Drayton Coal Mine Extension

Muswellbrook Steel Supplies fully supports the application by Anglo American to expand its operations for the Drayton South Project.

Drayton Coal directly employs many local families. Many other people are employed as contractors. Many of these people will have to move to other areas to obtain employment if extension is not approved.This has a significant effect on the local economy and many business will be forced to close.

Anglo American (Drayton) are also heavily involved in supporting many community organisations in the Muswellbrook area. The Muswellbrook Community relies on this support and without it will certainly be worse off.

Our business has enjoyed a long relationship with Drayton Coal and we hope that this will continue into the future.

I wish to make a submission in SUPPORT for the Drayton South Project. The EIS for the Project has demonstrated with scientific evidence that the Project can proceed without any negative impacts on other industries.

As such it should be approved without delay to save the remaining jobs (and families) that rely on this State Significant Project.

I Support this Project and the ongoing benefits that it will enable to continue to flow through our community.

Since the down turn in the mining industry the rest of the economy has began to struggle in the Upper Hunter and Hunter Valley regions. We need mining to continue to play a strong part in our economy.

This Project should be approved to save the 500 direct jobs and thousands of indirect jobs that it supports.

I support the Drayton Mine project due to the fact they support the local community and have contributed to numerous projects over the last 30 years. They employ local workers and support local suppliers. You can this submission and you will not only put all the Drayton employees out of work you will also force the closeour of numerous other industries in Muswellbrook.So wake up to yourselves if we can and have done for over 30 years managed and survive living in a mining area so can horses and on that note the two horse studs and winery that say they will be effected all moved into the area knowing full well that this was and still is a mining area. I don't see you closeing airports because of compliants, my theroy is if you move to a place do your homework and accept what you have chosen to live near and don't whinge if you don't like it move.

On behalf of the Upper Hunter Education Fund Inc. I would like to support and urge approval of the above application.

The applicant is a major financial supporter of Upper Hunter Education Fund Inc. (UHEF)

UHEF provides assistance to young people in the Hunter Region for tertiary education

We have provided over $200,000 to over 100 young Hunter people to assist them with achieving their tertiary education goals over the past 8 years or so.

It is thanks to the major financial support of Anglo Coal-Drayton that we have been able to provide that support.

The benefits which the businesses the subject of these applications bring to our region (including employment, economic activity, support to local enterprises both not for profit and for profit) should be given great weight in determining these applications. We urge approval of the application. Refusal would most likely have significant negative impacts on our organisation and remove our ability to continue to provide the support for tertiary education that we have been able to provide over the last 8 years.

Drayton South is critical to our community and the local economy, saving 500 jobs and continuing to provide work for 140 local businesses and $50 million a year in local procurement.

The benefits of Drayton South also extend beyond the local community, injecting $60 million in state royalties and taxes to the New South Wales Government annually, which could be used for roads, hospitals and schools.

Drayton supports local schools, sporting teams and many important local charities and community services. Without Drayton South our community will suffer.

The revised Drayton South plan has moved the mine behind the Planning Assessment Commission's nominated ridgeline, ensuring that the mine will not be visible from the operating areas of the neighbouring horse studs and noise will remain within the current backend levels, with no discernible change in air quality.

The changes to the Drayton South project will mean there are no adverse impacts on the horse studs, ensuring that the mine can continue to successfully coexist with other local industries.

Please see attached Company Letter

I wish to support the Drayton South coal project, its 500 employees and support businesses along with the upper hunter community in general which has been significantly impacted by job losses recently.

I note the revised mine design has been amended to significantly reduce expected impacts from the project and as a result I support the current proposal.

I support this project. Coal mining is vital to the local community , state of NSW and Australia. This project will support the current employees and local and state suppliers. There is no reason why this project cannot co exist in the Hunter.

