Cobbora Coal Mine

Hello
I would like to express my concern with our local government organisation 'the Warrumbungle Shire Council' (WSC) who I believe is stretched and under resourced. In light of this I propose that the Cobbora Mine Holding be encouraged to allocate funds towards the WSC to enable them to recruit capacity so as to negotiate the best outcomes for the communitys' economic, social, environment future, to avoid pit falls as a result of the mine as other mining communities have incurred.And to negotiate positive growth outcomes.

To whom it may concern

The Cobbora mine will be of great benefit to our business and the local community.

It will create more jobs reducing unemployment and work for many local business.

The ability to supply competitively priced electricity is also a great benefit to NSW residents recently experiencing electricity price rises.

To Whom it May Concern,

I would like to offer my support to the above project. Our company is based in Dubbo and to have the potential to secure projects that are of a significant duration, will enable a long term strategy for providing local employment through science based traineeships and scholarships.

Yours Faithfully

Juliet Duffy MSM Syd Uni
Occupational Hygienist
Regional Enviroscience Pty Ltd

My Objections to this project are as follows:

1. As a tax payer I am concerned about how the Cobbora Coal project is not a financially viable use of $3.4b of NSW taxpayers money

2. It is based on outdated electricity demand and coal price projections

3. The generation of additional greenhouse gas emissions, approx 25m tonnes per year, conflicts with State and Federal policy to reduce climate change impacts

4. Approximately 47km2 of land with important high conservation and agricultural value will be destroyed by this large open cut mine.

5. The project will destroy 1,867ha of significant woodland providing habitat for 39 threatened species, including nationally listed endangered species

6. The project will destroy significant Aboriginal cultural heritage sites

7. The loss of farming community and broadscale food production has not been adequately assessed.

8.The project will use a large amount of water from the Cudgegong River and compete with the Mudgee wine and tourism industry for water supply during drought conditions

9. I am concerned that up to 10 coal trains a day will pass through Gulgong to Ulan, Wollar, Bylong and additional export product could be sent through Mudgee in the future. The detrimental health and traffic impacts would be significant.

I object to the Cobbora Coal Project for the following reasons:

1. It is inappropriate investment of $1.5b of NSW taxpayers money particularly as 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 in the region. In addition the coal is extremely poor quality product with high ash content.
2. The project will use too much water: 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. It is also ludicrous that the mine should be allowed to bring water upstream by buying water licenses from well below the project. How do you send water upriver?

3. The project justification is based on outdated electricity demand and coal price projections

4. The project will generate additional greenhouse gas emissions, approx 25m tonnes per year, conflicting with State and Federal policy to reduce climate change impacts

5. 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.

6. The large open cut mine will disturb approx 47km2 of land with important high conservation and agricultural value. This includes the destruction of 1,867ha of significant woodland providing habitat for 39 threatened species, including nationally listed endangered species

7. The project will destroy significant Aboriginal cultural heritage loss of at least 79 Aboriginal cultural heritage sites.

Dear Department of Planning
I am writing to object to the proposed Cobbora Coal project.
Instead of investing in this coal mine, or encouraging private developers to do so, the NSW Government should invest in renewable technologies that are sustainable in the long term.
The Government should be leading the way in implementing sustainable technologies for generating power, and in reducing overall demand for power. This is all possible and should not be ignored just to reap a short-term profit. It's time to move away from a 'dinosaur' approach to using fossil fuels.
One of the most serious problems with the proposed mine is its use of water. The NSW Government should protect our scarce water resources and make sure we have enough water to support all sectors of the economy well into the future. Depleting our water resources for an unstainable activity such as the proposed mine, at the expense of our long-term water security, is simply not acceptable. We need the government to show leadership and plan for the long-term benefits of the community as a whole. This includes taking better care of the environment and reducing carbon pollution.
Please scrap the coal mine proposal and do something better to meet our power needs -- the technology and the knowledge is available.

Regards
Jennifer More

I submit that the proposed COBBORA COAL PROJECT, Application Number 10_0001
SHOULD BE REFUSED
on the grounds that
(1) it is un unwarrented investment of public money;
(2) the need for additional coal fired power generation has not been justified in the light of reduced demand;
(3) the focus should be on reduced rather than increased generation of greenhouse gas emissions in the face of rising adverse implications on climate;
(4) the irreversable damage to sigificant natural and cultural heritage.

This whole mine project will add many millions to the tax burden of the NSW state .If it is not on sold when operational the mine contracts costs will need to be recouped by the price of electricity provided by the power generators. Unless the State is going to operate the mine itself as a department of the State. The economics of this project do not stack up under scrutiny.

There is no guarantee that the electricity generated by the coal will be needed or that the coal produced can be sold on the export markets .To get the coal mined anywhere is going to need new significant infrastructure that is not there already.

