Warkworth Coal Mine Continuation

The mining industry is a highly needed resource in both supply of coal and finance to the area of the hunter valley as well as the NSW Government. The income and taxes provided to the state, and their benefits are enormous. The expansion benefits outweigh any negatives that may be exposed. As a state and a nation we have already drained this country of many large industries. If we progress in this manner we will become a country that has a very large monetary need with no work or industry to supply that wealth.

Hunter Valley has had too many closures and needs the jobs in the area.

I believe the Mount Thorley Warkworth mine expansion should go ahead because it will bring further growth and job stability to the hunter region.

I am writing to register my objection to the approval of both the Warkworth (SSD 6464) and Mt Thorley (SSD 6465) Continuation Projects.

The proposed projects will have significant environmental and social impacts, including but not limited to: biodiversity loss, air quality issues arising from coal dust, impacts on Aboriginal cultural heritage, impacts upon surface and ground water resources, and increase greenhouse gas emissions. The projects will significantly impact upon the ecology of the Warkworth Sands Woodland Endangered Ecological Community.

The Warkworth Continuation Project proposes to mine the same area of land as the previous 2010 Warkworth Extension application. That 2010 application was dismissed by both the Land and Environment Court and Supreme Court of NSW due to significant and unacceptable impacts on biological diversity, including on endangered ecological communities, noise impacts and social impacts. Although there are some differences in this new application, the broad scale impacts of the proposal remain the same.

These proposals have the potential to create long-term damage to threatened species, water and human health in the region and should be rejected.

I strongly oppose the Warkworth mine it will have excessive local impacts on water reserves and air quality. Destroy local habitat and have an impact on global carbon dioxide which also impacts on ocean acidification.

I am writing to object to the Warkworth and Mt Thorley Continuation Projects.
The scale of destruction in the Hunter Valley is totally unacceptable. The remaining Endangered Ecological Community should be protected at all costs. It is ridiculous to keep destroying native bush which cannot be replaced for the short term income of coal mining. In addition we now have a growing divestment movement against investing in fossil fuels and China is realizing that burning coal so that they can't breathe is not worth it . So coal mines will become stranded assets which no respectable person, bank or super fund will be investing in. This is all without the most obvious reason to stop expanding coal mines - climate change. Eventually the coal industry and those who allowed it to continue when the consequences were well known ( ie you) will be held legally accountable for the environmental destruction brought about by burning fossil fuels.

I am writing to register my objection to the approval of both the Warkworth (SSD 6464) and Mt Thorley (SSD 6465) Continuation Projects.

The proposed projects will have significant environmental and social impacts, including but not limited to: biodiversity loss, air quality issues arising from coal dust, impacts on Aboriginal cultural heritage, impacts upon surface and ground water resources, and increase greenhouse gas emissions. The projects will significantly impact upon the ecology of the Warkworth Sands Woodland Endangered Ecological Community.

The Warkworth Continuation Project proposes to mine the same area of land as the previous 2010 Warkworth Extension application. That 2010 application was dismissed by both the Land and Environment Court and Supreme Court of NSW due to significant and unacceptable impacts on biological diversity, including on endangered ecological communities, noise impacts and social impacts. Although there are some differences in this new application, the broad scale impacts of the proposal remain the same.

These proposals have the potential to create long-term damage to threatened species, water and human health in the region and should be rejected.

It is near to insulting to expect objectors to repeat the very obvious reasons for forbidding -- not mitigating but forbidding -- this and similar destructive mining developments. Where there is conflict between coal or csg and homes, schools, towns, farms, or precious aspects of our environment, honest and responsible government would advise the miners and frackers to move elsewhere.

This is a submission against both the Warkworth (SSD 6464) and Mt Thorley (SSD 6465) Continuation Projects.

The NSW Land and Environment Court ruled in April 2013 that expanding the Warkworth coal mine would do the NSW public more harm than good. Judge Preston found that the information used by Rio Tinto and NSW Planning in support of the project was wrong, and he overturned the approval.

When Rio Tinto and the NSW Government appealed that decision to the NSW Supreme Court (Court of Appeal), they lost. Two superior NSW courts have now ruled that Rio's plan to expand the Warkworth coal mine fails on merit.

The Bulga people and their many supporters justly assumed that this would be the end of the project. Instead, Rio Tinto have simply resubmitted their mining application. It has been split in two, and the name updated, but these two projects (SSD 6464 and SSD 6465) are effectively the same project that has been rejected by two NSW courts (MP 09_0202).

That the Planning Department has even accepted Rio Tinto's application is a failure of procedural fairness, and makes a farce of the very process you are now asking us, the public, to participate in. We are being asked to make submissions on a project that has already been through this very same assessment process and failed - only to be resubmitted. We are being asked to submit to a process overseen by a Department that is clearly working closely with the proponent to get the project approved, and which got the decision wrong the first time around. There can be no faith in this process.

The Department must respect the decisions of the NSW Land and Environment Court, and the NSW Supreme Court (Court of Appeal), and reject these applications.

I am writing to register my objection to the approval of both the Warkworth (SSD 6464) and Mt Thorley (SSD 6465) Continuation Projects.

The consideration here is not just about the people and wildlife in area directly affected by the mines. It's also about the future we want for NSW. A future where the wishes and welfare of communities are paramount, rather than taking second place to the interests of big business, and a future where our land and water are protected, for now and for future generations.

