Mod 3 - Airly Coal

Mining and Industry Projects
NSW Department of Planning & Infrastructure
GPO Box 39
Sydney NSW 2001

Dear Sir/Madam,

Submission as an Objection - Airly Colliery DA 162/91 Modification 3
Existing Consent Conditions are Inappropriate

I am a frequent visitor to Capertee, the Capertee Valley and associated areas, working with my husband on avifauna of the valley. I have been visiting the valley for some 17 years to date. It is crucial that the natural environment of the valley is adequately protected and preserved for future.

I have read the Airly Mine application and the environmental assessments. Whilst there is mention of the existence of environmental safeguards, there is scant detail about what these are and what additional safeguards will be provided to ensure the there is no pollution to Airly Creek, or subsidence of the unique landforms.

This modification proposal to extend the consent should be varied to specify almost undetectible levels of surface movements, that is mine subsidence. The 1991 development consent is includes vertical subsidence to 1.8m, which is unacceptable for this area.

Subsidence under the 1991 development consent of 1.8m is totally unacceptable - there must be no exceptions to following limits: vertical subsidence being a maximum of 125mm, a maximum tilt of 2.5 mm/m; and a maximum strain of 2.0 mm/m.
The historic Oil Shale Ruins are of special significance and is one of the best preserved heritage sites of its kind in NSW. These historical Oil Shale Ruins must be protected from any damage.

I agree with the World Heritage Advisory Committee that the Mugii Murum-ban State Conservation Area should be added to the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area once mining has been completed.

Visually prominent waste and product heaps must be appropriately screened and landscaped to blend in with surrounding parks and popular tourist destinations in the Capertee Valley, such as Pearsons Lookout .

I am concerned about the failure to consider downstream impacts on the World Heritage Area in the Modification 3 proposal, operations proposed under Modification 3 can discharge water pollution into Airly Creek. Such discharges would impact on the Gardens of Stone National Park, part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.

Reverse osmosis water treatment of the effluent from Airly Colliery to remove all salts and dissolved metals must be required for any discharge to a World Heritage listed property.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs Annette Cam

Please save this beautiful and very sacred land.

I am against the proposed mine. As a keen bushwalker, it is clear that these areas must be protected for current and future generations.

The 1991 development consent is out-of-date and inappropriate as it lacks the necessary environmental safeguards for coal mining in a State Conservation Area, therefore this modification proposal to extend the consent should be either refused or varied to specify almost undetectible levels of surface movements, that is mine subsidence.
Subsidence under the 1991 development consent of 1.8m is totally unacceptable - there must be no exceptions to following limits: vertical subsidence being a maximum of 125mm, a maximum tilt of 2.5 mm/m; and a maximum strain of 2.0 mm/m.
The historic Oil Shale Ruins are of special significance and is one of the best preserved heritage sites of its kind in NSW, I oppose any coal mining that does not fully protect these historical Oil Shale Ruins from any form of coal pillar extraction.
I agree with the World Heritage Advisory Committee that the Mugii Murum-ban State Conservation Area should be added to the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area once mining has been completed.
Visually prominent waste and product heaps must be appropriately screened and landscaped to blend in with surrounding parks and popular tourist destinations in the Capertee Valley, such as Pearsons Lookout .
I am concerned about the failure to consider downstream impacts on the World Heritage Area in the Modification 3 proposal, operations proposed under Modification 3 can discharge water pollution into Airly Creek. Such discharges would impact on the Gardens of Stone National Park, part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.
Reverse osmosis water treatment of the effluent from Airly Colliery to remove all salts and dissolved metals must be required for any discharge to a World Heritage listed property.
- See more at: http://www.colongwilderness.org.au/node/539#sthash.7iCH9loi.dpuf

Submission as an Objection - Airly Colliery DA 162/91 Modification 3
Existing Consent Conditions are Inappropriate



I object to the proposed development because it will destroy the conservation values of areas that are more valuable if they are added to the Gardens of Stone National Park. I regard this as the general principle by which the project should be rejected, however there are many specific failings in the current proposal that should prevent its approval.
The World Heritage Advisory Committee has stated that the Mugii Murum-ban State Conservation Area should be added to the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area once mining has been completed. Accordingly, the current proposal should not proceed.
Similarly, the historic Oil Shale Ruins are of special significance as a heritage site and deserves complete protection rather than the risk of any damage through further coal extraction.


I strongly agrtee with the view of the Colong Foundation for Wilderness that the 1991 development consent is out-of-date and inappropriate for coal mining in a State Conservation Area. Recent experience near Mount Sugarloaf has shown that proponents can seriously underestimate levels subsidence. Subsidence under the 1991 development consent of 1.8m is totally unacceptable - there must be no exceptions to following limits: vertical subsidence being a maximum of 125mm, a maximum tilt of 2.5 mm/m; and a maximum strain of 2.0 mm/m.
Waste and product heaps would be incompatible with the amenity and values of surrounding parks and popular tourist destinations in the Capertee Valley.

