United Wambo Open Cut Coal Mine

Submission attached

I object to the Wambo and United coal mine proposal because it is grossly excessive in an environment where most local people in the Hunter Valley now want NO more coal; including many who have lived by it. There is evidence and numbers.

People now want a future; clean and productive jobs in what is left of our agricultural environment. Clean and healthy jobs in transitional projects for renewable energy.

I want my only practical route to Sydney left intact; I can use only the Golden Highway and Wallaby Scrub road to get to and from Sydney, Over years I have seen the shocking destruction of the environment which now sickens us all and repels all tourism.

Mining has done its filthy work. Give us no more, leave us some land, some health and some pride in our Valley.

Dear NSW Government, I OBJECT to this application by a company in the process of filing for bankruptcy.

in the film Black Hole, then environment minister Tony Burke asks what a final void is. Lock the Gate Alliance's Carmel Flint is astounded. "You should know, you've approved enough of them".

In the United States mining companies are forced to fill in coal pits at the end of a mine's life. This is not the case in Australia where they become "final voids" - big, open mining pits hundreds of metres deep and kilometres long that fills with water, act as a magnetic draw for water and sterilise the land from productive use. The pits become vast, ugly, saline lakes, and pose serious risks to local groundwater with the massive high walls compromise public safety. This proposed mine expansion has TWO such final voids.

New research from Lock the Gate Alliance shows there are already at least 45 voids planned or approved in NSW, comprising 6,050 hectares that will remain unfilled in NSW once the coal mining boom ends, which combined form an area greater than Sydney Harbour. (1)

At the very least I call on the NSW govt - IF approving this new superpit in the Hunter with the coal destined for export- to take rehabilitation bond from Peabody that will cover the remediation of these two pits.

Water is NSW's most precious resource. The qualitative and quantitative impact on water from coal mining should be a major consideration in any mine approval - not just during its lifetime but afterwards. Both Wollombi Brook and the Hunter River will lose more base flows due to this mine and the social and environmental impacts on the water impact of this mine have not been adequately accounted for. Nor the cumulative impact of the co2 emissions by digging up more coal.

It is unbelievable that the company Peabody Energy, now in bankruptcy, could be considered "fit and proper" under the Mining Act to have this expansion approved. Wollongong Coal is already being investigated by the NSW government under the NSW Mining Act (1992) for its financial insecurity and so should Peabody Energy (2). IF Peabody cannot pay now a rehabilitation bond for filling in the final voids at the end of the mine's life THEN THIS project cannot be approved.

Isabel McIntosh

1. `New report maps shows scale of unfilled coal pits in NSW', (Lock the Gate, 2016) Retrieved from http://www.lockthegate.org.au/report_unfilled_super_sized_coal_pit
2. Mining Act 1992 http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/ma199281/

I object to United Wambo Open Cut Coal Mine Project for the following reasons:
- United Wambo is a super pit in an area of the Hunter Valley where cumulative impacts of mining are already too great.
-two large final voids will be left in the landscape.
-poor air quality in the area will continue to worsen.
-38 residences will be impacted by more noise.
-the project is not an ecologically sustainable development.
-Peabody Energy is a bankrupt and not fit to hold a mining lease.

1. Cumulative impacts on the region need to be taken into consideration
2 More final voids must not be approved in the Hunter. Enough already
3 Greenhouse gases are causing climate change. Time to move away from coal was a decade ago.
4 Clearing more valley floor vegetation must not occur

