Rocky Hill Coal Mine

I strongly oppose the Rocky Hill Coal Project along with any modifications to the Stratford Mine site. Because of:
a: Coal mining is a major health hazard, to the community and also the employees
b: The detrimental health burden to our community
c: The devaluation of property values in the wider area
d: Undue stress on those who are forced to sell and move
e: The dangerous proximity to residential areas
f: Contamination of waterways
g: Negative effect on the residents
h: Damage to our tourism industry
i: Burning coal is a major health hazard worldwide, Australia does not want to be party to the health of our own people let alone people worldwide.

This mine should not be approved.

I have not made a reportable political donation.

I strongly believe that this project and the subsequent operations will provide valuable employment and industry in the Gloucester basin are if this project is granted approval.

I support the Rocky Hill Coal project as it will bring much needed jobs to Gloucester. With other mines closing people need work so they do not have to move away. The mine is not on the main road so will not affect tourism. GRL has taken measures to ensure the health & safety of near by residents. I am concerned for Gloucester if this is not approved as I have not heard of any other projects on the table to support local economy.

Water is too valuable to risk.
This is a dirty brown coal mine.
Gloucester is a beautiful place, it is too rare to have a community like it has. Please don't destroy it for the the future. A mine like this has a very short life span. I hope my children have a longer one!

*The proposed mine is way too close to residential areas.
The proposed pits are only 900m from the Forbesdale residential estate, and barely 3km from Gloucester township. The impacts from noise and air pollution, blasting, loss of amenity and lifestyle on surrounding residents are simply unacceptable, and in no way justified by the dubious economic arguments put forward by mine proponents.
*Risk of water contamination is high.
The proposed mine is on the Avon River floodplain and in the catchment area of the Manning River, which supplies drinking water to over 80,000 people. The Avon River has flooded five times in four years, with two floods occurring in 2013. There is definite potential for contamination of the water in the catchment.
*The health impacts are far too great.
Gloucester's hospital, its schools, and almost all of its residents are within 5km from the proposed coal pits. Particulate pollution from open-cut mining is known to lead to reduced respiratory health and increased death rates in surrounding communities. It is completely unfair and unjustified to expose the population of Gloucester to these health impacts.
*The mine threatens Gloucester's $50 million tourism industry.
Gloucester is a unique and beautiful town on the edge of the Barrington wilderness, and it has a thriving nature-based tourism industry. Open-cut coal mining is completely incompatible with this important local industry, which must be protected.
*So-called 'commitments' to reduce mining impacts are not trusted.
The community has no reason to trust either commitments from the mining company made during its application, nor conditions imposed by the Planning Department if approval is given. We have seen elsewhere in Gloucester and the Hunter Valley that these conditions can be changed later, and usually are. Conditions regarding mine rehabilitation, night-time work hours, noise, blasting and dust, and even the footprint of the mine, are untrusted. It is known, for example, that there are plans for a 'Stage 2' of the coal mine. The only acceptable outcome for the Rocky Hill application is to reject it outright.

It saddens me that citizens on the ground must repeatedly inform Politicians and Decision makers about environmental facts and real concerns regarding coal mining.
It is obvious to all of us that Rocky Hill Coal mine poses a high risk to the integrity of water in a beautiful area, close to a township, in a place where Touruism and Habitat and Environmental values are high.
It sickens me that legislators have permitted destruction of this once beautiful country, to such a degree that water and land have been devastated by coal mining and related fossil fuel extractions. Only corrupt, stupid and non visionary individuals would permit the travesties that have passed. This ridiculous coal mine must not proceed and the world must advane sustainable alternatives, yesterday.

I opose this proposed mining project in Gloucester for environmental reasons and for reasins related to the health and welfare of the local people.

This proposal will turn the beautiful town of Gloucester into another Bulga just because of the short-sightedness
and greed of the Rocky Hill group, ignoring the destruction of the natural beauty of the area.

To consider an open cut mine so close to a thriving community which will inturn introduce serious heath issues is reprehensible and should not be allowed to proceed.

