Bylong Coal Mine

This project will have a devastating impact on the local water catchment, wildlife, farming, tourism. It will contribute to increasing global warming, air pollution. The government should not be destroying our children's future survival on the planet for short term monetary gain. It shoshould invest in renewable energy.

The proposal by Kepco to mine 6.5 tonnes of coal per annum for the next 15 years will have unacceptable impacts on prime agricultural land and the water systems in the Bylong Valley.
The area that will be disturbed is a significant area of prime agricultural land including 440 ha of Bioregional Significant Agricultural Land, 260ha of which will be totally destroyed by the open cut section. Proposals to rehabilitate and/or provide offset areas are pure fantasy and must be discounted.

There will also be disastrous impacts on ground and surface water withpredictions of peak losses of up to295 millilitres per year The mine proposes to use up to 1,942 ML/YR which is 75% of the annual rainfall recharge- surely completely unsustainable for remaining agricultural pursuits.

The proposal also impacts adversely on items of local and regional Aboriginal heritage with 144 sites at risk and of those 102 are in the open cut area and would be destroyed completely.

There are also unacceptable social impacts as have been seen in other areas where mining has destroyed close knit communities with school closures and farm buildings erased.

Habitat losses will adversely affect nationally endangered species such as the Brushtailed Rock Wallaby, Regent Honey Eater, New Holland Mouse and Spotted-tailed Quoll. Also 17 threatened bird species will suffer habitat loss and the critically endangered Grassy Box Gum will take another hit on the road to extinction.

Every argument above mitigates against this proposal gaining approval. If that does happen the planning instruments are a joke and the government will be seen to be not serious in considering the agricultural future of the Bylong Valley, the wellbeing of its people or the health of its biodiversity.

The damage to agricultural land and habitat by the mining development in the Bylong Valley is not acceptable. Compensation by location to other areas is of untested value. Of vital importance is the allocation of water to the mine. There is the potential for damage to underground and surface water systems, the extent of which is unknown, and it is not sufficient to maintain that it is within current guidelines. If these guidelines prove incorrect, it is too late to repair damage.

No mine should be allowed in Bylong Valley. The land itself is highly fertile, any mine would destroy this prime agricultural land and valuable water system. It will not be mitigated through its proposed offsets and rehabilitation. No overseas country should be allowed to own Australian land especially when they want to mine it. The property Tarwyn Park should not be included in this proposed mine because of its high value natural farming processes which will be destroyed forever. The mine disturbance has very high biodiversity values that will not recover through their proposed offset arrangements. This area has important heritage sites both European and Aboriginal cultural.The social impacts on the Bylong community has already been devastating even though there is no mine. Allowing this mine in will further destroy the community, as we at Wollar have already found out and are still experiencing, now from Wilpinjong Coal mine. The increase of mine traffic through Wollar to Mudgee via the Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve has not been assessed properly. Extra train movements will cause more trains to stand idling in the Wollar rail loop which will increase air pollution in the Wollar village from diesel fumes including NO2 and PM2.5 particles. Wollar and Bylong villages have already lost their Rural fire brigades, which has increased the threat of unattended fires and road accidents in this area north/east of Mudgee

Please do not mine this wonderful area. We need to keep this
Pristine so our food bowl stays in tact. Food is much more
Useful than coal!! Also we need to protect our wildlife. There
Are so many species that need looking after for future generations to enjoy.

A coal mine cannot replace this special place.

#Enough. Time to start looking after this country, instead of selling it & it's resources off to the highest bidders.

3. Both groundwater and surface water will be adversely affected. The Bylong River catchment is already stressed.
Losses due to the mining of up to 295 million litres per year (ML/yr) are predicted. Furthermore, loss of base flows into the Bylong River from the highly connected alluvial aquifer system is predicted to be 918 ML/yr.

