Mod 2 - Extension of Time

Attention: Director, Mining and Industry Projects
Major Projects Assessment
Department of Planning
GPO Box 39
Sydney NSW 2001


To Whom It May Concern,
Objections to the Modification Proposal 07_0103 MOD2 from Apex Energy N.L.

I write to strongly object to the proposal from Apex Energy to renew and indefinitely extend their 2009 major project to undertake coal seam gas operations in the catchment lands of the Northern Illawarra. Regardless of current Government policy, shaped as it is by royalty interests, scientific uncertainty remains and risk taking in the catchments and high value conservation lands is unacceptable. The Special Areas have already suffered significant damage as a result of coal mining.

The possible impacts of coal seam gas operations have been widely reported and documented. Detailed and informative accounts are found in the submissions to the NSW Parliamentary Coal Seam Gas Inquiry. For example:
(i) Submission No. 330, Dr Stuart Khan
(ii) Submission No. 457, Northern Illawarra Sustainability Alliance
(iii) Submission No. 552, Stop Coal Seam Gas Illawarra

At a public rally before the last election, the then Opposition Leader stated that the next Liberal and National Government would "... ensure mining cannot occur in any water catchment area and that any mining leases and exploration permits will reflect that common sense. No ifs, no buts, a guarantee."

On December 1, 2011 the Premier told 2GB's Alan Jones: "I don't intend to allow -- particularly after the drought we went through over a decade -- mining or any other activity to threaten water resources." He also stated that "... exploration licences have been granted, in some cases permission to mine has been granted, in areas, frankly, that should never ever have been on the list."

Surely the catchment lands supplying water to Greater Sydney and the Illawarra should surely never have been on that list. There is a ground swell of opposition to coal seam gas mining in the catchments, with large rallies and a petition that now has more than 30,000 signatures. Wollongong City Council, Sutherland Shire Council, Campbelltown City Council and many other council's in NSW are opposed to coal seam gas development. Towns and districts are declaring CSG free zones.

Specific concerns and objections to the current proposal are given below.
The specific and identified risks to drinking water in areas where government controls on CSG extraction are non-existent is far and above that which is acceptable when one takes into account the drinking water of more than 5,000,000 people across the Sydney basin and the Illawarra.
Damage to water tables and aquifers in the event of an accident may take decades to undo and until there are thorough studies done to gauge the risks NO drilling or exploration licences should be extended or expanded.

Kind Regards,
Sandra Harlor.
0415 458 462

Address: 12 Twelfth Street,
Warragamba. 2752.
Date: 13th September, 2012.

I have not made a reportable political donation.

Attention: Director, Mining and Industry Projects
Major Projects Assessment
Department of Planning
GPO Box 39
Sydney NSW 2001


To Whom It May Concern,
Objections to the Modification Proposal 07_0103 MOD2 from Apex Energy N.L.

I write to strongly object to the proposal from Apex Energy to renew and indefinitely extend their 2009 major project to undertake coal seam gas operations in the catchment lands of the Northern Illawarra. Regardless of current Government policy, shaped as it is by royalty interests, scientific uncertainty remains and risk taking in the catchments and high value conservation lands is unacceptable. The Special Areas have already suffered significant damage as a result of coal mining.

The possible impacts of coal seam gas operations have been widely reported and documented. Detailed and informative accounts are found in the submissions to the NSW Parliamentary Coal Seam Gas Inquiry. For example:
(i) Submission No. 330, Dr Stuart Khan
(ii) Submission No. 457, Northern Illawarra Sustainability Alliance
(iii) Submission No. 552, Stop Coal Seam Gas Illawarra

At a public rally before the last election, the then Opposition Leader stated that the next Liberal and National Government would "... ensure mining cannot occur in any water catchment area and that any mining leases and exploration permits will reflect that common sense. No ifs, no buts, a guarantee."

On December 1, 2011 the Premier told 2GB's Alan Jones: "I don't intend to allow -- particularly after the drought we went through over a decade -- mining or any other activity to threaten water resources." He also stated that "... exploration licences have been granted, in some cases permission to mine has been granted, in areas, frankly, that should never ever have been on the list."