The proposed mine is way too close to residential areas.
The proposed pits are only 900m from the Forbesdale residential estate, and barely 3km from Gloucester township. The impacts from noise and air pollution, blasting, loss of amenity and lifestyle on surrounding residents are simply unacceptable, and in no way justified by the dubious economic arguments put forward by mine proponents.
Risk of water contamination is high.
The proposed mine is on the Avon River floodplain and in the catchment area of the Manning River, which supplies drinking water to over 80,000 people. The Avon River has flooded five times in four years, with two floods occurring in 2013. There is definite potential for contamination of the water in the catchment.
The health impacts are far too great.
Gloucester's hospital, its schools, and almost all of its residents are within 5km from the proposed coal pits. Particulate pollution from open-cut mining is known to lead to reduced respiratory health and increased death rates in surrounding communities. It is completely unfair and unjustified to expose the population of Gloucester to these health impacts.
The mine threatens Gloucester's $50 million tourism industry.
Gloucester is a unique and beautiful town on the edge of the Barrington wilderness, and it has a thriving nature-based tourism industry. Open-cut coal mining is completely incompatible with this important local industry, which must be protected.
So-called 'commitments' to reduce mining impacts are not trusted.
The community has no reason to trust either commitments from the mining company made during its application, nor conditions imposed by the Planning Department if approval is given. We have seen elsewhere in Gloucester and the Hunter Valley that these conditions can be changed later, and usually are. Conditions regarding mine rehabilitation, night-time work hours, noise, blasting and dust, and even the footprint of the mine, are untrusted. It is known, for example, that there are plans for a 'Stage 2' of the coal mine. The only acceptable outcome for the Rocky Hill application is to reject it outright.

To the Commission.
The establishment of a new open cut mine adjacent to the town of Gloucester can only have further disastrous impact on the local population and on its economy. Highly automated mines need only small and skilled numbers of workers and those that do get employed get boom and bust jobs that families with commitments cannot securely live on. I have seen that IN THE EIGHT RECENT YEARS I LIVED IN THE TOWN. The perceived impact of existing mining has caused great depression and lack of community initiative in this town that had such great potential for tourism. The hoped-for influx of cashed up retirees with ideas for reviving the town with its scenic attractions is now becoming a fading dream. We all know that the foreign mine owners come to maximize profits until the land is exhausted and that they will be smart enough to walk away from a polluted moonscape and leave us and our children to live with the consequences. The advantages of proceeding with this mine just do not stack up against the social dislocation and long-term damage this mine will inflict on the Gloucester valley. In view of so much possible harm please reconsider the granting of this application.

As a frequent visitor to the Gloucester area I am shocked to learn that Rocky Hill (or any other mining group) would dare, in this age of human induced global warming as a result of decades of excessive fossil fuel burning, to seek state government approval to open another open cut coal mine in NSW. Both the Federal and State governments know that they can't sanction any new coal mining venture unless they are willing to ignore:
1. The 2015 Paris agreement to limit atmospheric warming to 2C by phasing out burning of fossil fuels.
2. That the price of coal is now "too low for mining
companies to turn a profit in Australia" Herald Jun 2016
3. That "China is prioritising domestic coal over imports" and consequently "thermal coal imports to China have fallen 40% over 2014-2015". Herald Jun 2016
4. That in India "domestic solar is already cheaper than imported coal and coal imports fell 15% in 2016".
5. That the Rocky Hill stock pile would therefore be a stranded asset
6. That an open cut coal mine would destroy the natural beauty of the valley adjacent to the The Bucketts and certainly extinguish the tourist industry so important to the area.

There is no reason to allow Rocky Hill to proceed with its application to mine coal at Gloucester. Any argument to the contrary would be based on dubious moral and economic grounds.

