Mod 6 - Expansion of Coal Mine

Objection to Rio Tinto's Warkworth Modification Application no. DA 300 - 9 - 2002 1 MOD 6
I object to the fact that Rio Tinto is making this DA application without any prior consultation with the people of Bulga. The residents of Bulga will be greatly impacted if this proposal goes ahead.
The mine signed a Deed of Agreement in 2003 stating that Saddle Ridge would remain a Non Disturbance Area, now that agreement stands to be broken.
If this DA is approved the extension of the mine will destroy an Endangered Ecological Community containing Central Hunter Grey Box-Ironbark Woodland and Central Hunter Ironbark-Spotted Gum-Grey Box vegetation.
The proposed mine expansion would mean the removal of landform that currently shield Bulga from some of the worst of the mine's impacts.The mental and physical health of local residents is now impacted greatly by the noise from the mine any proposed increase in noise is completely unacceptable.
The air quality is poor in the area now and will deterioriate with a further mine expansion.
The 2003Deed of Agreement must be enforced. Saddle Ridge preserved as a result and Singleton Council rezoning as required by the Deed. There is no reason, legal or moral, why Rio Tinto shouldn't be required to be bound by this Deed.

I oppose the proposed expansion of the Warkworth coal mine(DA 300-9-2002-i MOD 6) and request that this Development Application is refused. This year the NSW Land and Environment Court rejected an application by Rio Tinto to mine Saddle Ridge. The reasons given by the judge were sound and comprehensive and must be relied upon by the Department when considering this DA.
Saddle Ridge is an important buffer between the noise, light and dust of the Warkworth mine and the residents of Bulga.
Rio Tinto only has profit as its agenda and will do all that it can to achieve its goals. The health and wellbeing of the residents of Bulga has already been compromisesd by this juggernaut. This must not continue!
If this DA is approved, the extension of the mine will destroy Saddle Ridge which is also an Endangered Ecological Area
The Deed Agreement signed by that Company in 2003 provided that Saddle Ridge would be preserved as a Non Disturbance Area.
The 2003 Deed of Agreement must be enforced and Saddle Ridge preserved. There is no reason, legal or moral, why Rio Tinto shouldn't be required to be bound by that Deed.

This submission objects to the proposal for multiple reasons including:
- The increased health risks, the stress and the disruption it subjects the people of Bulga to.
- Scientists are making it unequivocally clear that we only have a short window in which to deal with climate change, and that our oceans are on the brink of ecological collapse from all the fossil fuels we're burning. We therefore need to urgently stop pursuing these activities.
- This project destroys the land for future generations.
- This project does not take into account the local community of Bulga, or the future of our children.
- There is only a limited amount of fossil fuels that we can burn before we risk passing 2C and therefore reaching a climate change tipping point. The NSW Government should be focusing on renewable energy, which is the way forwards, not on activities which put our children's futures at great risk.

Justified extension will provide ongoing local jobs and economic growth in the area

I hace worked at Mt Thorley/Warkworth for the last 4 Years as a Driller. What I have witnessed in this time is the people from Bulga have only become vocal in the past year EG:: calling up about noise at night to shut down Excavators, Drills and trucks this have obviously has a huge impact on this mine and the costs associated. If this expansion does not go ahead there be alot of people that will suffer and we are not talking about just where I work - what about the associated indusries and the thousands of jobs lost outside of Mt Thorley/Warkwortrh? Mining to me is what has kept Australia afloat through the recent global crisis, if the Goverment chooses to undermine there bread and butter I believe they willl starve as will the rest of Australlia!

see attached submission

See attached document.

Please refer to file attachment 1.

Please refer to the attached letter.

I make a humble request to approve this extension at the earliest enable to give life line to 1300 emoployees and other suppliers and contractors

Attached

I am in support of the proposal. See PDF attachment

Singleton, NSW, 25/11/2013

Dear Minister,

I work for Coal & Allied Warkworth, and I strongly support the modification application to access the additional 350 m of land owned by the mine. That will be vital for our production expectations, and more importantly for the community and its economy.

I am the only income of my family; I have a 1 year old baby, my wife and my parents (overseas) to support. If I lose my job at this stage I shall move, sell my place and start from scratch. We all hope the court to be consequent and sensible approving this extension. If it doesn't happen it would be devastating for local jobs and thousands of families.

Being an expat Mechanical Engineer, coming from another mining Country in South America, this is no new to me. I have been in the mining sector for 13 years and really know deeply the challenges of operating an open pit, having said that I must say that Rio is not only responsible with its full time employees & contractors, but also with the environment.

We can't make the same mistakes other nations have made, blaming the mines and demonising them while ignoring the huge contribution to the National Economy, and ultimately the competitiveness of the country. I left my home country because of the lack of Jobs; the pressure of the Green parties, sometimes insensibly, ended up forcing many mining companies to move their investments to other countries.

Nowadays, the community and local businesses regret the silly decisions of the past. They lost the chance to manage Mining and Agro, killing one sector under radical thesis instead of getting them co-exist. In a Democracy, we need to reconcile stances in favour of the majority of the people.

I didn't cost the Australian government a Cent, I was born and bred overseas, educated overseas, and came to the country when I was a professional Engineer at 32 years old. I came convinced to build a better and stronger Australia, raise my kids, have a new life but now really rethinking my future and my family stay here as there is a lot of uncertainty.

I cited to my colleagues the example of Brazil, with the largest and Cleanest Rainforest in the World, Amazonas, but with one of the largest unemployment rates as well; the result is a terrible cocktail of misery, poverty, insecurity, and finally poor lifestyle. It's up to the Government to make the wisest decisions to maintain that balance of Mining versus Agro/Environment, but never, never underestimate the devastating effects of job losses and its repercussions.

I don't blame the short-sighted anti-mining radical views, because they probably haven't seen a country with high unemployment, rooted economy and all its implications. I wish they knew what it looks like, I bet if they would have lived in an economy destroyed, with an unemployment rate over 10%, they probably would have thought twice to knock back this initiatives.

Please accept this submission in support to the Warkworth modification.

Regards,

JORGE DE LA HOZ ; 3 Hepburn close, Rutherford NSW 2320. Australia

Attached is my submission of objection to modifications to the Warkworth Mine DA 300-9-2002-i MOD 6
Pauline Rayner

Attached submission of objection re Warkworth Mine DA 300-9-2002-i MOD 6

Attached submission objecting to application for Warkworth Mine DA 300-9-2002-i MOD 6

My submission is attached as a PDF.

We object to the application as this land was previously subject to an application which was rejected by the Land and Environment court.