Surely the catchment lands supplying water to Greater Sydney and the Illawarra should surely never have been on that list. There is a ground swell of opposition to coal seam gas mining in the catchments, with large rallies and a petition that now has more than 30,000 signatures. Wollongong City Council, Sutherland Shire Council, Campbelltown City Council and many other council's in NSW are opposed to coal seam gas development. Towns and districts are declaring CSG free zones.

Specific concerns and objections to the current proposal are given below.
The specific and identified risks to drinking water in areas where government controls on CSG extraction are non-existent is far and above that which is acceptable when one takes into account the drinking water of more than 5,000,000 people across the Sydney basin and the Illawarra.
Damage to water tables and aquifers in the event of an accident may take decades to undo and until there are thorough studies done to gauge the risks NO drilling or exploration licences should be extended or expanded.

Kind Regards,
Sandra Harlor.
0415 458 462

Address: 12 Twelfth Street,
Warragamba. 2752.
Date: 13th September, 2012.

I have not made a reportable political donation.

Attention: Director, Mining and Industry Projects
Major Projects Assessment
Department of Planning
GPO Box 39
Sydney NSW 2001


To Whom It May Concern,
Objections to the Modification Proposal 07_0103 MOD2 from Apex Energy N.L.

I write to strongly object to the proposal from Apex Energy to renew and indefinitely extend their 2009 major project to undertake coal seam gas operations in the catchment lands of the Northern Illawarra. Regardless of current Government policy, shaped as it is by royalty interests, scientific uncertainty remains and risk taking in the catchments and high value conservation lands is unacceptable. The Special Areas have already suffered significant damage as a result of coal mining.

The possible impacts of coal seam gas operations have been widely reported and documented. Detailed and informative accounts are found in the submissions to the NSW Parliamentary Coal Seam Gas Inquiry. For example:
(i) Submission No. 330, Dr Stuart Khan
(ii) Submission No. 457, Northern Illawarra Sustainability Alliance
(iii) Submission No. 552, Stop Coal Seam Gas Illawarra

At a public rally before the last election, the then Opposition Leader stated that the next Liberal and National Government would "... ensure mining cannot occur in any water catchment area and that any mining leases and exploration permits will reflect that common sense. No ifs, no buts, a guarantee."

On December 1, 2011 the Premier told 2GB's Alan Jones: "I don't intend to allow -- particularly after the drought we went through over a decade -- mining or any other activity to threaten water resources." He also stated that "... exploration licences have been granted, in some cases permission to mine has been granted, in areas, frankly, that should never ever have been on the list."

Surely the catchment lands supplying water to Greater Sydney and the Illawarra should surely never have been on that list. There is a ground swell of opposition to coal seam gas mining in the catchments, with large rallies and a petition that now has more than 30,000 signatures. Wollongong City Council, Sutherland Shire Council, Campbelltown City Council and many other council's in NSW are opposed to coal seam gas development. Towns and districts are declaring CSG free zones.

Specific concerns and objections to the current proposal are given below.
The specific and identified risks to drinking water in areas where government controls on CSG extraction are non-existent is far and above that which is acceptable when one takes into account the drinking water of more than 5,000,000 people across the Sydney basin and the Illawarra.
Damage to water tables and aquifers in the event of an accident may take decades to undo and until there are thorough studies done to gauge the risks NO drilling or exploration licences should be extended or expanded.

Kind Regards,
Sandra Harlor.
0415 458 462

Address: 12 Twelfth Street,
Warragamba. 2752.
Date: 13th September, 2012.

I have not made a reportable political donation.

Stop mining in this area and no licience issued or extended

As a property owner in Sydney I request that coal seam gas extraction be prohibited in all drinking water catchments for Sydney on the grounds that it may pollute the water and, according to the CSIRO, will definitely deplete it.

