Wallarah 2 Coal Mine

I object to the Amended Development Application for the Wallarah 2 coal mine. The amended application does not reduce the overall negative impacts of the mine proposal.
The amended application increases the negative health impacts on communities from Blue Haven to Newcastle. There are significant noise issues and major detrimental impacts on a number of communities from coal dust from conveyors and coal trucks on rail corridors.
It has a high probability of destroying the Central Coast's water supply. The proponent admits that there will be major subsidence under the catchment that will have serious impact on stream flows and aquifers. The costs from this aspect alone far exceed even the projected financial benefit to taxpayers. The PAC specified that there should be no net impact on potential catchment yield. It is clear from the EIS that this is impossible for the mine to comply with so it must be rejected.
The figures on jobs and financial benefits through royalties are exaggerated and incorrect. With concerted action on climate change outside Australia and plummeting prices for coal, the future for any coal mine is bleak. Projections of the production and lifetime for the mine cannot be substantiated. The Korean government recently announced that Kores will withdraw from any international arrangements so even if the mine were to start it has no long term future. It would be best to cut the taxpayers losses on this mine and reject it now to save further costs in future. There is no likelihood that any remedial work will be funded by the company who already have a bad track record on environmental matters.

I am writing to object to the Wallarah 2 mine amendment currently on exhibition. I object primarily out of concern regarding the impacts of subsidence on local residents and the Central Coast's drinking water catchment, and broadly out of concern on emissions, fugitive emissions and climate change.

The proposal to create 5270 cubic metres of semi-solid salt waste annually for at least 14 years, stored underground, with salty brine discharges into the Wallarah Creek system is unacceptable.
Broadly, the company has failed to consult the public, directly impact residents and landowners. Specifically, Wallarah 2 have failed to bring to the public any concept drawing of the new conveyor system and loading facility near Blue Haven.

Landholders are rightly concerned that conveyor system restricts land access and potential developments, meaning land would be devalued and hundreds of potential construction and other future jobs lost.

The measures to address dust are insufficient, particularly impacting on residents of Blue Haven and Wyee precincts, and estimations of site emissions are overly conservative.

KORES' overseas investments have an uncertain future - and it highly unlikely rehabilitation will be completed to an appropriate standard.

This Amendment should be rejected. Additionally, the whole project put aside due to many areas of risk.

We have lived in blue haven 24 years and I do not want to have this mine here , coal produces green house gases , and all so it can go to other country's ? It's not even for Australia's benefit .

I object to this submission due to the deterioration of air quality and the extra pressure that it will place on our already over stretched and under resourced health system on the coast

water is life
Coal and gas and other such forms of energy use are killing us.

I object to the proposed coal mine due to its affect on the land, native local animals, water & air quality. The Coal mine will produce 28 years of coal dust and permanent drinking water contamination. The land will never be restored to its beauty or fertility, animals will die or have to relocate. In this day and age we should be investing in clean, green energy, not opening more coal mines.

Given that we are in a state of climate emergency, and the world looks certain to overshoot the 2oC global warming target at the next El Nino, I must strongly object to this reckless plan to dig up 5 million tonnes of coal for 28 years.

This is reckless for several reasons:

1. We cannot keep burning coal and maintain a habitable global climate. We know this for a fact. It is irresponsible in the extreme to be opening new coal mines given this knowledge.

2. The price of coal globally is crashing as alternative technologies come in to replace coal and people become more aware of their energy usage. Gas and oil are also in decline. Renewable energy is the future. Within 10 years or less coal as a source of electricity will be consigned to the history books. We will have done massive damage to this area all to create a loss making stranded asset. Opening new coal mines just makes the transition we must make away from fossil fuels take longer and wastes a lot of time and money that should be invested in renewable energy.

3. This is farming country. Why would anyone want to dig up good farming land, waste massive amounts of water, and spread coal dust around everywhere, when this land is far more valuable for agriculture and will be for many. many years after coal is just a bad memory. The world needs food far more than it needs another coal mine.

4. This project has no social licence. The community is vehemently opposed to it. Our country should not be raped by foreign investors for their personal profit. Governments should certainly not allow them to do so. Governments should listen to the will of the people, especially those most impacted, and not to the wishes of private profiteers.

I OBJECT to the Wallarah 2 Coal Project. for the following reasons:

(1) Wallarah 2 Coal Project is a wrong mine in a wrong place. As a resident of Bulga in the Hunter Valley I know all about that.

(2) I fully support the objections to the approval of the Wallarah 2 Coal Project as outlined on the Lock the Gate website ( http://www.lockthegate.org.au/object_to_wallarah_2_coal_mine_again).

(3) Ninety nine percent of the leading climate scientists agree that 80% of the known coal reserves in the whole world must stay in the ground in order to avoid a catastrophic climate change in the near future. I think that they are right and so should you!

Jorge Tlaskal, BULGA.

I strongly object to this project going ahead due to the impact on the local environment. The Central Coast region's fast growing infrastructure means that the surviving natural environment should be preserved - not destroyed.

Please see attached file

This is way too close to existing homes, and residential land that will be developed soon. Coal dust and noise will impact on many people. I believe it also poses a significant risk to the health of underground water. Please don't allow this to go ahead.

Please see attached file

-I'm very concerned about investing in coal as an engegy source, the coast should've approving green energy projects.
-I'm also incredibly concerned about water pollution as well as wastage.
-I feel the coast is already over populated and under infrastructured and a project like this will harm both our wildlife and community

Please see attached file

I object to the Amended Development Application for the Wallarah 2 coal mine. The amended application does not reduce the overall impacts of the mine proposal, which far exceed any benefits it would bring to NSW.

The proposed mine:

Poses a serious risk to Wyong's drinking water supply. It will undermine a major tributary and the void is modelled to soak up 2.5 million litres of water per day for at least 500 years - water diverted from creek and groundwater systems. For these reasons, the mine is opposed by the Central Coast Water Corporation.

Is opposed by Darkinjung traditional owners, who are disgusted with the arrogance the mine proponent has shown them. Rather than seek to make amends with the Darkinjung land council, the company has sought to cut them out of the process.

Is opposed by the directly affected communities of the Dooralong Valley, Blue Haven, and Wyee areas, whose health and livelihoods are threatened by the project. It is unfair and undemocratic to ask local residents to bear the impacts of a project that will provide no overall public benefit.

Is of highly dubious commercial viability. The ultimate owners of the project, the Korean Government, recently announced a strategic restructure for their resources companies, including Kores, away from thermal coal. In fact, the thermal coal industry is in the throes of terminal decline - many analysts expect the market will never recover, in the face of accelerating global climate change and the rapid development of renewable energy. The "economic assessment" put forward by the mine proponents is completely untrustworthy, and there is no reason to expect the mine would provide the long term financial benefits to NSW - in the form of jobs and royalties - that are promised.

Poses a serious risk to Wyong's drinking water supply. It will undermine a major tributary and the void is modelled to soak up 2.5 million litres of water per day for at least 500 years - water diverted from creek and groundwater systems. For these reasons, the mine is opposed by the Central Coast Water Corporation.

Please see attached file

Please see attached file

I object to this coal mine proposal, in sympathy with the victims who live in the area.

I object to any investment in obsolete dirty technology that holds our country backward in forward thinking state of the art developments.

I object to the use of tax-payer money being used - in any way- on loss-making investments and mining industries that are past their use-by date.

And I object to any industry that risks polluting our air, land and water.

Please see attached file