I'm making an objection to the Drayton South Coal Project on the grounds of having a detrimental impact on the environment which in turn will have a major impact on the Thoroughbred Breeding Industry, a long established and highly recognised industry for this area, employing directly and indirectly a large number. As a thoroughbred breeder myself I support the offerings that this rich vibrant and fertile land offers in raising well developed juvenile thoroughbreds but if coal mining continues to grow this area may not be viable. The coal industry is already leaving it's ugly mark on the landscape, destroying what was once beautiful and pristine country landscape.

I strongly object to this coal mine, and the destructive impact it will have on agricultural land and water in this region.

Dear Minister,

I have been a resident of Singleton since 1994 and I have been working at Drayton in the Upper Hunter Valley as a contractor since September 2014. The work is good and I can see that Anglo is committed to the communities of Singleton and Muswellbrook and co-existing with the horse studs near the project.

Horse studs currently co-exist with the nearby Bengalla & Mt Arthur projects and the horses are breeding in paddocks much closer than will be the case if Drayton South is approved. The Hunter Valley needs both mining and horse breeding industries in these times of high unemployment and economic downturn

My continued employment relies upon the approval of Drayton South. Apprenticeships and ongoing employment for 500 families are at stake.

Please approve the project and allow Anglo to lawfully extracting a state owned resource that will provide on-going jobs and export generated revenue for Australia.

Chris Smith
BE(Mining) MBA CP(Mining)

Coal is a dirty, enviromentally destroying, dying industry. And while of course it does a lot for the NSW economy, it cannot be allowed to do as it pleases, and to wreck other environmentaly sustainable industries that provide alot of employment, for short term gains.

The people of the Hunter have had enough, just ask the residents of Bulga, Broke & Jerrys Plains.
The mines make promises they dont keep, Bulga & Broke for example.

If a reduced Drayton South was not economically viable in the past, how has it suddenly become so? This is more of "getting your foot in the door" policy, then reapply for an extension in the future. It is also an attemp to avoid having to spend alot of money regenerating the prime agricultural land they have already destroyed.

Is it really worth destroying a whole industry that has thrived in the Hunter Valley for generations, so that we can have yet another environmentally disastrous open cut mine with a shelf life of 15 years?

Please let common sense prevail!

To Whom It May Concern,

I am opposed to the extension of the Drayton South Mine because I believe the impact on the surrounding population as well as agriculture will be substantial and detrimental not to mention the general damage to the environment caused by mining.

The mine will be too close to the studs and surrounding inhabitants to ensure that the water quality and air quality amongst other environmental issues will not be negatively affected. Not to mention the health impacts on the stud staff and their young families with a mine being this close. The impact of coal dust on young lungs as well as all night lighting etc that the running of mines involve. The negative flow on affect of allowing this extension to go ahead would be unimaginable and the impact on small business owners of broodmare mares or other agricultural practices will be irreversible.

Why can't we be investing our time and energies into developing green renewable energy instead? It will be heartbreaking to see this beautiful valley turned into barren dust pits!

Regards,

Kate Ham

I have read the EIS for the Drayton South Coal Project and strongly support its approval for the following reasons.
* The Project is environmentally responsible, with a design that includes state of the art safeguards and mitigatory measures to ensure there are no unacceptable impacts on the environment.
* I do not believe that the opposition from the local thoroughbred horse studs is based on legitimate scientific grounds, with evidence provided by experts demonstrating that with the current design, as well as the substantial concessions granted, there will be no adverse impact on their operations or animal health. With appropriate design and operational controls as committed to by AngloAmerican, horse breeding can not only survive in its current location but continue to co-exist with the mining industry and flourish, just like it and the tourism and viticulture industries have done elsewhere in the Hunter Valley and interstate.
* Approval will provide security of employment to the workforce with an attendant continuation of the social and economic benefits to the local area, region, State and Australia. Should approval not be granted, it is inevitable that, with the recent downturn in the coal industry and the hundreds of resulting redundancies/retrenchments and the absence of alternative employment due to that down turn, many of the current employees would be forced to leave the district with consequential flow-on effects to the local and regional economies, as well as the loss of royalty income to the State. However, of equal or greater importance would be the social disruption that such mass relocations would generate both at a community and family level.
* Compared to other states and countries, NSW is currently not viewed favourably by investors in the mining industry in general, and coal in particular. This is due to uncertainties in the planning and approvals regime and a lack of confidence that their investment in a scientifically and economically robust and justifiable project, as is the case with the Drayton South Project, will not be thwarted by the interest of a few or as the result of a media beat-up driven by Alan Jones, other rich horse racing identities or the likes of Pat Farmer who are claiming that the Project will have disastrous effects on local equine industry and farming in general. Approval of this project provides an opportunity for a Government, which has publically stated the importance of coal to its economic future, to stand up and show that NSW is a state where responsible mining is welcomed.
* There can be no argument that the Drayton South Coal Project IS in the public interest.

