Cobbora Coal Mine

I am strongly opposed to the Cobbora Coal Mine.

This mine, if built, will have a major negative environmental impact. It will destroy 1,867 ha of significant woodland which currently provides habitat for 39 threatened species, including nationally listed endangered species. It will disturb approximately 47 km2 of land with important high conservation and agricultural value, and destroy at least 79 significant Aboriginal cultural heritage sites.

In addition, the project, if approved, will generate additional greenhouse gas emissions - conflicting with State and Federal policy to reduce climate change impacts.

The mine will need to use up to 3,700 million litres of water per year from surface water and groundwater interception. The use of water from the Cudgegong River will threaten the water security of the Mudgee region wine and tourism industries. It could also threaten the long -term security of urban water supply from Windamere Dam.

The justification for this project is based on outdated projections of demand for coal-fired electricity over the next 10 years. Demand has dropped significantly since this project was proposed, and the price of black coal on the export market has also dropped below the projections used to justify the need to source cheaper coal for domestic use..

The mine will cost the NSW taxpayer approx $3.4 billion and will be run at a loss. It is a direct subsidy to power generators in NSW. An analysis of the benefits (or lack thereof) of continued coal-fired electricity vs. the long-term benefits of renewable energy sources has not been made. Taxpayer's money would be far more wisely and appropriately invested in renewable energy sources.

The cost benefit analysis for the project has not taken into account the resulting social disruption, competition for workforce with other industries (particularly the agricultural industry across western NSW), or the costs of major infrastructure upgrades - particularly rail lines - to accommodate additional coal transport. Towns and properties along the coal chain will be impacted by additional noise and dust from increased coal train movements.

This project, if approved, will prove to be disastrous in so many ways, it is vital that it should not be permitted to proceed.

Dear Stephen O'Donoghue,

As a concerned resident of Bondi Beach, NSW, I am writing to you in order to voice my strong opposition to the proposed Cobbora Coal project, on multiple grounds:
1. Economics grounds
1.1. The justification for the mine is based on incorrect projections of demand for coal-fired electricity over the next 10 years. Demand for coal-fired power has dropped significantly since this project was first proposed, as part of the Keneally government's electricity privatisation deal.
1.2. The Cobbora coal mine, if built, will cost taxpayers more than $3 billion in lost revenue because it will provide half-priced coal to our state's polluting power stations for more than 20 years. The project should not go ahead on such an unacceptable transfer price to companies who are raking in billions from us, but should be based on international spot prices for coal
1.3 Rather than promote a project that is so economically unsound, NSW should actively promote and seek to develop renewable energy sources

2. Environmental and cultural grounds
2.1 The proposed development project will destroy more than 1,850 hectares of woodlands, and cause loss of agricultural land, damage to groundwater resources and desecration of Aboriginal cultural heritage sites. This is unacceptable and requires a sounder approach to development.

This ill-conceived proposal puts the narrow interests of coal-fired power generators above the interests of ordinary people and the environment. The NSW Government must abandon this costly, polluting and destructive proposal.

Sincerely,

Nicolas Mialaret

9 November 2012


Major Planning Assessments
Department of Planning and Infrastructure
GPO Box 39
Sydney 2001

Dear Sir/Madam,

We are residents of the Illawarra in New South Wales and members of the NSW Greens, and we are writing to object to the Cobbora Coal Mine.

We believe that the Cobbora Coal Mine is an inappropriate investment of $3.4 billion of NSW taxpayers' funds, and that far better uses could be found for those funds given the tight budget in NSW at present.

The project is environmentally very inappropriate. It will disturb around 47 square kilometres of land, much of which has important biodiversity/environmental or agricultural value, and should not be mined. In particular, the project is identified as destroying 1,867ha of significant woodland providing habitat for 39 threatened species, including nationally listed endangered species. The Cobbora Mine, if it goes ahead, would completely wipe out the local population of Tylophora linearis, as well as destroying areas of Grassy Box Woodland, and the habitat of nationally endangered species such as the Regent Honeyeater, Australiasian Bittern and Superb Parrot.

Unfortunately, the `pay-off' for this destruction is also negative: increased greenhouse gas emissions from the mining process itself as well as from the coal that is mined, and extraction of low-quality coal. This is completely at odds with State and Federal policies to reduce climate change impacts.

