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SSD Modifications

Determination

Mod 7 - Landform modification

Narrabri Shire

Current Status: Determination

Interact with the stages for their names

  1. Prepare Mod Report
  2. Exhibition
  3. Collate Submissions
  4. Response to Submissions
  5. Assessment
  6. Recommendation
  7. Determination

Extension of the Northern Emplacement footprint; andIncrease to the maximum height of a section of the Northern Emplacement by 1 metre, incorporating macro and micro relief.

Attachments & Resources

Notice of Exhibition (1)

Modification Application (6)

Response to Submissions (2)

Additional Information (2)

Determination (3)

Consolidated Consent (1)

Submissions

Filters
Showing 1 - 20 of 21 submissions
Biodiversity and Conservation Division
Comment
Dubbo , New South Wales
Message
Hi Phillip,

Please see attached BCS response to the Modification Application and Report for the Maules Creek Coal Mine (MP10_0138).
Attachments
Andrew Garratt
Support
GUNNEDAH , New South Wales
Message
I support the proposed modification at Maules Creek. Whitehaven Coal is a critical part of the North West Region as a significant employer, investor and purchaser of goods and services. It also provides significant levels of financial support via sponsorships and donations in the local community and broader community. It recently provided $50,000 to help keep the critical Westpac Rescue Helicopter in the air.
Jade Lees
Support
NARRABRI , New South Wales
Message
I Moved to the Narrabri area in 2014 after gaining employment with Whitehaven Coal. I have benefited greatly from the Whitehaven Group through my continued employment at MCC where I am currently the Maintenance Superintendent.
What Whitehaven has done for me is give me and my family the ability to live in the area, the employment WHC provide has allowed me to purchase land and a home in Narrabri. I have also purchased cattle sheep and pigs that I run on my property and I give back to the local community in terms of rates and shopping locally. Im also the assistant coach of the Narrabri Blues rugby League team and play 1st grade cricket and district cricket for Narrabri.
This is our home and I intend on staying until I retire in the about 20 yrs time.
WHC has shown me how Mining and communities can co exist in a tremendous way, the work they have done in local communities and with the local Indigenous communities makes me proud to be a part of both WHC and the local governments.
This extension would allow the WHC brand to further supply employment to the People of our communities and continue to drive the Indigenous unemployment rate down in the area by way of equal opportunity and by way of our commitment to the Local indigenous population. It will also continue to provide trade opportunity's to the young men and woman of the area through its highly successful Apprenticeship program at MCC which now has 18 apprentices at MCC
Peter Mort
Object
ELEEBANA , New South Wales
Message
Yes I did make a personal representation to the original Maules Creek Mine proposal in 2011 at Boggabri Golf Club. Not surprisingly, after watching the subsequent desecration of a large section of the iconic Leard State forest, and the siphoning of squillions of litres of Namoi River water to wash coal during some of the worst drought seasons in NSW history, and the destruction of the rural lifestyles and livelihoods of numerous families nearby, you'll pardon my industrial strength cynicism in the face of this, yet again, farcical excuse for community consultation. Of course I'm against the further encroachment of this eyesore into the neighbouring ecosystems but what do you really care!!!? The very name of this department (Planning, Industry and Environment) says it all! Environment comes last! I used to enjoy standing at Doug Sky Lookout in Mt Kaputar National Park with groups of school students to behold the sweeping vista to the south towards Boggabri. Now it's little more than an industrial wasteland, similar to the country between Singleton and Muswellbrook. To whomever is reading this, what will tell your grandchildren when they ask what role you played in the spread of this cancerous, fossilised (fuel) industry as it goose-stepped its way across NSW?? Has the original pit reached its stated goal of being deeper than sea level yet? Great news for the local water table!!!! What a joke this is!! Words don't exist to describe the mistrust, disbelief and incredulity of this process!!!
Regional NSW - Mining, Exploration & Geoscience
Comment
MAITLAND , New South Wales
Message
MEG advice attached.
Attachments
Crown Lands
Comment
,
Message
Crown Lands provides the following comments -