I have two major concerns regarding the extension of the APEX Energy licence.
1. The area is environmentally so sensitive that people who want to bushwalk on Maddens Plains are prohibited as it is a catchment area. It is completely unacceptable to allow APEX Energy to enter the area for Coal Seam Gas mining related activities. Trucks, roads and potential wells are simply incompatable with the existing land use.
2. As a long term local resident who has experiences numerous bushfires I am very concerned with the increased risk and intensity of bushfires in the area. Stanwell Tops seems to be in a corridor that drives fires from Maddens Plains and Darkes Forest towards this isolated residential area. There is only one road out of Stanwell Tops and when that is cut due to fire we are trapped. After the Christmas fires of 2001 I experienced the speed that these fires can approach, the traffic chaos and serious risk the residents are in. Please no added risk with CSG operations

For seven years Rivers SOS has been lobbying against mining and now CSG extraction in the Special Areas of Sydney's drinking water catchment. Before the last election, Barry O'Farrell pledged that these areas would be off limits to extractive industries. This promise was a no-brainer - of course the highly protected, fenced and gated Special Areas - especially Schedule One areas - must be protected. The ongoing damage by coal mining and now by the threat of CSG borewells is obvious to all.

Is it only the royalties involved that has caused the broken promise ? or is it, as we suspect, the intention to wreck the Special Areas, continue to deplete water quantity as in theWaratah Rivulet and the Upper Cataract River, and force the population of Sydney into paying much more for water from the new de-sal plant in the next drought ? The de-sal plant has been an expensive white elephant, also costly, and wrecking the water supply in the catchments is the only way to make the de-sal plant financially viable.

Submission re CSG Licence Extensions.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I STRONGLY OBJECT to any application for the extension of the licence for Coal Seam Gas mining in our community of Helensburgh, Stanwell Tops, Otford and Darkes Forest, or anywhere that there is a (drinking) Water Catchment.

No CSG operations should be allowed in or near arable lands which are suitable for food production. You cannot eat or drink CSG.

Food and clean water are essential for the sustenance of our State and Country.

Apparently this State Government is considering approvals for CSG and farming to operate in conjunction. This would be an appalling piece of Legislation, if approved.

It is disgraceful that these companies have been permitted to explore and mine in these important (drinking) Water Catchment regions, and their activities should be halted immediately with no permits to continue.

This State Government has the chance to fulfill its promises to voters to limit such activities.

Furthermore, Wollongong City Council has previously exhibited E2 zoned areas around Helensburgh and Stanwell Tops which are now threatened by State Planning,
with downgraded zonings to E3, and worse.

These areas are essential for preserving wildlife corridors, especially during bushfire periods and for the prevention of CSG exploration and other inappropriate developments.

In our local area, such E3 zoning impacts on the Hacking River and the Royal National Park, which is National Heritage Listed.

CSG is also a threat to the possible cause of bushfires due to the flammability which may be part of their operation.

I am a very concerned resident of Otford. I want the NSW Government to refuse the application for extension for the Coal Seam Gas entitlements made by APEX Energy, thereby honouring the pre-election promise to No CSG mining in water catchments made by the Premier. This is our drinking water!!! I am extremely concerned about the health implications that coal seam gas extraction will have on the water supply that myself and my family and friends use and there has not been enough research into the environmental impacts of CSG mining. There is also the increased risk and intensity of bushfires and damage to the sandstone geology.

As a graduated environmental scientist and an Illawarra resident, I am concern about the renewal of the CSG exploration licences in the Sydney water catchment. More extensive environmental assessments should be carried out before renewal is granted. Therefore, I am oppose to this project for the time being.

Dear NSW government,

I am deeply unhappy with your management of coal seam gas developments in the state.

The risks of CSG mining are well evidenced and the Premier has acknowledged that the current legislation is not adequate to manage development of the industry. In this context, no new applications or modifications should be approved and existing projects should be frozen, to conduct an investigation into the full impacts of CSG development.

The drinking water catchment is unsuitable for CSG exploration and production. Allowing this development to go ahead contradicts the pre-election promise from Barry O'Farrell: "The next Liberal/National Government will ensure that mining cannot occur... in any water catchment area, and will ensure that mining leases and mining exploration permits reflect that common sense; no ifs, no buts, a guarantee."

The Illawarra Escarpment is a high risk bush fire area, exacerbated by its highly combustible peat base. Indeed, in August 2012 a bush fire burnt through AI09 and AI10 in this project. Extracting and piping gas in this environment will increase fire risks.