I object to the Rocky Hill Coal Project for the following reasons:
* Water contamination risk
The proposed mine is on the Avon River floodplain and in the catchment area of the Manning River, which supplies drinking water to over 80,000 people. The Avon River has flooded five times in four years, with two floods occurring in 2013. Therefore there is definite potential for contamination of the water in the catchment.
* Local communities exposure to air and noise pollution
Particulate pollution from open-cut mining is known to lead to reduced respiratory health and increased death rates in surrounding communities. The proposed pits are only 900m from the Forbesdale residential estate and barely 3km from Gloucester township (including the hospital and schools).
* Threat to Gloucester's $50 million nature-based tourism industry

NSW Department of Planning
http://www.majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=5156

Re: Comments on Rocky Hill Coal Project

The proposed mine is way too close to residential areas.

The proposed pits are only 900m from the Forbesdale residential estate, and barely 3km from Gloucester township. The impacts from noise and air pollution, blasting, loss of amenity and lifestyle on surrounding residents are simply unacceptable, and in no way justified by the dubious economic arguments put forward by mine proponents.

Risk of water contamination is high.
The proposed mine is on the Avon River floodplain and in the catchment area of the Manning River, which supplies drinking water to over 80,000 people. The Avon River has flooded five times in four years, with two floods occurring in 2013. There is definite potential for contamination of the water in the catchment.
The health impacts are far too great.

Gloucester's hospital, its schools, and almost all of its residents are within 5km from the proposed coal pits. Particulate pollution from open-cut mining is known to lead to reduced respiratory health and increased death rates in surrounding communities. It is completely unfair and unjustified to expose the population of Gloucester to these health impacts.

The mine threatens Gloucester's $50 million tourism industry.
Gloucester is a unique and beautiful town on the edge of the Barrington wilderness, and it has a thriving nature-based tourism industry. Open-cut coal mining is completely incompatible with this important local industry, which must be protected.

So-called 'commitments' to reduce mining impacts are not trusted.
The community has no reason to trust either commitments from the mining company made during its application, nor conditions imposed by the Planning Department if approval is given. We have seen elsewhere in Gloucester and the Hunter Valley that these conditions can be changed later, and usually are. Conditions regarding mine rehabilitation, night-time work hours, noise, blasting and dust, and even the footprint of the mine, are untrusted. It is known, for example, that there are plans for a 'Stage 2' of the coal mine. The only acceptable outcome for the Rocky Hill application is to reject it outright.

See more at: https://www.wilderness.org.au/protect-gloucester-have-your-say-rocky-hill-coal-mine-0#sthash.sgpLuOAF.dpuf

Yours sincerely,
Robert E. Rutkowski

2527 Faxon Court
Topeka, Kansas 66605-2086, USA
P/F: 1 785 379-9671
E-mail: [email protected]

The proposal for an open cut coal mine, or any coal mine for that matter should be rejected. Continuing to exploit fossil fuels at a time when climate change is beginning to seriously impact communities around the world is retrograde and foolish. Our resources and investments should be redirected towards sustainable and renewable energy proposals and development.

Bad for local community

Dear NSW Government

Above all else please respect the views of the majority of Gloucester residents and don't let the short term economics of the coal mine effect their long-term future and identity.

I understand environmental impacts are the price we have to pay and share for our energy needs and the economy. But who will benefit from the coal itself, Gloucester? They haven't asked for the mine.

Give the area the chance to contribute and provide land for an alternative renewable energy source, and not one like coal that we all know needs to be phased out, including here by stopping the reliance of others on it. Giving them this alternative is fair and should facilitating economically if required. This way no one can be accused of simply not wanting their area disturbed and not contributing to the economy.