The mine proposes to use up to 1,942 ML/yr which is over 75% of the annual rainfall recharge. The river system is over allocated and local farmers will lose important water supply.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I'm writing to object strongly to the 'Bylong Coal Project'.
I live in Mudgee and cannot believe a mine could be allowed to destroy the beautiful Bylong Valley, one of the most attractive areas of our region. It would threaten native plants and species (offsets are a joke). It has already devastated the social fabric of the valley.

It also beggars belief that our own government doesn't seem to acknowledge that the mine will seriously impact the local aquifers. Living through an El Nino period highlights the danger of over-use of water which should be preserved for the farmers and the biodiversity of the region.

But above all I object to another new mine opening for its damaging contribution to Climate Change!

Sincerely,

Elisabeth Brasseur
4 George St
Mudgee 2850

I object to the proposed mine on the grounds of:
destruction of prime agricultural land necessary for the long term production of food in favour of the short term gain for a foreign owned company .
Pollution & destruction of water aquifers .
Air pollution from the mining process.

The significant area of prime agricultural land being destroyed is absolutely horrendous, this mine would ruin 2,875 hectares of some of the most arable land in NSW, the fact that the government is even considering this mine is just plain wrong. Along with the shenhua liverpool plains mine, this mine could reduce our agricultural productivity by significant amounts. The NSW government needs to realise how important this land is to the state and to the nation.

1. The predicted long-term impacts on prime agricultural land and water systems in the Bylong Valley are unacceptable and will not be mitigated through proposed offsets and rehabilitation. The renowned Tarwyn Park natural sequence farming processes will be destroyed.
2. The impacts on ground and surface water will be significant. The amount of water to be used my the mine places existing users and catchment health in jeopardy.
3. The mine will impact adversely on biodiversity including the loss of threatened species. Mitigation or offsets as promised can not eliminate or appropriately reduce the impact.
4. The impact and loss of cultural and historical sites is not appropriate. Nor is the loss of the homes and the community.
5. All the real and potential impacts are not acceptable and especially not for the short term gain. Why would we destroy so much for an international company and a short time frame .That is 8 years. for the open cut mine. Why would we sacrifice our rural community, catchment and environmental health. The long term health and wealth in our nation lies in looking after their health and welfare.

I oppose the construction of a mining complex in the Bylong Valley on the following grounds:

1. The predicted long-term impacts on prime agricultural land and water systems in the Bylong Valley are unacceptable and will not be mitigated through proposed offsets and rehabilitation. The renowned Tarwyn Park natural sequence farming processes will be destroyed.

2. A significant area of prime agricultural land will be destroyed: the mine footprint will disturb 2,875 hectares (ha) of land including 440 ha of Bioregional Significant Agricultural Land (BSAL), 260 ha being destroyed in open cut, plus 700 ha of mapped Critical Equine Industry Cluster land. The proposal to replace BSAL at another location is untested and high risk.

3. Impacts on groundwater and surface water will be significant. The highly connected alluvial aquifer system within the stressed Bylong River catchment will have predicted peak losses of up to 295 million litres per year (ML/yr). Loss of base flows to the Bylong River is predicted to be 918 ML/yr. The mine proposes to use up to 1,942 ML/yr which is over 75% of the annual rainfall recharge. The river system is over allocated and local farmers will lose important water supply.

4. The mine disturbance area has very high biodiversity values that will not be mitigated through the proposed offset arrangements. Nationally endangered species recorded in the area include the Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby, New Holland Mouse, Regent Honeyeater and Spotted-tailed Quoll. Three entirely new plant species were recorded. A significant area of critically endangered Grassy Box Gum Woodland will be destroyed along with habitat for 17 threatened birds and 7 threatened plants.

5. The area has Aboriginal cultural heritage significance: 239 sites were recorded in the study area with 25 regarded as being of high local or regional significance (including an ochre quarry, grinding grooves and rock shelters); 144 sites have been identified at risk from mine impacts with 102 within the open cut area.

6. Important European heritage, including the Catholic Church Cemetery, Upper Bylong Public School and a number of historic homesteads and farm buildings will be destroyed in the open-cut. The social impacts on the Bylong community have already been devastating.

