Mod 6 - Expansion of Coal Mine

I object to the project, and I submit that it should be refused on the following grounds.

BROKEN PROMISES
The proponent, Rio Tinto, signed a Deed of Agreement in 2003 promising not to mine Saddle Ridge, which protects the town of Bulga from the worst impacts of the Warkworth mine. Rio committed to approach Singleton Council and have Saddle Ridge and the endangered woodland around it rezoned for environmental protection.

The company is breaking both of these promises, and cannot be trusted to keep any committments it makes in the present application. The NSW Land and Environment Court has previously rejected Rio's application to mine Saddle Ridge. That decision must be respected.

DECEITFUL BEHAVIOUR
Local residents learned of the new application the day before it was lodged. Residents attended a community consultation meeting with Rio Tinto just three weeks before that. At that point in time, the Environmental Assessment for the project would have been ready to lodge, but yet residents were not told about it. This is deliberately deceitful and sneaky behaviour from Rio Tinto, who clearly have no commitment to genuine consultation with the Bulga community.

UNFAIR PROCEDURE
This application was lodged just two business days after new mining regulations came into force, which require the economic significance of a coal resource to be the primary factor influencing the government's determination of a mine application (the "Resource Significance" SEPP). This was surely not a co-incidence, and erodes public trust in the objectivity of government in this process.

Ordinarily, a significant mine expansion such as this would go on public exhibition for up to 6 weeks. Yet this project was sprung on the public without any notice, with just two weeks for public submissions. A formal appeal by local residents for an extension to the public exhibition period was rejected by the Planning Department, with no reason given.

For the government to accept this application from Rio Tinto in the first place shows a blatant disregard for the outcome of the previous Land and Environment Court ruling, and the current proceedings in the Supreme Court. It is difficult not to see the Modification application as the first step in a strategy to have the disallowed Warkworth Extension approved bit-by-bit to avoid full assessment.

The government appears to be conspiring with Rio Tinto to push this project through the approval system without due process,. In light of recent revelations from the ICAC inquiry into mining lease corruption in NSW, this is not a good look.

IMPACTS ON RESIDENTS
Noise
The proposed expansion would bring the mine closer to Bulga, and remove some of the landform which currently shields the town from the worst of the mine's impacts. Noise from the mine already has a major impact on the mental and physical health of the residents of Bulga. The mine has been in continual breach of the NSW Industrial Noise Policy, and its current approval conditions. Despite this, and despite 800 noise complaints against the mine from local residents last year alone, the NSW Government has not taken any action to enforce the mine's approval conditions.

How can the Government approve a project that would increase noise impacts on local residents, when the mine cannot even adhere to its existing approval conditions to control noise impacts?

Particulate emissions
The World Health Organization now classifies particulate pollution as a Class 1 Carcinogen. According to the EPA, 87% of PM10 sized particle pollution in the Upper Hunter comes from coal mines. It is likely that the existing Warkworth coal mine has a significant impact on the health of local residents, and and the proposed expansion would cause an unacceptable increase in these impacts. A cumulative health impacts study of the Hunter coal industry is needed.

BIODIVERSITY IMPACTS
The proposed Warkworth modification project would destroy 16 hectares of Endangered Ecological Communities. The promised "offset" for this irreversible loss of endangered species and their habitat does not compensate for its loss, and would not protect equivalent habitat to that proposed to be bulldozed. In any event, Rio Tinto have shown that their so-called 'offsets' are not protected anyway, and may be subject to future mining applications.

The Warkworth mine must not be allowed to expand into an area that Rio Tinto agreed, in 2003, to protect in a permanent conservation area, and in which open cut mining was rejected by the Land and Environment Court in earlier this year..

SOCIAL IMPACTS
Sadly, too many Hunter Valley villages have already been swallowed up by coal mining. Bulga, a close-knit community with deep historical significance for the Hunter, must be protected.

It is disappointing to note that Rio Tinto has been misleading its employees about the reasons the Warkworth Extension was rejected in court, and has failed to publicly acknowledge the agreement it has broken - to protect this area from mining. This has lead to conflict in the community.

ABORIGINAL HERITAGE
The proposed modification project would destroy four known Aboriginal artefacts, that Rio Tinto has previously agreed to protect (under the Deed of Agreement). This agreement must be kept, and these important cultural artefacts of the Wonnaruah people must be protected.

JOBS AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS
Rio Tinto have provided no economic assessment in support of the project, and their bland public statements to the effect that this project is needed to maintain jobs have not been supported by any information provided.