Drayton South is critical to our community and the local economy, saving 500 jobs and continuing to provide work for 140 local businesses and $50 million a year in local procurement.

The benefits of Drayton South also extend beyond the local community, injecting $60 million in state royalties and taxes to the New South Wales Government annually, which could be used for roads, hospitals and schools.

Drayton supports local schools, sporting teams and many important local charities and community services. Without Drayton South our community will suffer.

The revised Drayton South plan has moved the mine behind the Planning Assessment Commission's nominated ridgeline, ensuring that the mine will not be visible from the operating areas of the neighbouring horse studs and noise will remain within the current backend levels, with no discernible change in air quality.

The changes to the Drayton South project will mean there are no adverse impacts on the horse studs, ensuring that the mine can continue to successfully coexist with other local industries.

All that the workers want is a fair go, with the project assessed on its merits using facts and evidence.

I strongly object to the proposed new Drayton South open cut mining project.
In previous objections submitted I have made my concerns and stance on the matter quite clear, for the benefit of this hearing I will repeat myself.

My concerns are many. Air born pollutants generated from the mining process impacting on the health of family members living on farm. My 7 grand children who live on farm are forever being taken to hospital or doctors with upper respiratory infections. Something never experienced in this family prior to the commencement of large scale open cut mining in the district.
The frequency of these medical illness in the family is alarming, causing myself and my children great concern for the children's health. We as a family are suffering ongoing emotional stress due to the frequent respiratory illness of family members.
The impact of pollutions on my farm and surrounding agriculture lands and neighbouring properties.

The systematic destruction of the local geography and environmental impact that follows the mining process.

The negative impact the mine will have on the local economy, property devaluations. The negative financial effects to my income and retirement assets caused by loss of asset valuation.
G W Blake.

I object to the proposed new Drayton South OCM.
I fear the approval of another local OCM in our district will have a negative effect on community health and well being.

The community as a whole are being exposed to unknown and undetected levels of atmospheric pollution from OCM projects.

Excessive DIESEL fumes from mine machinery these fumes have been PROVEN to be CARCINOGENIC .
Excessive atmospheric DUST causing respiratory and related illness.
Drinking water collected from rain water has deteriorated ,
Property land devaluations, LOSS of ASSETS.
Environment impact DISPLACEMENT of SPECIES.
Loss of NATURE CORRIDORS.
Families in the district are being put under excessive EMOTIONAL STRESS from continually having to deal with ongoing health issues directly related to pollution from existing OCM projects.

The UPPER HUNTER district is fast resembling a DIRTY BUG HOLE, ask anyone who passes through. The comments are mostly that of disgust and shock at the obvious pollution and visual impact of OCM in the district.
Judith Lee.

My objections to the proposed new South Drayton mine are many.
Increased air pollution and its affects on my health and that of my animals.
Health implications from pollutions and excessive levels of stress due to disruption of life style.
The impact on our visual environment.
The impact on our native species with the depletion of native habitat.
Negative impact to neighbouring properties and rural communities in the district.
Pollution of tank water for drinking.
Lack of community local facilities and infrastructure.

David Lee.

Drayton has acted in an environmentally responsible manner and employed many Australian citizens.
The Drayton South Project would ensure continuing employment for many locals for many more years in the same manner.