Finally, the idea that destruction of the vital natural areas mentioned above could be offset via rehabilitation of mined lands is completely wrong-headed. These natural habitats would take hundreds of years to re-establish. For example, it takes up to a century for an old eucalypt tree to develop hollows that are suitable for nesting birds and animals.

Yours sincerely,

I wish to STRONGLY OBJECT to the proposed Cobbora coal mine. Climate change IS affecting us now and will make life on our planet impossible. We must change from all forms of fossil fuel use as soon as possible. This proposal will destroy 1,850 hectares of woodland. Trees reduce carbon emissions. This proposal will not only destroy trees but will produce decades of carbon pollution at a time when we are rightly setting reduced carbon reduction targets. This is not the time to be subsidising any existing fossil fuel operations, let alone considering setting up and subsidising such a huge, expensive, dirty and destructive new carbon producing mine such as this proposal at Cobbora. This is the time to be building solar thermal, wind and wave power producing operations instead. Solar thermal will create jobs. It will produce power with no carbon emissions. It will produce cheaper power, sustainably. It can happen now. The technology is here now. 4 million Australian homes have solar PV panels on their roof. Does this not tell you that the people of Australia want renewable energy - that the Australian voters want change? You must abandon this environment polluting, expensive, destructive and totally inappropriate proposal. It will cause damage to groundwater resources and you know water is a precious commodity that we must not waste and or pollute. This proposal will desecrate Aboriginal heritage sites and take away hectares of precious agricultural land. This proposal is wrong and must not be approved. Please listen to your voters and do the right thing by our beautiful planet. I end by saying again, please, you must completely reject this proposal. Thank you.

Below are points of Objection:
We should divert this money towards renewable energy and avoid investing further in coal which is a huge cost to human being.

* The project will generate additional greenhouse gas emissions conflicting with State and Federal policy to reduce climate change impacts
* We should invest more in renewable energy compare to conventional energy while climate change is quite on the rise.
* The project will disturb approx 47km2 of land with important high conservation and agricultural value
* The project will destroy 1,867ha of significant woodland providing habitat for 39 threatened species, including nationally listed endangered species
* The project will destroy significant Aboriginal cultural heritage sites
* The project will compete with the Mudgee wine and tourism industry for water supply during drought conditions
* Cobbora Coal project is inappropriate investment of $3.4 billion of NSW taxpayers' money
* The project justification is based on outdated electricity demand and coal price projections

- The mine will be environmentally destructive,
- The coal burnt will increase Australia's carbon pollution, at the very time we need to be reducing carbon emissions to slow climate change,
- The money invested in the mine should go to higher-priority projects like renewable energy, public transport and public education,

I am amazed and confused as to why we are planning more filthy coal burning to produce power when we should be concentrating on more renewable and sustainable ways to create power.
I am also very disappointed in a Government that would bring in a Carbon Tax and then allegedly support Coal Mining financially.
We need to be smarter and instead of investing money into coal it should be spent on more environmentally friendly options.
The future is our responsibility so let's be responsible !

Thanks

I and my extended family strongly object to approval being given for the Cobbora Mine project to proceed on the grounds that it will seriously degrade the environmental integrity of the area, and will also contribute to ongoing support to an energy industry which operates in an inefficient and environmentally costly way.

I object to the building of this coal mine.
No new coal mines should be opened in NSW, especially to provide coal for polluting powerstations. Use the money to provide infrstructure for renewable energy.
For goodness sake, how bad has our climate got to get before government changes its "business as usual" approach?
Please get very serious about renewable energy, very quickly.

The Cobbora coal mine, if built, will cost taxpayers more than $3 billion, destroy nearly two thousand hectares of wildlife habitat, and provide half-priced coal to our state's polluting power stations for more than 20 years.

The justification for the mine is based on incorrect projections of demand for coal-fired electricity over the next 10 years. Demand for coal-fired power has dropped significantly since this project was first proposed, as part of the Keneally government's electricity privatisation deal.

My Objection to this proposal:

The Cobbara Coal Mine proposal will result in massive negative environmental, social and cultural impacts.
There will be the threat to the water table and the loss of agricultural land with their multiplied effects.
The destruction of thousands of hectares of woodlands and the substantial ecosystem damage that will cause both directly to the species there and indirectly to the region.
The threat to migratory species and the damage through runoff and the loss of absorbing tree cover.
The desecration of Aboriginal heritage sites of cultural significance.
These are unacceptable consequences.

