Rocky Hill Coal Mine

I strongly oppose the Rocky Hill Coal Mine and the Stratford Coal Modification Application Number SSD-4966 MOD 1.
This beautiful and unique area has already experienced the negative impact that mining has on the environment and everyday living. Not to mention the danger of additional traffic on an already notorious road. Another twenty years of mining so close to Gloucester is ludicrous! There are other alternatives that are more appropriate for the area and the future of our world. These need to be explored before further damage is inflicted on
this community.

I strongly oppose the proposed development of this coalmine for many reasons.

Gloucester at present, is a quiet, pretty town and a dirty coal mine will be a blight on the landscape. It is also situated too close to residents who will be affected by dust, grit, dirt and noise.

Another reason is I am opposing this development is the fact that I live in the beautiful Great Lakes area and do not want to see our beautiful pristine lake system affected by run off from the various rivers that will no doubt be affected from this proposed development seeing as Gloucester is a catchment area.

Yours sincerely
Kaia Mitchell

I oppose the Rocky Hill open cut coal mine project due to its negative impact on the health of the local community, the damage to the environment and the impact on climate change.

I object to the project.
We should be moving towards a transition stage to renewables not developing Mir mine infrastructure.

Name: Ben Coombes

Address: 9 Newcombe Street, Castlemaine, Victoria 3450

personal inf. not for publication No


I have not made a reportable political donation
Date: 14/10/16

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

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

Dear Sir/Madam

I oppose the Rocky Hill Coal Project and the Stratford Modification

I Grew up in Gloucester and my family still live in the town. Although living in Victoria I still go there regularly to visit.

One would have to ask, why would the NSW Government justify a green field coal mine just 900metres from a residential area. Gloucester is an area of rural beauty, with sustainable industries of tourism, dairies and cattle farming. Not the place for a coal mine.

Even coking coal is not in demand around the world. There is enough stockpiled to adequately supply the steel making industry. Coal mining is not a sustainable industry, with fluctuating prices and worker layoffs.

The benefit to the NSW Government and the people of NSW is debatable. GRL will pay $63M in revenue and $60M in taxes. The life of the mine is 16 to 20 years. That means the company is paying just over $3M a year for revenue and taxes. Most of the profit from this company will go overseas.

The NSW Government needs to invest in renewables, particularly in rural areas where employment is low. Towns, like Gloucester could be embracing the new world of solar, thermal solar, biomass, wind and hydro. So many options with huge benefits, like, reduced carbon emissions, lower power bills, regional economic development and stable job creation.

Gloucester could be the new renewables hub instead of following an out dated industry like coal. Isn't it about time we followed the rest of the world into the 21st century?

Yours faithfully

Ben Coombes

I oppose the Rocky Hill Coal Project.
There will be many submissions opposing this project submitted by eminent persons quoting voluminous facts and figures. Basically, however, this is a money making exercise, on the one hand by a corporation with no social conscience and on the other by a government desperate for mining royalties at any cost. At the end of the life of the mine (in one generation) Gloucester will be left with a series of large holes right up to the town boundary with no possibility of remediation. In the meantime the town will be subjected to all the dust and noise pollution associated with the extraction operation. If someone were to devise a plan to kill a town this would be it. If approval is given I am confident history will not be kind to those responsible. I know it would be a legacy no-one with any conscience would wish to leave.

personal inf. not for publication No


I have not made a reportable political donation
Date: 14/10/16

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

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

Dear Sir/Madam

I oppose the Rocky Hill Coal Project and the Stratford Modification

My Husband grew up in Gloucester and our family still live in the town. Although living in Victoria I still go there regularly to visit.

One would have to ask, why would the NSW Government justify a green field coal mine just 900metres from a residential area. Gloucester is an area of rural beauty, with sustainable industries of tourism, dairies and cattle farming. Not the place for a coal mine.

Even coking coal is not in demand around the world. There is enough stockpiled to adequately supply the steel making industry. Coal mining is not a sustainable industry, with fluctuating prices and worker layoffs.

The benefit to the NSW Government and the people of NSW is debatable. GRL will pay $63M in revenue and $60M in taxes. The life of the mine is 16 to 20 years. That means the company is paying just over $3M a year for revenue and taxes. Most of the profit from this company will go overseas.

The NSW Government needs to invest in renewables, particularly in rural areas where employment is low. Towns, like Gloucester could be embracing the new world of solar, thermal solar, biomass, wind and hydro. So many options with huge benefits, like, reduced carbon emissions, lower power bills, regional economic development and stable job creation.

Gloucester could be the new renewables hub instead of following an out dated industry like coal. Isn't it about time we followed the rest of the world into the 21st century?