The Rivers SOS Group oppose any unjustifiable destruction of rivers and their catchments. The destruction of productive farmland by taking the water it relies on comes under this heading. And the native vegetation that is also part of a healthy ecosystem will be in jeopardy from the depleted supply of water. If this mine is approved it would use in excess of 13megs of water a day for the coal production. This at a time when there is already stress on the whole of the Murray Darling basin. And after the cessation of mining the water allocations bought by the mine would be in their hands and could be owned by a foreign entity with no regard to local farm production.

Any jobs provided by the mine would be at the expense of the extensive agriculture workforce that is employed in the area now. And would only be temporary at best. But the permanent damage to the area could not be repaired to enable the resumption of agriculture production of any consequence to take place. This area would be in excess of 47skms. A huge area in this age of proven food security problems effectively taken out of production.

If this mine should start the social costs to the large area around it would be by experience massively destructive. It would require a workforce around the 1500 mark. Again using similar mines these would be long distance commuters and or live in workers camps The documented problems of a mine this size show that the locals would have little experience dealing with the disruption of these workers. They would be forced out of the area by the social problems and the cost of living.

All in all this mine proposal should not be granted with a mine licence as the risks involved to the state are immense and an unwanted burden on the people of the state.

Yours.

Graham Brown.

To Whom it may concern,
In my opinion the Cobborah Coal Project will be very beneficial to not only local Dubbo business and the community but the entire surrounding districts of this project.
The project will bring more stable jobs to the area, keep some of the local school leavers and bring new residents to surrounding area.

Kind Regards,

Mick Maranda

It is with great disappointment that I have read today that the Cobbora Coal Project has been put on hold. This is a devastating loss to the Central West and a disgracefully short sighted policy decision. What could and should have been a great thing for the region and the state will be nothing but a wasted opportunity.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I write to offer my support for the continuation to completion and ongoing operation of the Cobbora Coal Mine.

My wife and I live in the Central West NSW town of Wellington. It is a relatively small town that is a great place to live and work. Like many towns of similar size the prospect of having such a huge undertaking like the Cobbora Coal Project nearby would indeed be a significant boost to its economy, population and the provision of services. This town needs to grow, it needs to increase the percentage of working people and it needs to be in a position to contribute to a long term project such as the Cobbora mine. It has the schools, cheap land for housing, relative proximity to neighbouring centres and people willing to work.

I am frequently asked about the impact on the town of the recently completed Wellington Correctional Centre. I speak here of my personal observations. I am sure Wellington would not have the two major supermarket chains in the town. I add that the opening of the second supermarket certainly ensured that the standards of service and overall presentation of its older and established competitor were raised significantly. I noticed that there seemed to be an increase in the disposable income of Correctional Centre staff manifesting itself in people driving a more modern car, wearing better clothes, availing themselves of increased recreational activities and putting more into the local economy. Although slow, there seems to be a steady increase in the building of new homes.

To have the Cobbora Coal Project go ahead as planned will without doubt play a significant part in taking Wellington to the next level so to speak. Not only would the mining of the resource provide the needed coal for power generation it will have significant and long lasting positive effects on the most valuable resource in this area - those people who live and choose to come and live here.

Please consider this letter an unequivocal expression of support for the Cobbora Coal Project.

Yours sincerely

John Southwell MA (Boston)
Principal
coachwell australia

Sir,
I write to record my disgust on hearing of this thoroughly anti-social, even evil, proposal. I cannot see one positive reason for increasing our contribution to climate contamination and environmental destruction both above and below ground.
A dirty dollar for some one?

I would like to formally object to the proposed Cobbora Coal mine.

Having moved to this area from Sydney for the clean, fresh air, and non industrial environment we are shocked to find that a new next door neighbour will be a $1 Billion coal mine.
Not only do we receive little in the way of education, medical or transport help and infrastructure from the NSW government (which we were willing to accept with the move),
but now find the very reasons for our move have been dramatically negated by the onset of industrial infrastructure just around the corner.

My objections are based on the following:

1. That there should be more investment made in new energy technologies rather than investing large amounts of inappropriate NSW tax payers' money on old, dirty technologies, that have a very short term financial gain
to the local communities, but ultimately leave them bereft
of a clean environment within which to live and raise their families (as per the recent Hunter Valley report onto the local health there. This Hunter Valley Report should be
a significant turning point on the future development of this coal mine.)

2. The project will in drought conditions put the livelihood of the local Mudgee Wine growers water supply at risk.

3. The use of up to 10 coal trains going through Gulgong, again puts coal dust into the local area, and degrades the air quality.

4. The fact that the NSW Government has already purchased many of the properties around the proposed site smacks of a 'deal already done'. So surely the procedures of procurement for the coal mine are
questionable already.