The proposed projects will have significant environmental and social impacts, including but not limited to: biodiversity loss, air quality issues arising from coal dust, impacts on Aboriginal cultural heritage, impacts upon surface and ground water resources, and increase greenhouse gas emissions. These projects will significantly impact upon the ecology of the Warkworth Sands Woodland Endangered Ecological Community.

The Warkworth Continuation Project proposes to mine the same area of land as the previous 2010 Warkworth Extension application. That 2010 application was dismissed by both the Land and Environment Court and Supreme Court of NSW due to significant and unacceptable impacts on biological diversity, including on endangered ecological communities, noise impacts and social impacts. Although there are some differences in this new application, the broad scale impacts of the proposal remain the same, and are still unacceptable.

These proposals have the potential to create long-term damage to threatened species, water and human health in the region and should be rejected, once and for all.

I strongly oppose this proposal.
The proposal is at odds with clear community concerns.
The proposal adversely affects the environment.
The proposal should not be allowed to proceed in the face clear opposition and previous court decisions.
It should never be the case that huge companies simply flex their financial power, and influence governments to attain their ends, to the detriment of communities.
Yours sincerely,
Richard Morgan

I am writing to register my objection to the approval of both the Warkworth (SSD 6464) and Mt Thorley (SSD 6465) Continuation Projects.

The proposed projects will have significant environmental, culutral and social impacts, including but not limited to: biodiversity loss, air quality issues arising from coal dust, impacts on Aboriginal cultural heritage, impacts upon surface and ground water resources, and increase greenhouse gas emissions. The projects will significantly impact upon the ecology of the Warkworth Sands Woodland Endangered Ecological Community.

The Warkworth Continuation Project proposes to mine the same area of land as the previous 2010 Warkworth Extension application. That 2010 application was dismissed by both the Land and Environment Court and Supreme Court of NSW due to significant and unacceptable impacts on biological diversity, including on endangered ecological communities, noise impacts and social impacts. Although there are some differences in this new application, the broad scale impacts of the proposal remain the same. it is a waste of taxpayers money to even consider these proposals again.

These proposals have the potential to create long-term damage to threatened species, water and human health in the region and should be rejected.

I support the Continuation Project.

Just approve it.
The community needs this.

I strongly oppose the Warkworth (SSD 6464) and Mt. Thorley (SSD 6465) projects. We do not need more coal and more energy. Instead, we should focus on using the existing energy more wisely. Some 40% of energy we generate is wasted. The world cannot afford adding any more coal fired power stations anywhere as negative environmental consequences will be disastrous and irreversible. Therefore, the coal should stay in the ground. No potential economic benefits or job creation could possibly outweigh the negatives.

Furthermore, there will be unacceptable local issues, such as greenhouse gas emissions, noise and dust pollution, threats to endangered ecological communities and diversity, air quality, social issues and so on.

It's time for our leaders to realise that continual expansion of economic activities is not desirable as it no longer has positive effects on our lives and health of the planet.

The above mentioned projects will add substantially to environmental degradation worldwide that will eventually bring misery and hardship to future generations - your children.

We object to this development as it encroaches on our organic vineyard and winemaking facilities. We established our venture at the foot of the beautiful and serene Wollemi National Park in Bulga, knowing that no mining would take place within 15km of our property. We have invested a huge sum of money to develop Mabrook Estate . Our investment in Mabrook Estate has been reduced by the mine's encroachment on our property. We are and will be suffering a huge economic loss due to the expansion of the mining. Apart from the organic vineyard and winemaking facility we also planned to establish an eco friendly tourist and accommodation facility to enjoy the beauty of the area. How can we entice visitors to our eco friendly property to observe the stars in the night sky, the stillness of the bush and the fresh air, when what they will experience will be noise and dust from bulldozers and mining equipment working throughout the night and day? What chance do we have of recuperating our investment?
Once upon a time we believed that mines and people could live in the same community. This was based on respecting a community's right to a lifestyle choice. By expanding mining exploration rights the village of Bulga is doomed.
We the locals of Bulga have lost not only a sense of belonging but great economic loss.
We therefore request that this expansion not be allowed.

I support the continuation of MTW because of the economic benefit for the local region and continued employment of 1300 local people.

I am writing to register my objection to the approval of both the Warkworth (SSD 6464) and Mt Thorley (SSD 6465) Continuation Projects.

The proposed projects will have significant environmental and social impacts.It is your job to protect agricultural land, water and natural resources for the good of people of NSW. NOT to facilitate a better bottom line for mining companies.

The Warkworth Continuation Project proposes to mine the same area of land as the previous 2010 Warkworth Extension application. That 2010 application was dismissed by both the Land and Environment Court and Supreme Court of NSW due to significant and unacceptable impacts on biological diversity, including on endangered ecological communities, noise impacts and social impacts. Although there are some differences in this new application, the broad scale impacts of the proposal remain the same.

These proposals have the potential to create long-term damage to threatened species, water and human health in the region and should be rejected.

Governments are supposed to facilitate the orderly lives of residents, not the bank accounts of big companies. If departments do not support this they undermine governments in the long run and should be disbanded.

i OPPOSE THIS WARKWORTH MINE EXTENSION because it has previously been denied by two courts on extensive environmental and community objections.It is ludicrous to to submit such an application and is arrogant in the extreme, an abuse of process, a contempt of the Court system and shows a disdain for the residents of Bulga and the fragile ecology of the Warkworth Sands Woodland. It is breathtaking in its indication of the self-importance that Rio Tinto feels for itself and the hubris which the company exhibits in re submitting the application.

I fully support the MTW mine extension. Mining clearly plays a big role in the Australian economy as well as the local economy.