Yours faithfully

I wish to submit an objection to the Rocky Hill Coal Mine proposal near Gloucester.
I regularly visit Gloucester and this proposed mine will create noise, dust, and heavy transport, causing a huge and irreparable negative impact in the Gloucester Valley.
The long term environmental effects of coal mines can not be undone.
Please do not approve this application. We already have so many problems from coal mines. The companies move in and rape the land and then move on. We already have enough denigrated wastelands from abandoned coal mines.

This area of NSW is not only beautiful country but a productive farming area as they say in the Bylong no coal hole in the food bowl. One has only to look at the mining destruction in the
Hunter valley to see what will happen the Gloucester area.
Please for the sake of future generations ,native habitats and
The people of Gloucester don't let this happen

Thank you

I oppose the Rocky Hill Coal Project.

Dear Sir / Madam

As any sane caring person in our community must, I oppose the development of the Rocky Hill Coal Mine as part of the Stratford Coal Extension Project.

The community of Gloucester gas been under threat of development from greedy energy companies for years now. After finally seeing off the coal seam gas extraction industry, they now have to take up arms against another dirty polluting destructive miner.

The damage to the environment in the Hunter Valley is testament to the destructive practices of coal mining. The proposed rehabilitation plan will do little to remediate the damage to the land and surrounding areas. As so often the mining companies vanish and leave a mess behind for local communities, Gloucester deserves better. The best way to ensure this does not happen is to NOT proceed with more dirty coal.

The impact of coal dust on the community of Gloucester will increase the likelihood of respiratory disease, particularly among children and the elderly.

The area around Gloucester is beautiful, a rich resource of natural beauty and wildlife. This all is under threat as the greedy mining companies move in. This "the natural beauty" of the region, is the resource that the community of Gloucester needs to develop

The night light pollution will be extensive. Anyone who has travelled in the Hunter Valley at night will be aware of the light pollution generated by the mining industry. We should be attempting to preserve areas such a s Gloucester as a dark sky reserve area.

The ongoing approvals of extension after extension of mining approvals is in direct contradiction to Australia's commitment to the Paris Climate Accord.

It is time to put communities first.

STOP THIS MINE DEVELOPMENT

yours sincerely
Brett Lesmond

Leveltec Engineering is An Australian Manufacturer of electrical material handling equipment. We are also a specialist supplier and sole Australian and New Zealand distributors for a host of high quality European manufactured products. The Gloucester based company employees electrical & Mechanical trades, logistics, administration and engineering staff.

We at Leveltec see the Rocky Hill Project as a key customer during construction and with on going plant maintenance for 'Leveltec Tilt Switches' and motor control equipment in conjunction with the existing Yancoal Stratford operation where Leveltec is a direct vendor. The continued work with these two organisations will provide ongoing sustainability for our Gloucester operations which will directly benefit the Gloucester community in the form of jobs, training of apprentices, growth of advance manufacturing technologies, export opportunities and injection of funding to local suppliers.

As i feel this is a state significant project. If it is held up at this stage by local government or NGO's due to minor or major perceived conditions a review into how major projects are approved must be overhauled.

I thank you for the opportunity to provide a submission and support of the rocky hill coal project.

Regards
Ben Stokes

I oppose the Rocky Hill Coal Project - Application No SSD-5156 and the Stratford Coal Extension Project - Application No SSD-4966 MOD 1
The many and varied detrimental health and environmental risks of coal mining, especially close to towns are well recognised by health and scientific specialists - not apparently by politicians and bureaucrats. Gloucester gas long been recognised as an area of great natural beauty and a destination for tourists and lately for retirees looking for a quiet haven. Eco- tourism which the area supports has a long term beneficial financial future, protecting the area for future generations which the noise, dust and air, water and visual pollution would destroy in the short term and the residing crater and water degradation, forever, This would not worry the overseas owners I am sure but our Government's duty is protecting, not hastening the destruction of this beautiful area.

I strongly advise that the NSW Government does not approve this mine,
Yours sincerely
Margaret Buchtmann

Thank you for this opportunity to make a submission in relation to the the proposed Rocky Hill Coal Project.

I object to the project in the strongest possible terms.

I base my objection on the following key concerns:

- The uncertain future of the coal market and thus of the project, where promises now can fade into nothing in the future (as demonstrated repeatedly at other developments throughout the Hunter and the state)

- The fact that such proposals rarely, if ever, present the whole likely future "catastrophe" insofar as there are almost always modifications and further stages planned. Communities should be entitled to understand the COMPLETE set of potential impacts rather than be shown the thin end of the wedge. Especially when thoughts are already being had as to what a Stage 2 might comprise such "slow reveal" project creep is unconscionable.