Regards

David

The proposed mine is way too close to residential areas.
The proposed pits are only 900m from the Forbesdale residential estate, and barely 3km from Gloucester township. The impacts from noise and air pollution, blasting, loss of amenity and lifestyle on surrounding residents are simply unacceptable, and in no way justified by the dubious economic arguments put forward by mine proponents.
Risk of water contamination is high.
The proposed mine is on the Avon River floodplain and in the catchment area of the Manning River, which supplies drinking water to over 80,000 people. The Avon River has flooded five times in four years, with two floods occurring in 2013. There is definite potential for contamination of the water in the catchment.
The health impacts are far too great.
Gloucester's hospital, its schools, and almost all of its residents are within 5km from the proposed coal pits. Particulate pollution from open-cut mining is known to lead to reduced respiratory health and increased death rates in surrounding communities. It is completely unfair and unjustified to expose the population of Gloucester to these health impacts.
The mine threatens Gloucester's $50 million tourism industry.
Gloucester is a unique and beautiful town on the edge of the Barrington wilderness, and it has a thriving nature-based tourism industry. Open-cut coal mining is completely incompatible with this important local industry, which must be protected.
So-called 'commitments' to reduce mining impacts are not trusted.
The community has no reason to trust either commitments from the mining company made during its application, nor conditions imposed by the Planning Department if approval is given. We have seen elsewhere in Gloucester and the Hunter Valley that these conditions can be changed later, and usually are. Conditions regarding mine rehabilitation, night-time work hours, noise, blasting and dust, and even the footprint of the mine, are untrusted. It is known, for example, that there are plans for a 'Stage 2' of the coal mine. The only acceptable outcome for the Rocky Hill application is to reject it outright.
- See more at: https://www.wilderness.org.au/protect-gloucester-have-your-say-rocky-hill-coal-mine-0#sthash.7FKvoiwD.dpuf

The community has no reason to trust either commitments from the mining company made during its application, nor conditions imposed by the Planning Department if approval is given. We have seen elsewhere in Gloucester and the Hunter Valley that these conditions can be changed later, and usually are. Conditions regarding mine rehabilitation, night-time work hours, noise, blasting and dust, and even the footprint of the mine, are untrusted. It is known, for example, that there are plans for a 'Stage 2' of the coal mine. The only acceptable outcome for the Rocky Hill application is to reject it outright.

The proposed mine is way too close to residential areas.
The proposed pits are only 900m from the Forbesdale residential estate, and barely 3km from Gloucester township.

The impacts from noise and air pollution, blasting, loss of amenity and lifestyle on surrounding residents are simply unacceptable, and in no way justified by the dubious economic arguments put forward by mine proponents.
Risk of water contamination is high.

The proposed mine is on the Avon River floodplain and in the catchment area of the Manning River, which supplies drinking water to over 80,000 people. The Avon River has flooded five times in four years, with two floods occurring in 2013. There is definite potential for contamination of the water in the catchment.
The health impacts are far too great.

Gloucester's hospital, its schools, and almost all of its residents are within 5km from the proposed coal pits. Particulate pollution from open-cut mining is known to lead to reduced respiratory health and increased death rates in surrounding communities. It is completely unfair and unjustified to expose the population of Gloucester to these health impacts.

The mine threatens Gloucester's $50 million tourism industry.
Gloucester is a unique and beautiful town on the edge of the Barrington wilderness, and it has a thriving nature-based tourism industry. Open-cut coal mining is completely incompatible with this important local industry, which must be protected.
So-called 'commitments' to reduce mining impacts are not trusted.

The community has no reason to trust either commitments from the mining company made during its application, nor conditions imposed by the Planning Department if approval is given. We have seen elsewhere in Gloucester and the Hunter Valley that these conditions can be changed later, and usually are. Conditions regarding mine rehabilitation, night-time work hours, noise, blasting and dust, and even the footprint of the mine, are untrusted. It is known, for example, that there are plans for a 'Stage 2' of the coal mine.

The only acceptable outcome for the Rocky Hill application is to reject it outright.

Our family has visited Gloucester and the surrounding area several times. We absolutely love the landscape, the farmstays, the camping. Thinking that a new mine will open soon so close to the township itself absolutely breaks my heart. How can anyone deliberatetly destroy this amazingly beautiful valley. I ask you to not proceed with the mine. We and many fellow travellers won't return ever to the area if this is going to happen which will deliver another blow to the battered residents of this region.