5. We live within 16 km of the proposed site and are disgusted that we can be actively encouraged by the NSW Government to move from Sydney to regional Australia for
a 'better' quality of life for our family only to find our daughter's respiratory system could be compromised with such a mine proposed.

6. The project will also compromise the woodland habitat of 39 threatened species, including listed endangered species.

7. As well as destroy significant Aboriginal Heritage sites.
Destruction of such Aboriginal sites and the habitats of endangered species is not ok on ANY level.
At some point the NSW Government has to be held accountable for the destruction of such habitats and sites.

Kind regards

Objection to Cobbora Coal Project
Application No: 10_0001

My objections to this mine are on environmental grounds, and on water security for the Mudgee region.

The endangered ecological Grassy Box Woodland now covers 0.01 percent of the area it once covered before European settlement. Currently Australia has the fastest extinction rate of flora and fauna in the world. There has been a massive clearing of this woodland in NSW with the mining boom, substantially increasing the list of vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered ecological communities. The Cobborah Mine Project will destroy almost 2000 hectares of this significant woodland, endangering habitat for 39 threatened species, including those covered by Federal legislation.

The open cut mine will also take over or affect almost 50 square kms of land with these high conservation values, or land that has important agricultural benefits. Seventy-nine significant Indigenous cultural heritage sites will also be destroyed by this mine.

The Cobborah proposal will also have far-reaching consequences for the groundwater and river systems of the Cudgegong. As the ash content of the coal is high, a high volume of water is required to wash it. 3.7gigalitres of water per year are to be directed to the mine for this purpose. This is the current water use for everything in the Cudgegong Valley at present, whether it is for town water, the wine industry or irrigation for agriculture. To take this amount of water from the Murray-Darling Basin in the present circumstances is crazy, and downright wrong for Mudgee's tourism and wine industries. The urban water security from Windamere Dam could also be threatened in times of extended drought. Groundwater is not suitable for use as town water as it is so heavy mineralized.

Given the problems with lowered electricity demand, the reduced coal price, the emergence of renewable energies as a viable alternative, the social impacts of mining, the effect on agriculture and our water systems, our environment, climate change.....This mine must not go ahead.

Yours sincerely

This is an objection to this proposed application based on the following;
It is extremely poor quality coal with high ash content.. and should not be used as a cheap source for our domestic energy
The quality of coal should be assessed to aerial pollution both in extraction and transport but also in the burning process. A visit to the National Pollution Inventory will show you what exits power stations into the atmosphere.Poor quality coal spikes these figures and therefore impacts on human health. This scenario has been aired for some time.
The clearing of 1867 ha of woodland habitat is frightful. Others have mentioned the species reliant upon this bush community.

Water is our most precious resource. Any major interference with this in the Mudgee region must first be studies deeply. It is irrefutable that creeping climate change is creating drier areas in most of southern Australia due to increased surface temperatures particularly in summer. Water must be retained for critical support of agriculture and communities.
Attention must be paid to those who have studied this region. If the critical natural habitat studies are dismissed in favour of development then we are diminishing our ability to thrive in these rural regions..subsequently towns and jobs will wither as time goes on. Cumulative impacts must be taken seriously.

This submission is to object to the proposed plans for the following reasons.

The water license transfer from a river out West and transferred to the Cudgegong river/creek is a one time one use option. If the proposed 3 gig of water was to be taken from Windamere dam for the purpose of running the mine, then this would be only a one time option.
This dam takes (in good years) approximately 5 years to fill and then only has the capacity to hold water to service the towns of Mudgee and Gulgong and the farms and vineyards along the river to Burrendong dam. In dry times and this is when the mine would like to use the dam, any surplus water that can be released is to help maintain the Macquarie Marshes at the right water level to save that environment.

Windamere dam is different from Burrendong dam that can fill in a matter of three days from 22% to 120% as it has a large catchment area. Windamere dam is referred to as the dam on a hill. No business projection can be modulated on the basis of a dry one-time dam.
It doesn't make much sense to try to use a water modeling that doesn't exist and the little water there is, is the security of the two towns and district. It is physically not possible without some magical rain dance, they can not use what is not there.

My next concern is the time trains take to cross the rail crossing on the Cope rd at the edge of and within the township of Gulgong. Having lived close to this crossing for the last 30 years, we have a good insight of how the crossing is used and how it is managed or not.
For those years we have had to endure the practice of changing drivers at the old railway station
whilst the train is parked over two crossings and sometimes the three crossings that gives access to the North of Gulgong. This can take up to 15 minutes before they move again. This blocks all access in and out of town for traffic and emergency services. This is now to be compromised by a further 10 train movements per 24 hrs with trains that are even longer than what we have had to endure in the past. We know that these trains will not be stopping but will be moving as fast as the curving of the rail location will allow them to move. This still will be blocking the crossing ten fold again. The only solution here is to have an over-pass for the main entrance to town.
This will save time and lives.