United Wambo Open Cut Coal Mine project
SSD 7142
Both partners of this joint venture have history that should be considered to reject the project outright.
* Wambo Coal has a long record of action outside its consent conditions.
* Wambo has also shown continued failure to comply with conditions of consent set to protect the creeks and aquifers.
DA 98/159 clearly highlighted the need for concern of authorities to impose:
(x) Where the subsidence monitoring shows that adverse effects are occurring on Stony Creek and South Wambo Creek, the mine plan being designed to minimise or eliminate such effects.
Condition 21 of DA 108/91 specifically reinforced the position:
4. Immediately following the issue of development consent and thence at three monthly intervals, the replenishment rates and the quality of water in wells will be established. The flow and quality of surface streams is to be similarly established.
8. Wambo undertakes to:
(a) Provide in the event of an interruption to water supplies either through a change in quality or quantity, for whatever period, an equivalent amount of water of at least equivalent quality to a location convenient to the private landowner. If required Wambo is to provide at its cost a storage receptacle appropriate for the volume of water to be delivered.
(b) Take such steps as are reasonably available to ensure the continual flow of water in the natural streams servicing the properties; and
(c) Take such steps as are necessary to overcome the sterilisation of lands through ponding.
As stated in DA 305-7-2003, DA 108/91(Singleton Council) remains active since 2004 but this is largely ignored by Wambo Coal, Singleton Council and the Department of Planning and the Environment.
* The creeks and the aquifers are still not being monitored and repair to both the land and the aquifers has yet to be adequately performed.
* Subsidence is ongoing despite the allegations by Wambo and its consultants.
* The United mine was to cease mining four years ago and has not been operational for six years. This new project benefits both sets of mine owners. Both mines appear to be contributing to a lesser rehabilitation by this application. Wambo will avoid the rehabilitation obligations for of the current mine and United will be able to continue mining and hence stall off the requirements due as of four years ago.
* Rail traffic increases from six to eight trains per day
* The height of the spoil heaps will increase again, beyond the approval of the Wambo's current consent.
This increase will add to impacts regarding dust, noise and visual impacts.
Mobile phone service has been currently reduced because of the increasing heights and will be further reduced. This is a potential danger to the community and workers.
* This project will clear 464ha of vegetation, with 56% of the offset requirement met through future mine rehabilitation.
* Allegedly only 38 nearby residences will be impacted by increased noise pollution from this project. This is reliant on Wambo history which is disputable.
* The continuing loss of community with farmers and private residents will depopulate what is left of this regional social fabric.
* Threatened species will lose important habitat if this project proceeds.
* The cumulative impact on the aquifers by the local mines is not fully assessed. Nothing is done to accept the impact of increased loss to aquifers by another 4 metres or to make good replacement for these losses. Both Wambo and Glencore offer claims of a 4Km Buffer zone reference to aquifer and bores.
Previous mining has already seriously impacted on the surface waters, particularly Wambo Creek and the aquifers that supplied water to the neighbouring properties. It is nonsense to indicate a buffer zone exists to halt impact.
The Wambo mine has already had a significant subsidence impact on Wambo Creek to the point where the state of the creek has been downgraded from permanent in 1991 to ephemeral today. This condition is the result of previous mining in contradiction to consent conditions and the lack of monitoring hampers further progress towards repairs.
Our wells have been reduced from productive to almost totally useless - another 4 metres will have them unable to produce.
Required repair work to the creek and the property has not been carried out under conditions of approval and management plans. This issue has been ongoing since longwall mining commenced in 1990.
* Visual impacts and intrusive light. These impacts have increased since Wambo recommenced open cut operations under DA 108/91. The spoil heaps are an eyesore from all aspects. Light impacts on our home regularly and is also evident when driving home at night along Wambo Road and our ROW. All this will increase with the new mine.
* Air Quality. The economic cost of worsening air quality from coarse particle pollution is not counted. This has become progressively worse under the Wambo open cut operation. Dust is deposited on and inside our home and in our rainwater supply. This will increase with this project as will the noise impact, despite assurances offered.
* Consultants rely on information that is not accurate e.g. Wambo Coal bushfire management plan WCPL2013 has never been correct since first written.

This project should not be approved.

Ron Fenwick
PO Box 62
Singleton 2330

1. United Wambo is a joint venture superpit in an area of the Hunter Valley where cumulative impacts of mining are already too great
2. An important area of critically endangered bushland supporting habitat for over 20 threatened species will be destroyed and cannot be offset
3. Two large final voids will be left in the landscape
4. Wollombi Brook and the Hunter River will lose more base flows
5. Poor air quality in the region will continue to worsen
6. 38 residences will be impacted by increased mine noise
7. The long term problem of the greenhouse gases and consequent contribution to climate change from mining and burning this coal far out weigh the short term benefits.
8. There will be no public benefit from the project, cumulative social and environmental impacts have not been adequately accounted for
9. Peabody Energy, now in bankruptcy, is not fit and proper to hold a mining lease
10. The project is not an ecologically sustainable development

The social and ecological implications upon opening this coal mine far outweigh any economic advantage that could ever be gained. The ramifications will be disastrous and irreversible.