The proponent has failed to adequately failure to consider downstream impacts on the World Heritage Area discharges into Airly Creek would impact on the Gardens of Stone National Park within the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. The proponent has failed to include a suitable method to protect downstream areas and this is particularly important for a World Heritage site.

This modification 3 proposal would continue to allow intensive coal mining that causes 1.8 metres of vertical subsidence. Such mining will destroy this spectacular mesa with its thousands of pagodas, dramatic cliffs and the "New Hartley" oil shale ruins. The environmental assessment does not even mention the oil shale ruins, or mine water discharges could continue, putting at risk Airly Creek that flows into the World Heritage listed Gardens of Stone National Park. The mine is already negatively impacting on tourism in the Capertee Valley, due to unsightly coal and rock waste piles. Centennial is playing this application both ways, offering to mine with minimal damage on one hand, while wanting to retain the ability for high impact coal mining on the other. We have to make Centennial play by the rules it agreed to and limit mine subsidence to almost undetectible levels. Ask that this proposal either be refused outright or be amended to prevent any subsidence greater than 125mm .

I grew up in Gulgong, and driven home from Sydney via Lithgow and Capertee for many years. It is heartbreaking to see the degradation of bushland encroaching further along the mountains and bushland through to the township of Cullen Bullen. I have noticed a greying of the surrounding bush from the toxic air born particulates which must poison the trees and flora. Recently there has been an increased number of dead wombats on the roads, indicating that their burrows and feeding areas are being disrupted and destroyed. I dread to imagine the future for the native wildlife, and the farming lands that will be impacted by the poisons released into the water systems in the area. At what point do we stop this destruction? Now is the time. For the future of the Earth and all its creatures.

The 1991 development consent is out-of-date and inappropriate as it lacks the necessary environmental safeguards for coal mining in a State Conservation Area, therefore this modification proposal to extend the consent should be either refused or varied to specify almost undetectable levels of surface movements, that is mine subsidence.

Subsidence under the 1991 development consent of 1.8m is totally unacceptable - there must be no exceptions to following limits: vertical subsidence being a maximum of 125mm, a maximum tilt of 2.5 mm/m; and a maximum strain of 2.0 mm/m.

The historic Oil Shale Ruins are of special significance and is one of the best preserved heritage sites of its kind in NSW, I oppose any coal mining that does not fully protect these historical Oil Shale Ruins from any form of coal pillar extraction.

I agree with the World Heritage Advisory Committee that the Mugii Murumban State Conservation Area should be added to the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area once mining has been completed.

Visually prominent waste and product heaps must be appropriately screened and landscaped to blend in with surrounding parks and popular tourist destinations in the Capertee Valley, such as Pearsons Lookout .

I am concerned about the failure to consider downstream impacts on the World Heritage Area in the Modification 3 proposal, operations proposed under Modification 3 can discharge water pollution into Airly Creek. Such discharges would impact on the Gardens of Stone National Park, part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.

Reverse osmosis water treatment of the effluent from Airly Colliery to remove all salts and dissolved metals must be required for any discharge to a World Heritage listed property.

*The 1991 development consent is out-of-date and inappropriate as it lacks the necessary environmental safeguards for coal mining in a State Conservation Area, therefore this modification proposal to extend the consent should be either refused or varied to specify almost undetectible levels of surface movements, that is mine subsidence.
*Subsidence under the 1991 development consent of 1.8m is totally unacceptable - there must be no exceptions to following limits: vertical subsidence being a maximum of 125mm, a maximum tilt of 2.5 mm/m; and a maximum strain of 2.0 mm/m.
*The historic Oil Shale Ruins are of special significance and is one of the best preserved heritage sites of its kind in NSW, I oppose any coal mining that does not fully protect these historical Oil Shale Ruins from any form of coal pillar extraction.
*I agree with the World Heritage Advisory Committee that the Mugii Murum-ban State Conservation Area should be added to the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area once mining has been completed.
*Visually prominent waste and product heaps must be appropriately screened and landscaped to blend in with surrounding parks and popular tourist destinations in the Capertee Valley, such as Pearsons Lookout .
*I am concerned about the failure to consider downstream impacts on the World Heritage Area in the Modification 3 proposal, operations proposed under Modification 3 can discharge water pollution into Airly Creek. Such discharges would impact on the Gardens of Stone National Park, part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.
*Reverse osmosis water treatment of the effluent from Airly Colliery to remove all salts and dissolved metals must be required for any discharge to a World Heritage listed property.

I object to this.

The historic Oil Shale Ruins are of special significance and is one of the best preserved heritage sites of its kind in NSW, I oppose any coal mining that does not fully protect these historical Oil Shale Ruins from any form of coal pillar extraction. The decisions made today will affect this beautiful area forever & we cannot afford to just let this slide by without considering ALL effects.

see attached PDF

see attached PDF.