Rio Tinto's estimates of the employment and economic benefits of expanding the Warkworth mine have previously been rejected by the NSW Land and Environment Court, and they remain untrustworthy. Threats of jobs losses by the proponent should not be a factor for consideration when assessing the merits of this project, and they certainly should not take precedence over the protection of public health, adherence to the Deed of Agreement to protect Saddle Ridge from coal mining, and the right for the community of Bulga to persist.

Sincerely,
Ken Brown

Dear Minister,

I support Coal & Allied's Warkworth Modification application to gain access to an additional 350m of land owned by the mine, to avoid a significant drop in production and employment.

My wife works at the mine and our family relies on her employment.

If Warkworth is forced to close or downsize the impacts on our community would be devastating. Our town (Singleton) is heavily dependent upon the mining industry. As an operator in the mining industry myself I know that many of the local community work, either directly or indirectly (as service providers), in the local mining industry. We are all reliant upon the industry to support our families.

With the current down turn our town, and other local communities, have already suffered job losses and the real estate market has been heavily hit with many people having to relocate to find work and struggling to sell their properties for the price they paid for them, if at all. Further `road blocks' such as the disapproval of Warkworth's application would only worsen the current impacts being felt by our community.

Warkworth provides a stable income for over 1,300 full time employees in the Hunter Valley. And the operation of the mine reaches into many other businesses that supply Warkworth. Thousands of people depend on this mine and if production was to drop, the result could be devastating.



We need certainty. If this minor modification to an existing 30 year old mine does not get approved I am worried about what this will mean for local jobs and investment across the NSW mining industry.



Please accept this submission in support of the Warkworth Modification.



Regards

Justin Adamthwaite

I am currently doing a traineeship as a contract haul truck operator at MTW and the extension means job security for me. Along many friends who work at this site, both permanent employees and contract operators, myself and they and their families depend on MTW being open for business. If MTW closes, my future as a trainee and the possibility to work elsewhere as an operator are in doubt. I live in Broke which is approxiamte 20kms away and would like to work at MTW for as long as possible, not just the next couple of years. So many livelihoods are dependent on MTW being operational. The first people to be let go if the extension does not go through, are contractors.

Dear Minister,

I support Coal & Allied's Warkworth Modification application to gain access to an additional 350m of land owned by the mine, to avoid a significant drop in production and employment.

I am currently employed by Rio Tinto and my role involves the provision of services to Warkworth mine. My family depends on the income from my employment.

If Warkworth is forced to close or downsize the impacts on our community would be significant. Our town (Singleton) is heavily dependent upon the mining industry with many of the local community members working, either directly or indirectly (as service providers), in the local coal mines. We are all reliant upon the local industry to support our families.

With the current down turn our town, and other local communities, have already suffered job losses and a drop in house values with many people having had to relocate to find work elsewhere. Local businesses have been closing and no new businesses are being established. Our's, and the State's, economy relies on the investment in mining in our community. Further `road blocks' such as the disapproval of Warkworth's application would only worsen the current impacts being felt by our community.

Warkworth provides a stable income for over 1,300 full time employees in the Hunter Valley. And the operation of the mine reaches into many other businesses that supply Warkworth. Thousands of people depend on this mine and if production was to drop, the result could be devastating.



We need certainty. If this minor modification to an existing 30 year old mine does not get approved I am worried about what this will mean for local jobs and investment across the NSW mining industry.



Please accept this submission in support of the Warkworth Modification.



Regards

Kelly Adamthwaite

My husband is employed as an operator at mt thorely warkworth and has been there for 4 years we have a mortgage and want to start a family but have to hold off due to this appeal. We are very worried about his job and future.

For the good of hunter this must be approved

I support mining and warkworth extensions

I support mining and the warkworth extension

Save our jobs, both my husband and I work at mt thorley warworth, it's our future and our children's future too!
Think about all of the small business that will be affected if our mine loses this battle!

I previously worked at Mtw as a contractor with skilled. I'm currently on Maternity leave and would like a job to return to.

This is a submission against the proposed expansion of the Warkworth coal mine (DA 300-9-2002-i MOD 6).

We object to the project, and we submit that it should be refused on the following grounds.