- This project proposes clearing 464ha of vegetation, close to half of which is Central Hunter Valley Eucalypt Forest, a critically endangered ecological community under the Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act.
- The impacts of this project on biodiversity will be unacceptable and it must be refused development consent. It will clear 223ha of a critically endangered ecological community, including moderate to good quality patches that are critical to the community's survival.
- The proponent is offering a 'biodiversity offset' package that will protect just 7% of the required area of this community protection as existing woodland. In contrast 56% of the offset requirement is proposed to be met through future mine rehabilitation. This is a clear violation of the 25% limit on meeting offset obligations through mine rehab promises, and is a clear indication that impacts on this community cannot be offset and the mine should be refused consent.
- 38 nearby residences are predicted to be impacted by increased noise pollution from this project. This area of the Hunter has been severely depopulated because of large scale mining, and further loss of farmers and private residents will cause ongoing destruction of regional social fabric. Increased dust emissions will also exacerbate health problems in the region.
- Threatened species such as the Spotted-tailed Quoll will lose important habitat if this project proceeds. These species are already in severe trouble and any further loss of habitat will drive them towards extinction.
- This mine and the three surrounding it will cause more than two metres draw down in the productive alluvial aquifers of the Hunter River and Wollombi Brook. The cumulative loss of water and productivity in these water sources and the wholesale destruction of surface water catchments for their tributaries is already too great.
- This project has been developed at the expense of the owners of the United mine fulfilling obligations to close and remediate a mine that has been inoperational for six years and which was supposed to cease mining altogether four years ago.
- It's going to leave behind two final voids, and delay rehabilitation at both the United and Wambo mine sites. Final voids are an unacceptable impact of mining that damage waterways for hundreds of years into the future, and are not wanted by the NSW community.
- This is the first mine to be assessed under new economic assessment guidelines, but the economics of it don't stack up.
- There's increased unemployment in the local area for this project since early 2014. Over the same period at least half a dozen damaging mine expansion projects were approved by the State Government on the basis that doing so would be good for employment in the region. New mine approvals are not securing jobs in the Hunter, and we need another strategy.
- This mine is going to exacerbate the oversupply of coal in the export market, which has been a key driver of job losses. Further oversupply will drive further drops in the price of coal and this will lead to lay-offs and even mine closures, as it has in the last two years.
- Despite applying the new economic guidelines, the assessment of the mine fails to include the economic cost of worsening air quality from coarse particle pollution and lost water from the Hunter River and Wollombi Brook.
- It also fails to include the economic cost of the downstream greenhouse gas emissions from the coal mined at the site. The downstream emissions likely to be generated by this project are 259.3 million tonnes. Applying the per tonne carbon costs used in the economic assessment in Appendix 19, this would result in costs of a staggering $2.3-4.9 billion, dramatically reversing the proponent's claim that this mine will have a net economic benefit.
- The Hunter Valley can't afford to lose any more of its critically endangered remnant woodland. It can't afford any worsening air quality or any more draw down of its rivers and alluvial aquifers. It can't afford to worsen the oversupply of coal that is costing jobs. It cannot afford this mine, and the project should not be approved

This project proposes clearing 464ha of vegetation, close to half of which is Central Hunter Valley Eucalypt Forest, a critically endangered ecological community under the Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act.

The impacts of this project on biodiversity will be unacceptable and it must be refused development consent. It will clear 223ha of a critically endangered ecological community, including moderate to good quality patches that are critical to the community's survival.

The proponent is offering a 'biodiversity offset' package that will protect just 7% of the required area of this community protection as existing woodland. In contrast 56% of the offset requirement is proposed to be met through future mine rehabilitation. This is a clear violation of the 25% limit on meeting offset obligations through mine rehab promises, and is a clear indication that impacts on this community cannot be offset and the mine should be refused consent. In addition the whole concept of 'biodiversity offsets' is ridiculous and should be scrapped as a condition - if biodiversity is harmed we need to recognise we may have to wear that harm forever. The decision should be made acknowledging that rather than pretending it's not the case.

38 nearby residences are predicted to be impacted by increased noise pollution from this project. This area of the Hunter has been severely depopulated because of large scale mining, and further loss of farmers and private residents will cause ongoing destruction of regional social fabric. Increased dust emissions will also exacerbate health problems in the region.
Threatened species such as the Spotted-tailed Quoll will lose important habitat if this project proceeds. These species are already in severe trouble and any further loss of habitat will drive them towards extinction.
This mine and the three surrounding it will cause more than two metres draw down in the productive alluvial aquifers of the Hunter River and Wollombi Brook. The cumulative loss of water and productivity in these water sources and the wholesale destruction of surface water catchments for their tributaries is already too great.

This project has been developed at the expense of the owners of the United mine fulfilling obligations to close and remediate a mine that has been inoperational for six years and which was supposed to cease mining altogether four years ago.