Hi
I would like any information regarding employment for the construction of the mine site, as well as the construction of the rail and water networks. Any information would be helpful. Thank you

Regards

Daniel Braithwaite

I object to the proposal as it assumes a continued level of reliance on traditional coal fired power as an energy source that does not fit with national and state-based policy direction and commitment to a reduced reliance on high greenhouse gas (GHG) emittinig energy sources. GHG emissions from electriciiy consumption actuyally fell by circa 2 % in the past year in part as a result of energy efficiency and renewable energy interventions demonstrating that there are genuine alternatives to coal fired energy.
The communities of the hunter valley continue to bear the health impact legacies of a century of coal mining, it is completely irresponsible to lock in to continued emissions impacts on existing communities and future generations. The mine proposal flies in the face of all ESD commitments made over the past decade and a half in NSW and nationally.

I am writing in regard to the planned Cobbora Coal Mine.
Instead of destroying nearly 2000 hectares of valuable native wilderness and agricultural land . Why not put the mine underground using the older coal extraction methods to minimise destruction to the local enviroment.
If you cannot used this method then look to other ways of providing power like solar and scrap the plans for the proposed mine.
We must put the Enviroment First and the health of the people of New South Wales.
Yours Sincerely
Cita Murphy

Appalling mining plans for what possible reason?


Coborra is a plan for a state-owned coal mine that will cost taxpayers more than $3 billion, destroy nearly two thousand hectares of wildlife habitat, and provide half-priced coal to our state's polluting power stations for more than 20 years.

The Cobbora coal mine, if built, will provide heavily subsidised coal to six large coal fired power stations, locking in decades of carbon pollution, and delaying investment in clean, renewable energy.

This mine proposal is environmentally destructive and fiscally irresponsible.

What possible benefit to taxpayers can you suggest to justify this environmental hijacking of valuable land and future air quality, future C02 levels, future climate disaster?

Not forgetting the near-future threat to all life on this planet.

The last time this earthly home of ours had levels of C02 near the limit we are close to 95% of ALL LIFE WAS extinguished within TWO YEARS, so the records have revealed. Check it out with the scientists.

This time we are the species making this happen again - and even if that timetable is WRONG and it took 50 years ort more, what excuse do we have to risk this outcome which could be imminent?

Please explain.

I am appalled by this proposal and I thus welcome the opportunity to comment on the proposed expansion.

The Cobbora coal mine, if built, will cost taxpayers more than $3 billion, destroy nearly two thousand hectares of wildlife habitat, and provide half-priced coal to our state's polluting power stations for more than 20 years. The justification for the mine is based on incorrect projections of demand for coal-fired electricity over the next 10 years. Demand for coal-fired power has dropped significantly since this project was first proposed, as part of the Keneally government's electricity privatisation deal.

The mine will cost the NSW taxpayer approx $3.4 billion and will be run at a loss. It is a direct subsidy to power generators in NSW. The argument for continued coal-fired electricity in comparison to the long-term benefits of renewable energy sources has not been made. Taxpayer's money would be better invested in renewable energy sources.

The project has a very large footprint and will cause major environmental impacts on woodland habitat as well as groundwater and surface water sources and loss of at least 79 Aboriginal cultural heritage sites.

The clearing of 1,867ha woodland habitat will impact on species listed for national protection: eg Grassy Box Woodland; endangered and vulnerable plants, including 100% loss of the local population of Tylophora linearis, endangered bird species including australasian bittern, malleefowl, regent honeyeater, superb parrot; and vulnerable microbat species - southern long-eared bat, large-eared pied bat.

Also a large number of threatened woodland birds protected under the NSW Threatened Species Act were recorded in the area of impact - brown treecreeper, diamond firetail, glossy black-cockatoo, grey-crowned babbler, hooded robin, speckled warbler, varied sittella, masked owl, barking owl, powerful owl.

The proposed biodiversity offset package has not been finalized and is inappropriately based on mine rehabilitation. The replacement of high conservation value habitat especially tree hollows in slow growing woodland species takes centuries.