OVERVIEW
Good governance rests on principles which are abandoned when interests are weighted in favour of corporations at the expense of the public. Governments role is to protect those interests of the community. Those interests are simple. We must live within the constraints of our biosphere.
Put frankly we can emit 565 more gigatons of carbon dioxide and stay below 2°C of warming -- anything more than that risks catastrophe for life on earth. The only problem? Burning the fossil fuel that corporations now have in their reserves would result in emitting 2,795 gigatons of carbon dioxide - five times the safe amount.
Therefore this proposed expansion is not only an offence against the common decency of the community in which it is situated put also a threat to the very biosphere. Yet again we see a corporation acting as though it's interests

BROKEN CORPORATE COMMITMENTS
Rio Tinto, signed a Deed of Agreement in 2003 promising not to mine Saddle Ridge, which protects the town of Bulga from the worst impacts of the Warkworth mine. Rio undertook to approach Singleton Council and have Saddle Ridge and the endangered woodland around it rezoned for environmental protection.

The company is breaching both of these commitments and therefore cannot be trusted to keep any undertakings it makes in the present application. The NSW Land and Environment Court has previously rejected Rio's application to mine Saddle Ridge. That decision must be respected.

DECEITFUL BEHAVIOUR
Local residents learned of the new application the day before it was lodged. Residents attended a community consultation meeting with Rio Tinto just three weeks before that. At that point in time, the Environmental Assessment for the project would have been ready to lodge, but yet residents were not told about it. This is deliberately deceitful and sneaky behaviour from Rio Tinto, who clearly have no commitment to genuine consultation with the Bulga community.

UNFAIR PROCEDURE
This application was lodged just two business days after new mining regulations came into force, which require the economic significance of a coal resource to be the primary factor influencing the government's determination of a mine application (the "Resource Significance" SEPP). This was surely not a co-incidence, and erodes public trust in the objectivity of government in this process.

Ordinarily, a significant mine expansion such as this would go on public exhibition for up to 6 weeks. Yet this project was sprung on the public without any notice, with just two weeks for public submissions. A formal appeal by local residents for an extension to the public exhibition period was rejected by the Planning Department, with no reason given.

For the government to accept this application from Rio Tinto in the first place shows a blatant disregard for the outcome of the previous Land and Environment Court ruling, and the current proceedings in the Supreme Court. It is difficult not to see the Modification application as the first step in a strategy to have the disallowed Warkworth Extension approved bit-by-bit to avoid full assessment.

The government appears to be conspiring with Rio Tinto to push this project through the approval system without due process,. In light of recent revelations from the ICAC inquiry into mining lease corruption in NSW, this is not a good look.

IMPACTS ON RESIDENTS
Noise
The proposed expansion would bring the mine closer to Bulga, and remove some of the landform which currently shields the town from the worst of the mine's impacts. Noise from the mine already has a major impact on the mental and physical health of the residents of Bulga. The mine has been in continual breach of the NSW Industrial Noise Policy, and its current approval conditions. Despite this, and despite 800 noise complaints against the mine from local residents last year alone, the NSW Government has not taken any action to enforce the mine's approval conditions.

How can the Government approve a project that would increase noise impacts on local residents, when the mine cannot even adhere to its existing approval conditions to control noise impacts?

Particulate emissions
The World Health Organization now classifies particulate pollution as a Class 1 Carcinogen. According to the EPA, 87% of PM10 sized particle pollution in the Upper Hunter comes from coal mines. It is likely that the existing Warkworth coal mine has a significant impact on the health of local residents, and and the proposed expansion would cause an unacceptable increase in these impacts. A cumulative health impacts study of the Hunter coal industry is needed.

BIODIVERSITY IMPACTS
The proposed Warkworth modification project would destroy 16 hectares of Endangered Ecological Communities. The promised "offset" for this irreversible loss of endangered species and their habitat does not compensate for its loss, and would not protect equivalent habitat to that proposed to be bulldozed. In any event, Rio Tinto have shown that their so-called 'offsets' are not protected anyway, and may be subject to future mining applications.

The Warkworth mine must not be allowed to expand into an area that Rio Tinto agreed, in 2003, to protect in a permanent conservation area, and in which open cut mining was rejected by the Land and Environment Court in earlier this year..

SOCIAL IMPACTS
Sadly, too many Hunter Valley villages have already been swallowed up by coal mining. Bulga, a close-knit community with deep historical significance for the Hunter, must be protected.

It is disappointing to note that Rio Tinto has been misleading its employees about the reasons the Warkworth Extension was rejected in court, and has failed to publicly acknowledge the agreement it has broken - to protect this area from mining. This has lead to conflict in the community.

ABORIGINAL HERITAGE
The proposed modification project would destroy four known Aboriginal artefacts, that Rio Tinto has previously agreed to protect (under the Deed of Agreement). This agreement must be kept, and these important cultural artefacts of the Wonnaruah people must be protected.

JOBS AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS
Rio Tinto have provided no economic assessment in support of the project, and their bland public statements to the effect that this project is needed to maintain jobs have not been supported by any information provided.