The development of this coal seam gas project is being layered on top of extensive coal mining and a fault line, without an assessment of the combined impacts.
There is widespread public opposition to CSG exploration and mining in the area. This includes a public petition of over 30,000 signatures, formal votes against CSG mining by local councils and two actions opposing CSG development attended by over 3,000 people each.

Please consider the opinions of your constituents in this matter.

Best,
Jacqui Baker

The risks of CSG mining are well evidenced and the NSW Premier has acknowledged that the current legislation is not adequate to manage development of the industry. No new applications or modifications should be permitted until an investigation into the full impacts of CSG development is conducted.
The drinking water catchment is unsuitable for CSG exploration and production. Allowing this development to go ahead contradicts the pre-election promise from Barry O'Farrell:
The Illawarra Escarpment is a high risk bush fire area, exacerbated by its highly combustible peat base. Indeed, in August 2012 a bush fire burnt through AI09 and AI10 in this project. Extracting and piping gas in this environment will increase fire risks.
The development of this coal seam gas project is being layered on top of extensive coal mining and a fault line, without an assessment of the combined impacts.
There is widespread public opposition to CSG exploration and mining in the area. This includes a public petition of over 30,000 signatures, formal votes against CSG mining by local councils and two actions opposing CSG development attended by over 3,000 people each.

I OBJECT THIS PROPOSAL ON THE GROUNDS IT IS NOT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST. THE TECHNOLOGY IS UNTESTED AND HAZARDOUS.THE NSW GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HAVE THE MANDATE OF THE PEOPLE AND IS ACTING WITHOUT PUBLIC CONSENT IN GRANTING THIS EXTENSION.

The risks of CSG mining are well evidenced and the Premier has acknowledged that the current legislation is not adequate to manage development of the industry. In this context, no new applications or modifications should be approved and existing projects should be frozen, to conduct an investigation into the full impacts of CSG development.

the current liberal govenment does not have a mandate to now change their mind about CSG mining. Assurances were made to get my vote. I trusted they would do the right thing. This govenment no longer has my vote. They were elected under fasle promises. In short I was lied to.

Development must always be considered in the context of the surrounding area. This can change over time. Given this, a modification for an indefinite start date is irresponsible.

The risks of CSG mining are well evidenced and the Premier has acknowledged that the current legislation is not adequate to manage development of the industry. In this context, no new applications or modifications should be approved and existing projects should be frozen, to conduct an investigation into the full impacts of CSG development.

The drinking water catchment is unsuitable for CSG exploration and production. Allowing this development to go ahead contradicts the pre-election promise from Barry O'Farrell: "The next Liberal/National Government will ensure that mining cannot occur... in any water catchment area, and will ensure that mining leases and mining exploration permits reflect that common sense; no ifs, no buts, a guarantee."

The Illawarra Escarpment is a high risk bush fire area, exacerbated by its highly combustible peat base. Indeed, in August 2012 a bush fire burnt through AI09 and AI10 in this project. Extracting and piping gas in this environment will increase fire risks.

The development of this coal seam gas project is being layered on top of extensive coal mining and a fault line, without an assessment of the combined impacts.

There is widespread public opposition to CSG exploration and mining in the area. This includes a public petition of over 30,000 signatures, formal votes against CSG mining by local councils and two actions opposing CSG development attended by over 3,000 people each.

given the uncertainty over CSG drilling potential impact on underground water, and given the lack of solid data on the subject, at the present , it is unsafe and inappropriate to extend by 3 years the APEX licence.

No CSG in catchment areas.

There is strong evidence that suggests CSG drilling can contanimate ground water and surrounding surface water. I am calling on the Government of NSW to put all CSG drilling on hold until scientific testing, as to the effects of CSG on all environmental factors, is complete and proven.

I can not believe that any politician has the right to sell our water catchment areas for Apex Gas Exploration in the Illawarra. What gives anyone the right to poison such a pristine area. This is our drinking water you are going to mess with. Shame on all of you. What are we going to leave our children and grandchildren. Nothing but poisons is what they will have.
SHAME SHAME SHAME SHAME