Rocky Hill Coal Mine

I oppose this proposal for a new open cut coal mine due to the deleterious effects on health and the environment

I oppose this proposal for a new open cut coal mine due to the deleterious effects on health and the environment

I strongly object to the proposed Rocky Hill Coal Mine. This is far too close to Gloucester town, its High School and its Hospital, as wel as houses on Jacks Road and Fairbairns Lane.

If this coal mine is given the go-ahead by the NSW State Government, it will clearly show that this group of our Elected Representatives care not a hoot for the health and well-being of the people of Gloucester shire.

I oppose the Rocky Hill Coal Mine and the Stratford Extension Project because:
1. It is too close to the township of Gloucester, and will affect the health and amenity of residents and visitors. It is within the 5km impact zone.
2. It will have a detrimental effect on the developing tourist industry
3. It will compromise the water resources of the area, including the local rivers.
4. The dust produced will cause many people to become sick, and will result in increased health costs for individuals and for the government.
5. The proposed rehabilitation is not adequate, and will not result in any real rehabilitation of the site.

We need this mine so that we can ensure long term growth and jobs in our community.

I think the coal mines could be put somewhere out of the way of Gloucester. Firstly Why ruin the beautiful escarpment the town is surrounded by which is second to none anywhere in New South Wales? Secondly it will not increase the local job availability which has time and time again been promised, all lies. If more jobs are needed then the Government should be looking at other ways to enhance this demand without having to dig up the countrysid which we (the locals) and travellers have come here to enjoy. Get the coal from elsewhere NOT Gloucester. Do your research and stop damaging that which needn't be disturbed for the sake of money grabbers.

The opportunity for an injection of money into the local economy should not be lost and nor should the potential benefits arising from the $6.5million provide to the community through GRL's community grants program.

The local, NSW and Australian economies need the economic boost provided by the Project.

I believe that the planned mine will be a godsend to Gloucester's economy

I oppose the Rocky Hill Coal Mine.
I live on the Avon River in the Avon River estate with my family that includes two young daughters. We chose to live here. Principally because of the rain fall and healthy rivers. There are so many other factors that the mine will impact on. Including the air quality and noise. The financial return to both the local community and national economy also makes this project unfeasible. Most people I talk to feel that it cannot go ahead, however, it concerns me that it's future is being seriously considered.

Director - Resource Assessments Planning Services
Department of Planning & Environment GPO Box 39
Sydney NSW 2001

I have not made a reportable political donation
Do not publish my name and details

Dear Sir/Madam
I oppose the Rocky Hill Coal Project - Application No SSD-5156 and the Stratford Coal Extension Project - Application No SSD-4966 MOD 1

Firstly, Australia is now a signatory to the Paris Agreement on Climate change. This global agreement aims to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius or less. How can we achieve this by approving new coal mines? Instead of approving new coal mines, we must transition the coal industry and its workers to renewable energy projects. To do this, we must invest in new renewable energy projects, not new coal mines, it's that simple! Gloucester would be perfectly situated to host an array of renewable energy projects, and we need good Governments to lead us to this future, and to create real long-term employment opportunities in sustainable industries.

Secondly, as a regular visitor to Gloucester, I cannot see how an open-cut coal mine can co-exist with other industries in the area, and I believe coal mining is completely incompatible with the area. Tourism in Gloucester is a major industry, bringing in thousands of people and dollars each year. With an unsightly coal mine in the valley on the way into town, I think people will be reluctant to stay in Gloucester. I certainly will reconsider visiting an area that has turned into a landscape like a lot of the Hunter Valley. The beautiful environment is what my family and I most love about this place. We don't want to go to Gloucester to see orange dust exploding into the air and to hear the drone of mining operations. Regular blasting and dust plumes are certainly incompatible with residential areas, and the peaceful enjoyment by visitors of local attractions. The loss of agricultural land and the risks to important water resources is also an important factor that should be considered. For this reason, I believe the Rocky Hill Coal Project, if approved, will cost local jobs, and adversely affect existing industries in the area.