Rio Tinto's estimates of the employment and economic benefits of expanding the Warkworth mine have previously been rejected by the NSW Land and Environment Court, and they remain untrustworthy. Threats of jobs losses by the proponent should not be a factor for consideration when assessing the merits of this project, and they certainly should not take precedence over the protection of public health, adherence to the Deed of Agreement to protect Saddle Ridge from coal mining, and the right for the community of Bulga to persist.

I have worked at Mount Thorley Warkworth for the past 2 1/2 years. I have family member who also work at this mine and some of my family has even seen out there whole working career working at MTW.

I am a Mother of 2 young Children and a Wife of a Miner as well. With both my husband and I working in the mining industry we have been able to give our children all and more that we have ever dreamt to be able to give them. A beautiful new home to raise them in, an education and after school activities.

Without MTWs expansion and the modification to the Expansion my Family, alot of peers and families in this region will suffer. For my family we will have to pull the Kids out of after school activities, limit the amount of spending we can do for our children and budget tightly for our weekly shopping which will all make other businesses suffer.

Not only will the Miners and their families suffer but the community, small businesses, large businesses and property owners and property investors will suffer also. Once job cuts start to begin if the expansion or modification at MTW dont get approved then investors will lose tenants from there properties, home owners will be forced to sell with not being able to pay mortgages. Large businesses will suffer as people will not be able to soend comfortably as they will be all budgeting the money they have, which will result in more job losses as companies wont be able to keep up staff numbers as they wont be getting much turnover in the business. Small businesses will also have to do the same if not worse, having to close down business. These businesses are not just big w, car yards, fuel stations etc. But they will be your little machanic down the road or ur little corner shop or cafe where u enjoy your weekly coffee break.

The town of Singleton and Surrounding areas such as Muswellbrook, Broke, Cessnock, Branxton, Maitland, Scone etc will all suffer Majorly. If people that live in these areas or not work in any of the mines and MTW will be affected by all the whiplash that will slap everyone if the exoansion or modification dont get approved, if one mine starts putting of employees then I hope it doesnt happen but it could begin a dominoes effect thru all of the mines in the Valley which could mean Residents from the Valley moving from the area and chasing jobs elsewhere. Which will turn these communities into ghost towns.

Please take all this into consideration when deciding on the outcome of Mount Thorley Warkwarth as alot of people will be affected.

I would hate to have to give up my new family home and other stuff as I no longer have work because the expansion and modification got knocked back. Nobody deserves to live in the street and I would hate to see anybody lose things they have from this outcome if it all goes wrong..

My husband & I both work at this mine & the consent to extend the mine life is so important to us personally & to the township of Singleton & surrounds. Like many families, losing our jobs would have a detrimental effect on our lives. How could we afford to pay our mortgage, car loans & support our first baby that is due in 3 weeks time.

My son has worked there for 4 years as an operator and loves working at mt thorely warkworth and for rio tinto. He has a wife and a mortgage and would like to start a family but is concerned for the stability of his job in these times. As there aren't any other mines hiring in the hunter valley.

My son has worked at mt thorely warkworth for 4 years and loves his job as an operator, he has a wife and mortgage and would like to start a family but is worried about the stability of his job if they do not get this extension.

My name is Tahlae ball, I have three small children and my husband works at mount thorley warkworth, I really hope this mine continues to operate as it would have a big impact on my family and also on many others that rely on this mine, it has delivered so much to the community and to the state over the years of the operation and without these mines I fear there will be nothing left in this area as we are a mining community and everything revolves around it, from the people it employs to the business's that supply it, also the local industry's that cater for the people that stay in the area,, these mines provide jobs and that's a fact, we should be doing everything we can to keep these big business's in our community for the future and generations to come.
Thankyou,,
Tahlae.

Titenko, Marty wrote this this, you can use some of this or just copy it, they count how many people objected. Thanks lot, love mum





Hi Mum + Dad,

This is what I sent:

I strongly object to the application to extend the Warkworth Mine for the following reasons:

1. The mining company agreed in its 2003 development consent that it would extents its mining activities toward Bulga village. In making the major life decision to stay in the area and build or improve their properties, the residents of Bulga trusted the commitments given by two large organisations - the NSW Government and Warkworth Minding Ltd. For the company to then change its mind a scant 7 years later and decide to extend is completely unfair to the citizens of Bulga - they made a commitment, and should be forced to honour it.

The fact that the NSW government is actively colluding with a large mining company against its own private citizens is absolutely reprehensible.

