attached.


Yours faithfully




David Mingay
Managing Director
Daracon Group