Finally, I have read that other coal mining operations further away in the valley have begun to wind down, due to economic reasons, and the low price of coal on the international market. So, how? I ask, and why?, would a greenfield coal project like Rocky Hill be allowed to progress, if other nearby operations have become unviable? The economic / cost-benefit to the community and NSW is obviously not in favour of the Rocky Hill Coal Project. Overall, the costs to community health and the local environment (via dust and noise from coal operations), the pressure on local roads (damage by large mining vehicles and increased traffic) must be taken into account. The importance of the health of local residents and the environment surely far outweighs the benefits of another coal mine that would struggle to be economically viable. The location of this mine is just a short distance from homes and families. How can this be approved? The health impacts will be paramount for those residents. I'm sure most of those people chose to live in Gloucester for the clean air, water and rural lifestyle. They must be so depressed knowing that a mine is on their doorstep. I have also read that due to the low population of the area, the mine isn't required to monitor for dust and noise. This spells disaster for the town of Gloucester. In NSW, especially in the Hunter Valley, we are losing enough towns to mining (i.e. Wollar, Bulga), so why should we risk a thriving rural community like Gloucester just for another coal mine? Also, from what I know of other mining companies they are all foreign owned. That means that most of the profits will go overseas. The residents in Gloucester will suffer, whilst people living elsewhere get rich. It's not ethical.
I strongly advise that the NSW Government does not approve this mine.
Yours sincerely

The proposed mine is dangerous to the health of nearby residents, with the impact of sound, air and water pollution being major concerns. Australia should be investing in alternate and sustainable resources that protect the land, our wildlife and our people.

Name Claire Armstrong
Address 20 Bellevue Avenue Avalon Beach NSW 2107

Delete my personal information before publication yes

Date: 2 September 2016

Director - Resource Assessments
Planning Services
Department of Planning & Environment
GPO Box 39
Sydney NSW 2001

Rocky Hill Coal Project - Application No SSD-5156
Stratford Coal Extension Project - Application No SSD - 4966 MOD 1

Dear Sir/Madam

I strongly oppose the Rocky Hill Coal Project and Stratford Mine modification on the following grounds

1.Personal
I have close family in Gloucester and regularly visit the beautiful town and its surroundings. More importantly they are regularly visited by their children and grandchildren. The grandchildren in particular love getting out of the city into wide open spaces with fresh air and bright skies. The thought that they might build an open cut coal mine so close to town upsets me and my family. If built, the mine will have a serious and adverse impact on the Gloucester community.

2.Proximity to residential areas
The mine is proposed only 900metres from the residential area of Forbesdale. These residents will carry an unacceptable burden and will be impacted by dust, noise and loss of amenity, resulting in risks to their health and loss of property value. I know my family have friends who live in this area and they are devastated by the prospect of the mine being built.

2. Impacts on Health
Health impacts from open-cut coalmines are well documented. With most of Gloucester township, including the hospital and schools, falling within the 5km health impact zone of the Rocky Hill mine, this places a large percentage of the population, including my family, at risk. Those most affected by the health impacts are the very young, the elderly and the sick.

3. Impact on Tourism, worth $51M per annum to the Gloucester economy
Gloucester attracts tourists from Sydney and Newcastle and, no doubt other areas who wish to escape the pressure of urban living to enjoy the fresh air and country lifestyle. The potential to further develop tourism as a viable source of income to Gloucester is immense following the success of art and musical festivals in such places as Forbes, Trundle, Tamworth, Byron Bay. Gloucester's unspoiled environment, situated a pleasant drive from major urban centres makes it a perfect venue for such tourist events.
An open-cut coalmine within 5km of Gloucester and within sight of the Bucketts Way will have an impact on the visual amenity of the area and the dust and health risks associated with the mine adversely affects this amenity. The mine will risk the jobs of hundreds employed in the tourism industry

4. Environment
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 5 times in 4 years, with 2 floods occurring in 2013. There is definite potential for contamination of the water in the catchment. This is an unacceptable risk to the enviroment.

This mine should not be approved. Government needs to take into account the real potential for disasterous consequences of this project given the history of flooding in the area and the extreme health hazard created with the dust and pollution from this most disruptive type of mine. Gloucester has the resources to provide viable alternatives in agriculture and tourism owned by local residents to whom the benefits should rightly go. The success of these local enterprises are put at grave risk with the introduction of this mine.


Yours faithfully
Claire Armstrong


I have not made a reportable political donation

To the employees of the Planning and Environment department,

It is about time you take a stand and refuse this open cut coal mine. I will not go into details as to why you should refuse this application because you know very well that we cannot afford the local, national and global impacts of fossil fuel expansion.

The cost benefit analysis claims a net benefit but this does not take into account the ongoing health and environmental impacts. To allow even one new coalmine is to accept that you are a science denier - http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/

Are you all willing to admit that you are science deniers in the Department of Planning and Environment? Do you want a future for your children, grandchildren and everything else you love on this planet?

I am 56 years old and have allowed myself to be arrest 5 times in civil disobedience actions against the expansion of the fossil fuel industry because I believe that the future of biodiversity, our food supply and a liveable climate is more important than myself.