I do not think we should continue to ruin our natural environment at the expense of the mining industry and hope we will have something left after the miners have finished.
DO NOT APPROVE ANY MORE MINES IN NSW

I strongly object to the proposed Byling Coal Mine. It is unacceptable of the government to go ahead with projects such as these without public consultation.

I strongly object to the proposed Byling Coal Mine. It is unacceptable of the government to go ahead with projects such as these without public consultation.

The Bylong mine proposal must consider the environmental impact at both a local as well as global level. Although, the need for energy by Korea is understandable, why don't the current mines suffice? Additionally, three mines, two open cut and one underground will have a significant impact on the water table, both in the extraction process, as well as the creation of cavitations in the alluvial stratas. Furthermore, the Bylong valley has been known globally as a case study of drought tolerant innovative farming practice. Energy in the form of hundreds of years of food production should have more value placed on it, than 20 years of destructive mining practices. Finally, the areas has significant native flora and fauna, some of which is unique and endangered.

Our land our eater our future. You want to help destroy fertile land. You want to ride roughshod over the farmers livelihood. Would you like your business and livelihood destroyed. This is the most cowardly bully boy tactics. Leave the farmers alone. If we came an destroyed your home your garden would you allow this. Their farms their homes their lives. Greed of big companies to the detrimrnt of all others has to stop.

No more coalmines - they are outdated and too polluting. They are no longer that profitable and come at too great a cost to rural communities as well as the environment. Too little is known about the long term effects to the water table and aquifers. To mine our best agricultural land just does not make sense. A coal mine may last for 10 or 15 years but good farming land lasts for ever. Stop being so short sighted. The legacy of mines in Australia is not a good one - little or nothing has been done to rehabilitate the land to its original state in too many cases. Mining companies very rarely are held accountable for the damage done. Not worth it.

1. The predicted long-term impacts on prime agricultural land and water systems in the Bylong Valley are unacceptable and will not be mitigated through proposed offsets and rehabilitation. The renowned Tarwyn Park natural sequence farming processes will be destroyed.

2. A significant area of prime agricultural land will be destroyed: the mine footprint will disturb 2,875 hectares (ha) of land including 440 ha of Bioregional Significant Agricultural Land (BSAL), 260 ha being destroyed in open cut, plus 700 ha of mapped Critical Equine Industry Cluster land. The proposal to replace BSAL at another location is untested and high risk.

3. Impacts on groundwater and surface water will be significant. The highly connected alluvial aquifer system within the stressed Bylong River catchment will have predicted peak losses of up to 295 million litres per year (ML/yr). Loss of base flows to the Bylong River is predicted to be 918 ML/yr. The mine proposes to use up to 1,942 ML/yr which is over 75% of the annual rainfall recharge. The river system is over allocated and local farmers will lose important water supply.

4. The mine disturbance area has very high biodiversity values that will not be mitigated through the proposed offset arrangements. Nationally endangered species recorded in the area include the Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby, New Holland Mouse, Regent Honeyeater and Spotted-tailed Quoll. Three entirely new plant species were recorded. A significant area of critically endangered Grassy Box Gum Woodland will be destroyed along with habitat for 17 threatened birds and 7 threatened plants.

5. The area has Aboriginal cultural heritage significance: 239 sites were recorded in the study area with 25 regarded as being of high local or regional significance (including an ochre quarry, grinding grooves and rock shelters); 144 sites have been identified at risk from mine impacts with 102 within the open cut area.

6. Important European heritage, including the Catholic Church Cemetery, Upper Bylong Public School and a number of historic homesteads and farm buildings will be destroyed in the open-cut. The social impacts on the Bylong community have already been devastating.

Yet another instance of the endless pursuit of coal - despite the majority of the world elsewhere starting to close coal powered power generating plants, etc.

The rights of landowners and the residents of rural towns should come first...not last...and I request that the application for the mine near Bylong is declined.

Australia used to be a leader, now we are a "baddie" in the way we aren't embracing clean, sustainable and renewable energy sources.

Please ensure that the decision is the right one.