Mod 4 - Extend Open Cut

I object to the modifications to the Invincible and Cullen Valley coal mines. They will: destroy unique biodiversity, including a Grassy Box Woodland, threaten internationally recognised pagodas by ignoring the 300m buffer recommended by PAC, increase morbidity and mortality in Cullen Bullen from respiratory and cardiovascular disease linked to dust. Protect Gardens of Stone!

I object to the proposed modifications to the Invincible and Cullen Valley coal mines. They will destroy unique biodiversity, including a Grassy Box Woodland, threaten internationally recognised pagodas by ignoring the 300m buffer recommended by PAC, increase morbidity and mortality in Cullen Bullen from respiratory and cardiovascular disease linked to dust.
The mining and burning of fossil fuels needs to stop because the mining destroys our environment and their burning means high levels of CO2 emissions. Money should be invested in renewable energies.

The Gardens of Stone should remain part of our beautiful landscape with its rich habitat.

We need this mine to stay open. As my husband was a fellow worker in the Cullen Valley and Invincible mines and list his job when they closed, he, I (and my 3 children) fully support it bring open. Yes, it has directly affected us and could in the future effect our childrens career choices witjin the area. As a result of the work loss within the area, my husband is now forced to work away from home (& yes the children are disadvantaged by this) &I am sure there are many, many more families in the same position.

I object to the modifications to the Invincible and Cullen Valley coal mines. They will: destroy unique biodiversity, including a Grassy Box Woodland, threaten internationally recognised pagodas by ignoring the 300m buffer recommended by PAC, increase morbidity and mortality in Cullen Bullen from respiratory and cardiovascular disease linked to dust. Protect Gardens of Stone!

Why do we always have to destroy the beautiful areas? We really don't need the minerals from here that much. Leave this land alone.

I object to the modifications to the Invincible and Cullen Valley coal mines. They will: destroy unique biodiversity, including a Grassy Box Woodland, threaten internationally recognised pagodas by ignoring the 300m buffer recommended by PAC, increase morbidity and mortality in Cullen Bullen from respiratory and cardiovascular disease linked to dust.

I, Jamil Stone, object to the modifications to the Invincible and Cullen Valley coal mines. They will: destroy unique biodiversity, including a Grassy Box Woodland, threaten internationally recognised pagodas by ignoring the 300m buffer recommended by PAC, increase morbidity and mortality in Cullen Bullen from respiratory and cardiovascular disease linked to dust. Protect Gardens of Stone!

This is a request for the department of Planning & Infrastructure to reject the request for any expansion or modifications to the Invincible and Cullen Valley coal mines. This area is a unique and priceless area of biodiversity and geology. The pagodas, valleys, cliff faces are an ancient beauty that is awe inspiring. I urge you to visit the area and walk through the Grassy Box Woodland, stand on the tops of some of the cliffs, climb down some of the crevasses and imagine the damage that could be done to this rugged beautiful place for a few millions tons of coal. Protect Gardens of Stone so its there for millennium!

I object to the modifications to the Invincible and Cullen Valley coal mines. They will: destroy unique biodiversity, including a Grassy Box Woodland, threaten internationally recognised pagodas by ignoring the 300m buffer recommended by PAC, increase morbidity and mortality in Cullen Bullen from respiratory and cardiovascular disease linked to dust. Protect Gardens of Stone!
Surely a beautiful environment means more than vast amounts of money for a few?

I support local jobs,

This is a beautiful area which already has coal mines nearby and I
Don't believe such a geographically unique place should be
spoilt with any more mines.

I object to the modifications to the Invincible and Cullen Valley coal mines. They will: destroy singularly unique biodiversity, including a Grassy Box Woodland, appallingly, they will threaten internationally recognised pagodas by ignoring the 300m buffer recommended by PAC, this is a travesty, these pagodas are incredible places that should be protected, I have experienced these places first hand and they should be left alone. They support such a diversity of life and this place should be added to the Gardens of Stone National Park.

I object to the modifications to the Invincible and Cullen Valley coal mines. They will: destroy unique biodiversity, including a Grassy Box Woodland, threaten internationally recognised pagodas by ignoring the 300m buffer recommended by PAC, increase morbidity and mortality in Cullen Bullen from respiratory and cardiovascular disease linked to dust. Protect Gardens of Stone!

i know many are going to scream "what about the environment" but i am going to scream "what about our towns, what about our unemployed, what about the miners with families and bills", this will produce jobs, it will keep more people here and it will provide some sort of stable future for not only Lithgow but all the other small towns like Wang and of course Cullen.