The mine will need to use up to 3,700 ML (million litres) of water per year from surface water and groundwater interception. The use of high security licenced water from the Cudgegong River will threaten the water security of the Mudgee region wine and tourism industries. It could also threaten the long -term security of urban water supply from Windamere Dam.

The NSW Government has purchased 68 of 90 properties in the affected area. The loss of farming community and broadscale food production has not been adequately assessed.

The cost benefit analysis for the project has not taken into account the social disruption; competition for workforce with other industries, particularly the agricultural industry across western NSW; or the costs of major infrastructure upgrades, particularly rail lines, to accommodate additional coal transport.

Towns and properties along the coal chain will be impacted by additional noise and dust from increased coal train movements.

This mine proposal is environmentally destructive and fiscally irresponsible.

At a time when we should be investing heavily in renewable energy resources and research it makes no sense at all to subsidise the development of more coalmining to support six coal-fired power stations. I would rather see State (taxpayer's) money spent on worthwhile projects such as health and education and, most importantly;

On the research and development of renewable energy sources.

MOST EMPHATICALLY "NO" to more coal mining and more coal-fired electricity!

Dear Sir/Madam,

I welcome the opportunity to object to the proposed expansion of Cobbora coal mine.

This project is based on an outdated electricity demand and coal projections, and does not take into consideration the global push toward renewable energy sources. Expanding Cobbora coal mine will add additional greenhouse gas emission which is in direct conflict with the State and Federal policy to reduce climate change impacts. Climate change will impact Australia, bringing more sever droughts, and sea water level rises.

I object strongly to the destruction of 1867ha of woodland, and the impact on the water supply for the Mudgee wine tourism industry.

The Cobbora coal mine, if built, will cost taxpayers more than $3 billion, destroy nearly two thousand hectares of wildlife habitat, and provide half-priced coal to our state's polluting power stations for more than 20 years.

The Cobbora Coal Project must be stopped. If it is allowed to go ahead it will be a disaster for the economies of the state of NSW and the commonwealth of Australia.

It will undermine our national and the international struggle to save the planet from an immediately impending environmental disaster.

We are now well on the road to a 6 degree warming by 2050. This most likely means the total collapse of human civilisation within 200 years and the extinction of over 60% of species (including us) within a thousand years.

This project ,with its corrupt arrangement to subsidise private power companies, will lock in for decades the most environmentally damaging energy (coal) and inhibit investment in environmentally benign energy
projects such as solar and wind.

What the citizens of this state need, and indeed demand, is the complete reversal of the Keneally government's electricity privatisation deal. It is important for the state and federal governments to encourage investment in renewable generation capacity and decommission the most CO2 intensive plant as soon as possible.

You already know this, and if you care for the welfare of our children and our grandchildren you will act for their benefit now!

If you do not, God forgive you because we the people and our descendants will not. Their descendants will never have the chance to forgive you for they will never be born.

Wake up! Its the environment, stupid!

In despair

Dear Sir/Madame

I am very distressed to think that this government is prepared to consider dealing with out moded and poor quality coal as electricity fuel for Coal fired power stations.
It seems with Climate change very much at the forefront of every ones lives and felt regularly with our strange weather patterns that should be the last policy this government should be endorsing.

It would seem in direct contradiction to State and Federal government greenhouse gas admissions.

Besides the pollution this high ash type coal would produce, the size of the destructive footprint to the environment is down right appalling-47 square kilometers is a very sizable amount of land

I am aware it comprises high conservation value and includes endangered species. I am a supporter of the superb parrot here on the far south coast at Potoro Palace Nature Sanctuary, which I believe to be threaten by such a development as one of the many birds and animals that would be affected.

I understand the mine will need to use up to 3,700 ML (million litres) of water per year from surface water and groundwater interception. The use of high security licenced water from the Cudgegong River will threaten the water security of the Mudgee region wine and tourism industries. It could also threaten the long -term security of urban water supply from Windamere Dam.

How can this be a good Investment for NSW.
Since this proposal first came forward much has changed including the reduction of coal demand for this same purpose, as well as the price for much better quality black coal.

The loss of food producing land is more of the issue here and this should be restored as soon as possible, this where the money truly lies.

Please I implore your Government to put this highly subsidized poor proposal where it belongs.
In the recycling bin!

Yours Empathetically

Caroline Ceylon Bugden