- The extraordinary proximity between the development and homes, with the attendant impacts on amenity (in all forms) and health. As experiences at Wollar and in the area of Wybong show, impacts on residents are almost always over underestimated and, ultimately - as the project continues - often only mitigable through aquisition, to the enormous detriment of local communities. The governments current intentions in relation to the the loosening of Industrial Noise Policy requirements and its appalling changes to the Voluntary Acquisition Policy only serve to amplify these concerns.

- The currently healthy local tourism sector will be unacceptably impacted, with such impacts (along with the full suite of currently unpriced externalities of the Rocky Hill proposal) likely far outweighing any (likely to be overestimated in any event) benefits arising from it.

Yours sincerely,


CRAIG SHAW
"Oakdale"
UPPER BYLONG

I oppose the rocky hill mine as we moved from the hunter region to escape the effects of coal mining on our health. I suffer badly from asthma, and heart disease. Since moving to the clean air of Gloucester my health has improved greatly. Now they wish to build a mine 1.8km from my front door which I find very disturbing causing me much anxiety and I feel this mine will be very detramental to both my physical and mental health.

I oppose the rocky hill mine as i have recently moved to gloucester to escape the pollution from the hunter valley coal mines causing my husband to suffer badly from his asthma and cardio vascular conditions. Since moving hear over the past year my husbands health has improved dramaticly with the fresh clean air. The mine will also reduce the tourism in gloucester as mining deters people from coming to the once clean country fresh air. Prime farming land is also going to be ruined by mining.

Our family moved to Gloucester for a variety of reasons, primarily health and wellbeing focused. I'm a mother of four, who suffered an Acute Lung Injury following a critical illness. My lung function is poor, as is my general health. This of course impacts the overall wellbeing of my family. I need to breathe clean fresh air, and I want my husband and children to be breathing clean fresh air too. It is a basic human right, surely.

I don't believe any new mines or mine expansions should be approved for operation in 2016. To approve a new mine in the untouched Gloucester Valley would be a huge mistake. Indeed it is the opposite of what should happen here. The town should instead be supported as a centre for clean green industries, which would indeed be a perfect fit for the area.

On behalf of myself and my children, I urge careful consideration of the very real negative impacts of mining just 900m from Gloucester town, followed by swift rejection of the project. No mining for the Gloucester valley.

I am unequivocally opposed to any expansion of the Rocky Hill coal mine.
The proposed pits are situated too close to the residential estate of Forbesdale and barely 3km from Gloucester township. The health risks that the mining processes pose for residents are unacceptable. The impacts on the residents' lifestyle due to blasting, air pollution and transporting will also be detrimental.
The environmental impacts that this mine expansion pose are also unacceptable. The dubious economic benefits put forward are far outweighed by the value of keeping the environment intact in this area. Gloucester and the Gloucester area boast beautiful, productive farm land and healthy waterways. This must be preserved for the future health of the environment and residents.
The Gloucester area is renowned for its beauty, which the $50 million tourist industry attests to. The Rocky Hill coal mine will compromise this thriving industry and it's potential to be a long term asset to the community.
Due to the known impacts of climate change upon the environment and it's inhabitants and the effects that coal mining is contributing to this disaster, it is irresponsible and reprehensible for any new coal projects to be permitted.
On these grounds, I object to the Rocky Hill coal mine in all respects.
Yours sincerely,

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.
Particulate pollution from open-cut mining is known to lead to reduced respiratory health and increased death rates in surrounding communities.
Open cut coal mining is completely incompatible being anywhere near a town with a nature-based tourist industry.
The community has no reason to trust condition commitments by the mine or the government planning department. These conditions can be changed later, and usually are.
The only acceptable outcome for the Rocky Hill application is to reject it outright.

I oppose the Rocky Hill Coal Mine (Rocky Hill Coal Project - Application No. SSD5156).

My husband and I live and work in the Gloucester area and we have 2 children under the age of 10. We have no political donations to report.

We wish for the healthiest possible environment for our children. The Rocky Hill Project will increase the amount of coal dust and diesel emissions in the environment, these are known health risks. I don't want this for our children.

I believe tourists and retirees who move to Gloucester for a 'tree-change' from the city are a fantastic asset to our town. Retirees inject a lot of money into the town over the long term and Gloucester need not supply them with a job in return. Many retirees choose Gloucester for its beautiful landscape and 'clean green' image. The Rocky Hill Coal Project is located too close to our town and will impact the natural beauty of the landscape. Health impacts will become far too evident and I fear our town will loose the desirable qualities currently attracting 'tree-changer' retirees to the area.

Please oppose the Rocky Hill Coal Project and help our town prosper long into the future.

I object to it!