It's going to leave behind two final voids, and delay rehabilitation at both the United and Wambo mine sites. Final voids are an unacceptable impact of mining that damage waterways for hundreds of years into the future, and are not wanted by the NSW community.

This is the first mine to be assessed under new economic assessment guidelines, but the economics of it don't stack up.

There's increased unemployment in the local area for this project since early 2014. Over the same period at least half a dozen damaging mine expansion projects were approved by the State Government on the basis that doing so would be good for employment in the region. New mine approvals are not securing jobs in the Hunter, and we need another strategy.

This mine is going to exacerbate the oversupply of coal in the export market, which has been a key driver of job losses. Further oversupply will drive further drops in the price of coal and this will lead to lay-offs and even mine closures, as it has in the last two years.

Despite applying the new economic guidelines, the assessment of the mine fails to include the economic cost of worsening air quality from coarse particle pollution and lost water from the Hunter River and Wollombi Brook.

It also fails to include the economic cost of the downstream greenhouse gas emissions from the coal mined at the site. The downstream emissions likely to be generated by this project are 259.3 million tonnes. Applying the per tonne carbon costs used in the economic assessment in Appendix 19, this would result in costs of a staggering $2.3-4.9 billion, dramatically reversing the proponent's claim that this mine will have a net economic benefit.

The Hunter Valley can't afford to lose any more of its critically endangered remnant woodland. It can't afford any worsening air quality or any more draw down of its rivers and alluvial aquifers. It can't afford to worsen the oversupply of coal that is costing jobs. It cannot afford this mine, and the project should not be approved.

We object to this proposal for the reasons outlined in the attached document.

Seen enclosed attachment

I object to the ptoject due to its impact on an area that contains many endangered species. This area cannot be offset as this habitat has been reduced to critical levels.
Peabody has been declared bankrupt in USA and as such it is not a fit entity to undertake this project. As a tax payer, I most likely, will have to contribute to footing the bill to fill in the remaining void. The void remaining after mining will be too large for the Company to rehabilitate economically and will be either left, or mine placed in caretaker mode or the taxpayers foot the bill.
My main objection relates to its contribution to global warming via its greenhouse gases emissions. No new mines or extensions should be permitted. In my opinion, the effect of this Project on the future adverse climatic conditions has not been taken into account. The burning of the coal by the end user must be considered as well as the impact of the extraction process.

further mining is plain wrong. move toward sustainable futures.

1. United Wambo is a joint venture superpit in an area of the Hunter Valley where cumulative impacts of mining are already too great
2. An important area of critically endangered bushland supporting habitat for over 20 threatened species will be destroyed and cannot be offset
3. Two large final voids will be left in the landscape
4. Wollombi Brook and the Hunter River will lose more base flows
5. Poor air quality in the region will continue to worsen
6. 38 residences will be impacted by increased mine noise
7. 259.3 million tonnes of additional greenhouse gases will be generated
8. There will be no public benefit from the project, cumulative social and environmental impacts have not been adequately accounted for
9. Peabody Energy, now in bankruptcy, is not fit and proper to hold a mining lease
10. The project is not an ecologically sustainable development

I write to object to the United Wambo Open Cut Coal Mine Project.

There are major concerns about the following:
- The destruction of an important area of critically endangered bushland supporting habitat for over 20 threatened species - any 'offset' cannot compensate.
- The resultant two large final voids that will be left in the landscape, without any guarantee (financial or otherwise) that they can or will be remediated
- Loss of base flows from the Wollombi Brook and the Hunter River will lose more base flows
- Further contribution to already poor air quality in the region
- Increased noise affecting more than 30 properties
- Hundreds of millions of tonnes of additional greenhouse gases will be generated
- The cumulative social and environmental impacts have not been adequately accounted for
- Peabody Energy, now in bankruptcy, is not fit and proper to hold a mining lease
- The project is not an ecologically sustainable development

It is long past time to recognise that Australia is to play its part in avoiding the most dangerous effects of human induced climate change, no expansion of coal mining can be permitted.

This project must not be allowed to proceed.

Please see the Lock the Gate Alliance submission attached.

This project proposes clearing 464ha of vegetation, close to half of which is Central Hunter Valley Eucalypt Forest, a critically endangered ecological community under the Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act.

The impacts of this project on biodiversity will be unacceptable and it must be refused development consent. It will clear 223ha of a critically endangered ecological community, including moderate to good quality patches that are critical to the community's survival.

