South Keswick Quarry Continuation Project

Upon reading more of the EIS submissions I am concerned about conflicts of interest. It appears that Regional Group "commissions" others to complete a report, presumably for a fee. If this assumption is correct, it could give rise to an acute conflict of interest between the company that produced the report, and Regional Group. Hypothetically, what would be the benefit of paying for a report that does not support your position? Whilst a different industry, these acute conflicts of interest have been observed [1] before.
For example, the social impact assessment lists "High proportion of schools along primary haulage route." as a challenge with the proposal and "Increased focus on road safety for all schools..." as an opportunity. I wonder if is playing down the risk when a better opportunity could be to remove the risk.
Similarly the road issue seems to be a concern amongst others surveyed. In the summary the author recommends that "Regional Hardrock communicate to the local community that contributions are paid to Council ... " I do not feel this negates Councils statement that "Boundary Road between Sheraton Road and Wheelers Lane was not constructed for the purposes of a primary haulage route for the quarries’ operations."

Are there safeguards in place to reduce the likelihood of this, or procedures to follow should there be a suspected conflict of interest in a report? To clarify, I am not saying that there "are" conflicts of interest, just that the possibility exists and interested in what consideration is given if required.

[1] https://academic.oup.com/cmlj/article/17/3/334/6609964#:~:text=The%20leading%20international%20credit%20rating%20agencies%20(CRAs)%2C,issuers%20for%20ratings%20to%20fund%20their%20services.&text=The%20Credit%20Rating%20Agency%20Reform%20Act%20of%202006.

Public trust has been eroded by the Fake Green RenewaBULL Energy Poverty Grift & Ponzi Scheme/Scam - including MAAS Group plans - with their big slice of the predatory Transmission Rort that we don’t want or need at all with our own FAR SUPERIOR AUSTRALIAN POWER - let alone be unjustly forced to pay for by the non-independent, politicised, ROTTEN REGULATOR - who is UNJUSTLY ENABLING PREDATORY TRANSGRID, ENERGYCO & DODGY DEVELOPERS to experiment on the public with BOWEN’S BLACKOUT FUTURE - WITH NO ENGINEERING FACTS, NO SCIENTIFIC DETERMINATION, NO INTEGRITY & NO ETHICS.

The brazen deception, underhanded manipulation & sneaky trickery used by dodgy Approving bodies to unjustly push projects like this connected with the RenewaBULL SWINDLE through without proper scrutiny & consultation with affected communities is a betrayal of public trust & accountability - deserving of numerous high profile resignations & an essential ROYAL COMMISSION.

The presence of larger scale industrial operations can diminish the overall well-being and quality of life of residence in the surrounding areas.

I object to the South Keswick Quarry Continuation Project due to its potential environmental degradation, including dust pollution, habitat destruction, and increased truck traffic impacting local roads and residents. Continuing extraction risks long-term harm to air quality, water resources, and the surrounding ecosystem, outweighing any short-term economic benefits.

The threats to Public Health & Safety have not been considered by this Quarry plan not have it’s horrendous, industrialised, reckless energy related projects ever had their serious/irreversible risks determined by the dodgy Approving Bodies.
There is NO SOCIAL LICENCE in Dubbo Shire or Australia for the excessive scale of destruction from this proposed expansion & the ruinous renewable rubbish reliant on it - which all increases the risk of tragic accidents, environmental contamination, fire hazards & blackouts - all of which pose a serious threat to the safety of workers, the surrounding community & all Australians.

The sustainability of extending quarry operations is questionable, given the finite nature of the resource and the long-term environmental costs. And that not so renewables are done!

Im not Sure redirecting focus towards renewable energy investments can create jobs, reduce environmental impact, and position Australia as a leader in sustainable energy. Build more coal capacity.