However important you think your jobs are, they are less important than the future survival of your families, so I am relying on you to open up your minds, get creative and to prolong and ultimately knock back this application.

Yours faithfully
Annette Schneider

Through the revision, great attention and care has been given to minimize impact and disturbance.

A project such as this brings significant economic benefit to an area through direct employment and supporting employment(multiplier effect)

I have not made any reportable political donations in the past two years

I wholly support this project as we need investment in NSW and it will:
* Provide direct employment / jobs,
* Generate work for goods and service providers; and
* Provide government taxes and royalties.
I support the project as I understand it will undergo rigorous environmental and social assessment, regulation, monitoring and scrutiny.

I oppose the Rocky Hill Coal Project, and also the Stratford Coal Extension Project (SSD-4966 MOD 1).

I visit Gloucester frequently and have friends there. It is also within the same catchment of the river that I live on and that is the source of our town water (the Manning River). The proposed mine is both unnecessary and irresponsibly risky.

I am appalled that the state government would even consider approving an open cut coal mine so close to Gloucester homes.

If Rocky Hill coal mine proceeds in any form, the scenic beauty and peaceful perception of the Gloucester valley will be lost forever. Mine blasts, dust, heavy vehicle movements and constant heavy machinery noise 6 days per week is a disaster for rural Gloucester. This will lead to a drop in tourists which will cancel out any economic benefits claimed by Gloucester Resources Ltd. My friends tell me the published government statistics show that Gloucester tourism is worth $51 million each year, this is too important to risk.

I am also very concerned about any health issues that will inevitably arise from living near this mine. It is known that living near coal mines has a detrimental effect on health, including asthma and heart disease. The NSW Department of Health cannot deny the risks. I fear for the health of my friends.

We are also seeing the impacts of climate change constantly, and we know that a big contributor to the problem is green house gas emissions from fossil fuels. All new power development should be in the area of renewables. A new coal project is beyond irresponsible when we have the means for alternatives.

I ask that the NSW Planning Department do the right thing and not approve Rocky Hill coal mine. It is too close to Gloucester, too risky for the communityÂ's health, too risky for tourism, and too risky for climate change.

I oppose this proposal for a new open cut coal mine due to the deleterious effects on health and the environment, as well as Australia's inability to ratify the Paris agreement if we continue to forge ahead with new fossil fuel developments.

I am devastated to see that Gloucester is once again under threat of environmental destruction. This proposed mine is way too close to the township and puts at risk the water supply and air quality and health of the town.
As has been seen elsewhere in the state, granting permission is a mere foot in the door for a mining company and the conditions and scope of the permission are continually sought to be changed allowing further infringement on the community. Mines rarely provide the promised benefits to townships and they disadvantage anyone involved in the business of tourism who again see their business future in doubt.

I oppose the Rocky Hill Coal Project for the following reasons:
1. Noise - Increased traffic on Jacks Road and Machinery associated with Mining will create excessive noise where we live, noise can be responsible for both auditory and non-auditory health damage.
2. Particulate (Dust) Production Â- Mining including blasting creates both particulates and gases, which can affect our health. The enclosed Gloucester valley retards dispersion of air pollution. Air pollution is a leading cause of disease and death globally.
3. Blasting Â- Blasting so close to residential areas is not acceptable. Blasting causes air pollution, structural damage to brick homes from vibrations, fly rock housing damage & excessive noise and should not be carried out in close proximity to Rural Housing Estates & the Gloucester Township.
4. Water Â- There is a high risk of saline water overflow into the Manning River Catchment and negative impact of saline water flows to the local creeks and streams and the groundwater table from the soakage zone. The Avon River is known for its capacity to flood, putting the storage dams at this open-cut coal mine at high risk of overflow. The excavation of coal will also disrupt local drainage patterns, altering the flow regime of local creeks and streams.
5. Amenity Barriers Â- The construction of Amenity Barriers produces the added problems of excessive dust and noise and with full vegetation cover of these barriers possibly taking up to seven years, they are highly likely to be unsightly.
6. Financial Viability Â- The mine will need to expand to make it financially viable. This expansion will move it even closer to Gloucester, exacerbating the problems mentioned.
7. Rehabilitation Â- A high percentage of mining companies liquidate, move on and leave the clean-up to taxpayers.
8. Ecological Impacts Â- Habitat and foraging vegetation of nine threatened fauna species will be cleared. Disruption to the ground and surface water systems will impact downstream aquatic ecology. What will become of the Grey Crowned Babbler (threatened species) colony, currently situated along McKinleyÂ's Lane?

The Rocky Hill Coal Project is too close to the Gloucester Township and its associated Rural Residential subdivisions. Please DO NOT approve this project.