For mining operations involving Crown land, Crown roads and Crown waterways the following requirements apply:

1. All Crown land and Crown roads within a Mining Lease (with surface rights), subject to mining or mining related activity, must be subject to a Compensation Agreement issued under Section 265 of the Mining Act 1992, to be agreed and executed prior to any mining activity taking place. The Compensation Agreement may include conditions requiring the Mining Lease Holder to purchase Crown land impacted on by mining activity.
2. All Crown land and Crown roads located within an Exploration Licence, subject to exploration activity, must be subject to an Access Arrangement issued under Section 141 of the Mining Act 1992, to be agreed and executed prior to any exploration activity taking place.
3. All Crown land and Crown roads within a Mining Lease (with sub-surface rights only) must be subject to a Section 81 Consent under the Mining Act 1992 where surface activities are proposed, to be agreed and executed prior to any surface activity taking place.
Name Withheld
Support
Boggabri , New South Wales
Message
I have benefited both personally and professionally from Whitehaven operating in the region and support the proposed modification.
Roselyn Druce
Object
Boggabri , New South Wales
Message
I object to Modification 7 - Landform Modification
I object to the height increase of 16m of the Northern Overburden (represented as 1m in the modification report ) and an change to the footprint. I object to the increased volume and surface area of the final void being increased and stated as 'no change'.
Attachments
Name Withheld
Support
Cameron park , New South Wales
Message
This project is important for the hunter/new Englands economy and to provide important jobs and community contributions
Name Withheld
Support
QUIRINDI , New South Wales
Message
To continue much needed jobs in the mining industry. Supplying the world with our quality product.
Susie Russell
Object
ELANDS , New South Wales
Message
The Whitehaven coal mine has already caused considerable damage to the community and the environment where it is located and the company has shown a cavalier attitude towards the law at its various operations.

In August 2020 it was charged with construction of unauthorised tracks, drilling of bores in contravention of approval conditions and failure to rehabilitate drill sites among other breaches of mining laws. The company pleaded guilty. This is just the tip of the iceberg. There were licence condition breaches at all four of Whitehaven's coal mines in the Namoi region including causing excessive particle pollution form blasting, drill rigs and wheel dust and exposing neighbours to noise pollution levels exceeding licence limits. It also exceeded its extraction limit at one mine.

Then there is the case where the NSW Natural Resource Access Regulator is launched a prosecution against Whitehaven for taking water for which it has no, or insufficient water allocation and capturing water on site without approval to do so. And then of course there was the failure of Whitehaven to secure the biodiversity offsets for its destruction of 5,532 hectares of endangered Grassy Whitebox Woodland. Its record of compliance is abysmal. This company should not be rewarded with more opportunities to pollute and cause damage as they cannot be trusted to abide by the conditions of their licences.

The company should not be allowed to increase the size of their spoil pile. They should manage their mining operations within the footprint of their original approval. Increasing the size of the spoil pile will have an impact on the size of the final void, and for groundwater resources, long after the mine has closed. Whitehaven have provided no new analysis that there will not be significant groundwater impacts.

This modification is also likely to increase air pollution at the site. There have already been numerous exceedances of the 24 hour average limit for PM10 particle pollution at the four air pollution monitoring stations nearby. The additional impact has not been assessed, but it is completely unacceptable that air pollution levels should be exceeded as a matter of little concern to the company or the Government that approves their operations.

Whitehaven has sought numerous modifications with little further assessment of impacts on noise, air pollution or groundwater. It is an incremental creep of their impact beyond their original proposal and impact assessment.