The proponent is offering a 'biodiversity offset' package that will protect just 7% of the required area of this community protection as existing woodland. In contrast 56% of the offset requirement is proposed to be met through future mine rehabilitation. This is a clear violation of the 25% limit on meeting offset obligations through mine rehab promises, and is a clear indication that impacts on this community cannot be offset and the mine should be refused consent.

38 nearby residences are predicted to be impacted by increased noise pollution from this project. This area of the Hunter has been severely depopulated because of large scale mining, and further loss of farmers and private residents will cause ongoing destruction of regional social fabric. Increased dust emissions will also exacerbate health problems in the region.
Threatened species such as the Spotted-tailed Quoll will lose important habitat if this project proceeds. These species are already in severe trouble and any further loss of habitat will drive them towards extinction.
This mine and the three surrounding it will cause more than two metres draw down in the productive alluvial aquifers of the Hunter River and Wollombi Brook. The cumulative loss of water and productivity in these water sources and the wholesale destruction of surface water catchments for their tributaries is already too great.

This project has been developed at the expense of the owners of the United mine fulfilling obligations to close and remediate a mine that has been inoperational for six years and which was supposed to cease mining altogether four years ago.

It's going to leave behind two final voids, and delay rehabilitation at both the United and Wambo mine sites. Final voids are an unacceptable impact of mining that damage waterways for hundreds of years into the future, and are not wanted by the NSW community.

This is the first mine to be assessed under new economic assessment guidelines, but the economics of it don't stack up.

There's increased unemployment in the local area for this project since early 2014. Over the same period at least half a dozen damaging mine expansion projects were approved by the State Government on the basis that doing so would be good for employment in the region. New mine approvals are not securing jobs in the Hunter, and we need another strategy.

This mine is going to exacerbate the oversupply of coal in the export market, which has been a key driver of job losses. Further oversupply will drive further drops in the price of coal and this will lead to lay-offs and even mine closures, as it has in the last two years.

Despite applying the new economic guidelines, the assessment of the mine fails to include the economic cost of worsening air quality from coarse particle pollution and lost water from the Hunter River and Wollombi Brook.

It also fails to include the economic cost of the downstream greenhouse gas emissions from the coal mined at the site. The downstream emissions likely to be generated by this project are 259.3 million tonnes. Applying the per tonne carbon costs used in the economic assessment in Appendix 19, this would result in costs of a staggering $2.3-4.9 billion, dramatically reversing the proponent's claim that this mine will have a net economic benefit.

The Hunter Valley can't afford to lose any more of its critically endangered remnant woodland. It can't afford any worsening air quality or any more draw down of its rivers and alluvial aquifers. It can't afford to worsen the oversupply of coal that is costing jobs. It cannot afford this mine, and the project should not be approved.

I oppose the Wombo Project.
This mine is being assessed on its biodiversity by the unpublished 'Upper Hunter Strategic Assessment'. Apparently assessed under current laws and policies. How are they laws when they have not been endorsed by the Govt?
The mining companies have access to the information in the assessment but the public do not. This process is biased to the mining companies and not fair and equitable towards the community who have to live with the consequences of the decision. That the mining companies paid $93,000 to cover costs for the assessment harks back to the fox and chicken scenario.
The critically endangered 200 hectares of 'Central Hunter Valley Eucalypt Forest' is ignored as being unimportant when compared to 250 jobs. What isn't taken into account is that people can find jobs elsewhere but the forest when gone is GONE forever. It is hypercritical of the NSW Govt. to label an area as critically endangered and then bulldoze it for a coal mine.
That and the reasons below are why I object to the expansion of this mine.
1. United Wambo is a joint venture superpit in an area of the Hunter Valley where cumulative impacts of mining are already too great
2. An important area of critically endangered bushland supporting habitat for over 20 threatened species will be destroyed and cannot be offset
3. Two large final voids will be left in the landscape
4. Wollombi Brook and the Hunter River will lose more base flows
5. Poor air quality in the region will continue to worsen
6. 38 residences will be impacted by increased mine noise
7. 259.3 million tonnes of additional greenhouse gases will be generated
8. There will be no public benefit from the project, cumulative social and environmental
impacts have not been adequately accounted for
9. Peabody Energy, now in bankruptcy, is not fit and proper to hold a mining lease
10. The project is not an ecologically sustainable development

It is time to get out of expanding coal mines. Give the Upper Hunter a new lease of life. Get out of the dust and move towards the light.