Further on the train issue.
Due to the fact that the train wagon will not be enclosed till a further environmental study has been done, we the residents of Gulgong have the problem of coal dust going into our rainwater from polluted house roofs covered with coal dust from trains traveling at speed. What dust testing would be set up at the edge of town measuring down to PM 2.5 reading to safeguard the town from dust pollution? Prevention is better than a class action by the residents. Lives that will be affected cannot always be turned around when the damage has been done. Remember that the State government will have its reputation on this mine even if it is sold to another consortium along with outdated polluting power stations.
I strongly suggest the moving of the rail line away from town and leaving a by-pass loop for non-coal trains to pass, passed the existing rail link and station to avert the above mentioned associated problems.

This mine will produce low grade coal with a high ash content for outdated NSW power stations, the environmental damage that the mine itself and outdated powerhouse stations will produce cannot be justified. This mine will be a burden to the taxpayers of this state and the taxpayers will have to pay for the shortcomings of this mine. They will not be able to find the water security to run this mine, one that needs extra water to wash rock from low-grade coal.

The local environmental damage in the vicinity of the mine will be threefold if mining is to extract from three pits at the same time. The affect of three fold blasting-dust and noise levels will be endured by many over a great distance. I have just traveled to Singleton on the 28-10-2012 and encountered dust filled steam clouds from the Hunter regions mines and power station. This dust was seen from Jerry Springs all the way to Singleton and will most likely travel as far as the outskirts of Sydney. This is all because of the inadequate or non-existence of state regulation on monitoring of environmental pollutants and most testing left to be compiled by the polluters rather than by governmental bodies. Only 7% out of all royalties collected by the state is used to regulate the whole industry, it is no wonder this state looks to becoming the same mess as it is up in Queensland.

We, in our town, would have the same pollutants to contend with if the proposed plans eventuate.

In view of the above-mentioned, I would ask the State deciding body to reconsider this Project.

Dear Sir,

Our objection to the Cobbora Coal Mine concerns a number of matters:

The mine will disturb approximately 47 km2 of land with important agricultural and environmental significance.

One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven hectares of significant woodland will be destroyed. This woodland provides

Habitat for 39 threatened species including nationally listed endangered species.

Significant Aboriginal Heritage Sites will be destroyed.

Water in the area is limited and the mine will compete with agriculture, the wine industry and tourism for this scarce resource.

The mine will generate approximately 615 million tones of additional green-house gases.

We request that you give your urgent consideration to this proposal, with a view to halting development of the Cobbora Mine.

Sincerely,

16/11/12

Objection to Cobbora Coal Project - (state owned coal mine proposal)

Application No: 10_0001

I wish to lodge my objection to the above proposal on the grounds listed below:

The Project will cost the taxpayers in NSW in the vicinity of $1.5b; this enormous amount of money seems to me to be rather a waste given the need to move toward investing in more sustainable and renewable energy sources, which would be a far more sensible long-term investment.

The massive amount of water needed to run this project is largely unavailable without jeopardising the region's water supply. Water that is already scarce in times of drought. This region depends greatly on tourism and the local wine industry which would be severely affected if this proposal was to proceed.

The issue of coal-trains through the towns of Gulgong (and possibly Mudgee) are of great concern also with regard particularly to the coal dust pollution and the frequency and length of the coal trains which would impact greatly on the towns. In Gulgong especially the access into town would be hampered and would require a modification or moving of the rail track. Whilst the use of coal trains as opposed to coal trucks (road) are obviously preferable, the aforementioned would need to be addressed.


Yours sincerely

Dear Sir,
Objection to Cobbora Coal Project
Application No: 10_0001

In regard to this proposal, I wish to inform you that I am completely against the approval of the coal mine.

The amount of 3.7 gigalitres of water to be taken from the Cudgegong River and transported 26 kms to the mine's washing site is completely unsustainable. This is equivalent to the current total water usage of the Cudgegong Valley for urban allocation, irrigation and local industry.
The local groundwater is not suitable for replacement either as it so full of minerals.

Obviously the government expects the availability of water to double through rainfall and new sources. I wish I could share this certainty.

Yours sincerely,

I am writing to OBJECT in the strongest possible terms to the proposed Cobbora coal mine.

I think that this mine cannot be justified because of the huge wildlife habitat that will be destroyed. More importantly, though, it will lock this state into electricity production via coal burning power stations when there are much better options for energy production - renewable energy.

Consumption of electricity has decreased since this mine was first proposed and locking the state into this carbon intensive process is an enormous step backwards.

Yours sincerely