Enough is enough.
Name Withheld
Object
MAULES CREEK , New South Wales
Message
PLANNING INDUSTRY & ENVIRONMENT
MAULES CREEK COAL (10_383)
Modification 7 _ Landform
SUBMISSION

I object to the modification requested in the Maules Creek Mine Application
This modification focus is on increasing the size of the pile of soil and rock called an "emplacement area". Already it looms over the Maules Creek Valley putting residents at risk, especially on windy days, when dust, with the naked eye can be seen surrounding the valley.
This pile will now reach 455 metres in height and is uncceptable.
In our valley .
The mine should limit its mineing to the agreement under which it was licenced to mine.
There has been modifications in the past and the Community have little faith left in their ability to respect.
I strongly object to this application.
NSW Resources Regulator
Comment
,
Message
See attached file
Attachments
Narrabri Shire Council
Comment
NARRABRI , New South Wales
Message
Narrabri Shire Council have reviewed the Maules Creek Coal Mine Landform Modification proposal and provides the following comments for your consideration:

1. Any outcome, however minimal, that results in the sterilisation of important agricultural land is considered unacceptable. Rehabilitation outcomes and proposed post-mining land uses must not result in the sterilisation of land and maximise beneficial social, economic and environmental outcomes for the locality and region. Council considers that the only acceptable land use rehabilitation and closure objective and criteria acceptable for mining on agricultural land and environmentally important land is to return land to pre-mine use.
2. Council supports progressive rehabilitation of mined land once it is no longer required for operational purposes.
3. The Narrabri Shire community via the Community Strategic Plan Narrabri Shire 2027 consider minimising the environmental impact of extractive industries on agricultural land to be paramount and have identified final void management as a critical issue. Council does not support final voids in mines in the Narrabri Shire and considers that backfilling of final voids should always be the goal for mined land.

Council considers that consultation with the local community on matters that will have a lasting effect on the site and its surrounds is an effective way of involving the community, and local Councils, in the mine planning process.

Council expects that all major mining projects have, and will continue to, adhere to all conditions of their approvals and all applicable legislative requirements they are bound by.

If you require any further clarification please do not hesitate to me on (02) 6799 6866 or [email protected].
ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AUTHORITY
Comment
,
Message
It is recommended that additional information is sought from the proponent to inform development assessment decisions.
Attachments
Libby Laird
Object
MAULES CREEK , New South Wales
Message
Submission attached
Attachments
Greg Fenton
Support
GUNNEDAH , New South Wales
Message
Being a Maules Crek Coal Mine employee I support this modification to landforms submission.
I believe this will have a significant on the ongoing productivity of the mine with minimum additional impact on the community and environment.
I support Whitehaven in its goal of providing high quality coal to international markets and believe that providing this type of coal at a competitive price brings major benefits to Australia, NSW and especially the local region of Gunnedah and Narrabri. The diversity of employment the mine brings to our region and the number of jobs which Whitehaven support, allows the region to grow and prosper especially during times of drought as we have recently experienced. It is unmatched by any other industry in the area.
Andrew Laird
Object
MAULES CREEK , New South Wales
Message
I object to Modification 7 proposed by MaulesCreek Coal to raise the height of the Northern emplacement area by a further Meter.
This mine already has excessive visual, air and groundwater impacts being felt by the residence of Maules Creek. The proposed increase in height will only make things worse.
The extra spoil should be placed back in the pit to avoid an even larger final void when the mine reaches the end of its life
My farm is in close proximity to this mine and the groundwater that we rely on has already been depleated by fracturing of the aquifers by this mine.If the final void is made larger by more stockpiling of overburden on the outer emplacement areas, this will have a greater affect on the water table which will be continually draining into the final void.
Water Group
Comment
,
Message
Attached.
Attachments
Gunnedah Shire Council
Comment
GUNNEDAH , New South Wales
Message
Hi Philip,
Apologies I have only just been made aware of this modification exhibition. I have reviewed the documentation and Gunnedah Shire Council did not have any significant concern that would warrant the lodgement of a submission to the proposal. Council would suggest that all existing condition be retained except where modified for the purpose of the proposed development and that the developer should achieve the additional Northern Embankment with as little impact on established vegetation as possible.

Kind Regards

Wade Hudson
Senior Development Officer - Gunnedah Shire Council

Pagination

Project Details

Application Number
MP10_0138-Mod-7
Main Project
MP10_0138
Assessment Type
SSD Modifications
Development Type
Coal Mining
Local Government Areas
Narrabri Shire
Decision
Approved
Determination Date
Decider
Director

Contact Planner

Name
Stephen O'Donoghue