I object to this development for the following reasons:

Damage to roads; the trucks from the quarry frequently use residential streets to transport materials that have already caused substantial damage on the main routes they take. This is most evident on Sheraton Road and Wheelers Lane as noted in the road safety report. Any continuation or expansion of the quarry is likely to place added burden on the council and rate payer to pay for repairs to roads more frequently that would otherwise be required. Whilst Regional Group does pay Developer Contributions the current state of the roads would suggest the current arrangement is not working. There are other roads in front of schools in town that do not have heavy vehicle traffic and they are in much better condition. This would suggest it is more likely the heavy vehicles, not the added traffic from school drop off's etc. that are contributing to the degradation of the roads.

I heard there was supposed to be a road built by MAAS/Regional Group from the Quarry to the highway (A32) so that the trucks did not have to use the residential streets. This could help with the residential roads and provide a route that does not go past schools as well as more adequately addressing the concerns raised in the road safety report. For example, whilst there are lanes for cyclists I would not ride a bike on that road knowing that there are trucks from the quarry using it as the road is not wide enough to feel safe. Given the loads they are carrying there is not enough room for error especially given the increased likelihood of being struck by a stray stone given the loads they carry and the unsealed roads they use.

Figure 2.8 in the traffic report suggests that there are no "NSW Restricted Vehicle Access" roads to the site. The picture has selections for b-doubles, however if my understanding is correct, Regional Group operates Heavy Rigid trucks with Trailers, thus it is not clear if the suitable infrastructure exists and is currently being used.

Proximity to schools; they quarry is close to local schools and the routes the trucks take go directly past them. It is evident that the community is concerned about this as council recently prohibited trucks from using Sheraton road during school zone times.

Proximity to residential areas; There is a submission from MAAS Group Properties to continue the expansion of the Southlakes area on the southern side of Boundary Road up to Sheraton road and potentially past it towards the road leading into the quarry. If not already done so, the environmental impacts of the continued operation and expansion of the quarry should take these future developments into account.

health; I am concerned about the impact of the development to people's health, especially those with Asthma and allergies. Dubbo does get hospitalisations from Storm Asthma [1]. The environmental impact assessments to not appear to assess any impact on pollen levels. Does this mean that there are no impacts on pollen levels, or it was not assessed?

The following is a general question, not an objection.
What happens if there is an environmental or health impact that is discovered in the future from the site or as part of the expansion should it be approved?

[1] https://www.nationalasthma.org.au/living-with-asthma/resources/patients-carers/factsheets/thunderstorm-asthma

Night operations can introduce light pollution, affecting nocturnal wildlife and disrupting natural circadian rhythms.

Continuous noise from quarry operations can disrupt wildlife communication, mating rituals, and predator-prey dynamics, leading to ecological imbalances.

The land designated for quarry expansion could be better utilized for sustainable agriculture, conservation, or eco-tourism, providing long-term benefits.

There are concerns about the adequacy of regulatory oversight to ensure compliance with environmental standards and to protect community interests.

The short-term economic gains from quarrying are minimal compared to the long-term environmental and social losses incurred by the community. I am very concerned this will impact furture generation.

Quarry projects often lead to community division, pitting economic interests against environmental and social concerns, thereby weakening community cohesion.

Alterations to the landscape can affect natural drainage patterns, potentially increasing flood risks in surrounding areas.

Land degradation from quarrying can lead to a loss of soil fertility, impacting future land use options and agricultural productivity.

The expansion may encroach upon or degrade local recreational areas, reducing community access to natural spaces for leisure and exercise.

Runoff from quarry sites can contaminate local waterways, harming aquatic ecosystems and reducing water quality for downstream users.

This quarry project will increase the contamination & pollution of our irreplaceable land & water sources, with excessive, unhealthy fumes being pumped into the atmosphere & increased road hazards - particularly through the intensive transport logistics required for moving quarry products in relation to the obnoxious, totally illogical & dangerously destructive renewable scam that is hurting communities & ruining Australia forever.

Increased industrial activity places additional strain on local infrastructure, necessitating costly upgrades and maintenance funded by taxpayers.