This is a must for our struggling area where a lot including myself have to either move or travel away from our families in order to find work.
With the closure of Wallerawang power station and many other business closures, the domino effect of job losses continues to spiral downward for our area, if proposals like this are not supported then the government and environmentalists groups campaigning avainst it, should be held liable for continued incline of revenue raisers like myself applying for welfare and dole benefits!

I object to the modifications to both the Invincible and Cullen Valley extensions. It is too beautiful destroy - get cracking on renewables instead

I object to both the extensions of the Invincible and Cullen Valley. They will destroy unique bio-diversity, (including a grassybox woodland), threaten internationally recognised pagodas by ignoring the 300 metre buffer zone recommended by PAC. Increase morbidity and mortality in Cullen Bullen from respiratory and cardiovascular disease linked to dust. The extension will also be an eyesore impacting upon our tourism industry.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Part 3A Modification 4 - Invincible Mine Extension (07_0127 MOD 4) and
Part 3A Modification 2 - Cullen Valley Mine Extension (DA 200-5-2003 MOD 2)

I object to these proposed modifications to the Invincible and Cullen Valley coal mines because it will adversely impact on the internationally significant pagoda landform complex located on the western edge of the Great Dividing Range in Ben Bullen State Forest. This public forest should be fully protected from open-cut mining in a state conservation area for nature conservation, recreation and tourism.

The coal in this proposal is of poor quality and there are better quality substitute resources that can provide for at least 25 years electricity generation by the two power plants in the Lithgow Region. The claim of increased costs to electricity consumers if the Coalpac proposal does not proceed is a wild exaggeration. Nearby underground mines have provided for local electricity power plants for over 20 years.

The proposal will destroy by open-cut mining the unique biodiversity, scenery and geological values associated with the pagoda landform complex. Its outstanding values include a Grassy Box Woodland - a nationally endangered ecological community, many nationally endangered Clandulla geebung shrubs and 2,300 threatened Capertee Stringybark trees. Given the importance of the natural environment, the Planning Assessment Commission recommendation for independent vegetation study should not have been ignored by Coalpac in its current environmental assessment.

The proposal fails to provide the 300 metre minimum buffer recommended by the Planning Assessment Commission from the base of the pagoda rock formations and the open-cut area. The buffer provides protection for wildlife, including many Lyre Birds and the threatened broad headed snake. If such a buffer were provided, there would be no mine.

The proposal is less than two kilometres from Cullen Bullen and dust from this project will lead to increased morbidity and mortality in the community from respiratory and cardiovascular disease. Noise, truck movements and blasting will also adversely impact on residents. The proposal intends to vastly increase water extraction from underground workings from 26Ml/year to 750Ml/year, but fails to address the ongoing fires underground and in waste heaps. Where 2Ml/day of water pumped from old workings is to be released in not explained.

The Aboriginal cultural heritage assessment lacks credibility because it did not find a cave art site in the proposed disturbance area for the Cullen Valley Mine. Previous studies had missed other important Aboriginal cave art sites in the area.

Despite Coalpac's rehabilitation claims, ecosystems cannot be replanted on farmland or after open-cut mining native forests. No mature woodland has ever been established through mine rehabilitation. The biodiversity offsets are inadequate, and cannot replace a Gardens of Stone Stage 2 reserve over Ben Bullen State Forest.
Please refuse consent to both proposed modifications and stop open-cut mining in the Gardens of Stone region.

I declare that I have not made any donations to political parties in the last year.

Yours sincerely,
Geoff Bennett

It is an absolute disgrace that such rare and beautiful parts of Australia can be sacrificed just for the corporate dollar. There is quite enough mining taking place in Australia. We do not need to dig every time some usable type of mineral or ore is discovered. The country does not belong to wealthy corporate entities but to all Australian citizens.

The Blue Mountains, Gardens of Stone and environs are a great natural asset to NSW. The recreational, tourist and environmental aspects of this asset far outweigh any short term economic gain. That this proposal is even being considered is an outrage and demonstrates the greed and shortsightedness of all involved. I am just about to have my first child and want to be able to show him and his child not only the beauty of an area I grew up adventuring in and learning the value of spaces reserved from wholesale rape by humans but also that society can see beyond immediate gratification for the few and contemplate not only its own future but that of the environment within which we live. This is not merely a decision of environment vs economics (short sighted as it is), but of moral responsibility vs the instant gratification of a few. Renewables should make this debate obsolete.

My partner and many others were employed by Coalpac in the Cullen Bullen area. Due to the closure and withdrawal of support from the government for mining in a long standing mining region, we will be moving away from the area to live and work elsewhere. Invincible mine extension should get approval as it has proved in the past it can manage the risks. I hope you start listening to the majority who want this to go ahead.