2. The Land and Environment Court blocked the development in April 2013, giving detailed reasoning, citing the major impacts a mining extension would have, both to the environment and the Bulga residents. Nothing has changed since that decision was handed down - the environmental impacts remain the same. This extension would have a major negative impact on the citizens of Bulga, which is utterly unacceptable.

3. My parents, George and Tanya Tlaskal live on Inlet Rd in Bulga. They have lived in the area for almost thirty years, building a lovely home, raising a family and now enjoying a well-earned retirement. They have planted hundreds of trees, turning a barren block into a wonderful garden. They have devoted their latter years to making a life in Bulga. In doing so, they trusted their government and their neighbour, Warkworth Mining, to honour the commitments both made in 2003 to protect Bulga. For both organisations to change their mind and destroy my parent's dreams and retirement makes me more angry and upset than I can say.

4. The NSW government clearly needs to balance the needs of mining companies and private citizens. However, in this case, I feel they have the balance dangerously wrong. There are plenty of places to mine in NSW which are not with a couple of kilometres of a long-standing existing village. For the government to extract a commitment from a mining company in 2003 and then collude in this agreement's dismemberment in 2013 displays a set of values which are seriously worrying. The government assisting the strong in crushing the weak is not the Australia I love.

Warkworth Expansion
DA 300-9-2002-i

I Stephen Williamson wish to register my opposition to the proposed expansion of Warkworth mine DA 300-9-2002-i.

I am a nearby resident of the Village of Bulga already greatly affected by the current operation of the mine. By noise and by dust and blasting.

The latest attempt by the mine to mine through the saddle ridge or part thereof is an nothing short of corrupt and the PAC and State Government should be ashamed of themselves for aligning with Rio Tinto and allowing the amendment to the SEPP to allow this corrupt venture to go ahead.

The area they are proposing to mine is a no disturbance area to be set aside in perpetuity that has been recognized to contain substantial endangered species of wild life and fauna. This was one of the areas recognized by the land and environment court when the land and environment court disallowed the 2012 expansion.

By mining this area it brings the operation to the surface again which has a significant impact on my lifestyle as a Bulga resident. It will also bring the mining operations further through saddle ridge which for me does little to stop the current noise so bringing it closer would have an even greater effect on my partner and myself as we do most of our living outside. A pursuit that will be unenjoyable if the approval to mine through the No disturbance area is given.
The current noise management plan is not effective and is far to reactive than proactive. The fact that Warkworth have over 150 complaint year to date and their neighbour at Bulga coal has just 14 shows how inadequate the noise management plan is.
The last dust modelling for the major expansion showed the southern part of Bulga would be badly affected so much so the PAC included my house in the volenteral acquisition list. this area will potentially put my partner and myself at harm again by the increased noise and dust and will put my home at risk for the blasts.
The fact that the mine may close was a known fact. Everyone knew when they started working there that the mine would eventually close around 2021. When I worked there as a contractor even I was told this. The fact they are trying to pretend they care about their workers and their workers well being by ensuring the employment level is laughable this is all about bonuses and company profit. Who extracts the coal is not the concern of Rio Tinto so long as they can get the money for the foreign owned company.

NQCC opposes the expansion of the Warkworth mine on the grounds that Rio Tinto is reversing its position and commitment to the community without adequate public consultation.

The expansion would be in contravention of earlier findings of the NSW Land and Environment Court; and subsequent changes to the legislation, which would favour expansion, fly in the face of what was found to be in the community and social interest.

The expansion would have deleterious impacts on the health and welfare of local communities, and on the biodiversity of the region. It would also destroy a protected area that Rio Tinto had previously agreed to protect.

Furthermore, there is no valid evidence of the economic benefits of the project, even at the most basic of levels.

I object to the proposed expansion of the Warkworth coal mine (DA 300-9-2002-i MOD 6) because;

1. Community consultation has been totally inadequate. Residents only learned of the application a day before it was lodged. Residents met with Rio Tinto 3 weeks prior to lodgement but were not told about it. This is deceitful behaviour. Two weeks comunity consultation is woefully inadequate.

2. This project was previously rejected by the Land and Environment Council. Rio Tinto signed an agreement in 2003 promising not to mine Saddle RIdge. They are breaking this promise.

3. The expansion would destroy 16ha of Endangered Ecological Communities. This cannot be offset. Mining companies have a history of mining their offsets anyway.

4. Coal dust is toxic and causes serious respiratory problems. The full impacts of the expansion on human health mine needs to be determined.

5. The project will have significant negative impacts on local residents. The existing mine is in constant breach of noise regulations and hundreds of noise complaints were registered (and ignored) last year.


Sincerely,

Moira Williams