Submission attached

7 April 2022 Submission to Dept of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) re Bowdens Silver Project (SSD 5765)- re amended application -pipeline amendment
We are landholders and primary producers (cattle) in the Lue region and continue to vehemently object to Bowdens Silver Projects amended pipeline amendment application to build a Silver Mine in the Lue region. We strongly object to the proposed mine development.
This submission should be read in conjunction with our previous opposition submissions on 27 July 2020 and 16 August, 2021
We ask that you reject the Bowdens Silver Mine application.
In this submission we want to emphasise that we have concerns with-
• Water security
• Increases in local traffic
• Effect of the mine on the Lue natural environment.
• Noise issues.
• Air quality

Re Water Security
The Mid- Western Council in its letter to DPIE on 27 July 2020 made excellent points stating ‘the significant and long term water usage of the Mine is a serious ongoing concern for Council, particularly in light of (recent) drought conditions and rural hardship experienced across the Region. The recent drought has demonstrated that water is a highly valuable resource and Council does not support any potential threat to existing town water supplies or the amount of water available for rural property owners for domestic and agricultural purposes.’

In addition, the original EIS was going to draw up to 5 ML of water a day via the pipeline and now that is all to be managed onsite. We do not believe that the amended EIS adequately caters for contingencies during periods of prolonged drought and the huge demands for water that the mine will require. We are hugely concerned that the mine will be consuming large quantities of local water especially in the 1 ½ year establishment and construction phase. We agree with the Council’s original concerns and still do not feel that the Mine’s pipeline amendment application adequately addresses the local residents water concerns, just purchasing water licenses is not enough. Once the ground water has been used up it is gone forever.

In summary we are extremely concerned that the proposed Mine will have a negative effect on the local ground water available for the local village of Lue and neighbouring farming properties.

Noise, Air and Environment
Despite the Mine’s amended pipeline submission report we continue to be concerned with the effect of the Mine on local traffic, Noise, Dust suppression using large quantities of local water and effect on the air quality and finally the effect of the mine on the local natural environment. Should the Mine go ahead, we know that the Lue village and neighbouring farms will be adversely affected.

We ask that you reject the Mine’s application.

An issue that concerns me hugely is the risk of pollution either through the water course, noise, or in the air. As evident by other mining operations the risk of contamination to water sources is very real with no real consequences to mining companies . To risk the health of all the human population, flora and fauna downstream all the way to the Murray Darling or in general area is to bigger risk. The tailings dam area throughout the complex is huge and with the extraction of water from tailings dam to compliment requirement is only going to increase risk through airborne dust. There is only a thin man made membrane between Bowdens mine operations and a disastrous catastrophe to all in the local area and the whole of the waterways from Lue to Mudgee down to Murray darling and beyond. The air and noise pollution from mining process, the tailings dam to transporting of product for processing is unacceptable It should not be allowed to proceed

From: Susan Pridmore
The Badger Ground,
482 breakfast Creek road,
Rylstone
NSW 2849
To: The Director,
Resource Assessments,
Planning, and Assessment
Department of Planning and Environment
Locked Bag 5022
PARRAMATTA,
NSW 2124

Dear Sir,
RE: BOWDENS SILVER PROJECT SSD-5765

RE: BOWDENS SILVER MINE AMENDMENT

I Have NOT made a reportable political donation.
I DO NOT require my name to be withheld.

I OBJECT TO THE PROJECT because of the water issues, such as:
1. The ‘AMENDMENT SUBMISSIONS REPORT: State Significant Development No. 5765 omits a very significant matter: the potential for acid mine leakage, which has the potential to leach heavy metals into Lawson Creek. This could impacxt fauna and flora along the creek for at least 20 kms and over many decades. Putta Bucca Wetlands downstream and on the outskirts of Mudgee. Research has studied this matter and it is of serious concern.

2.Lawson Creek is listed in NSW Stressed Rivers Assessment in the most stressed category (S1) – with both environmental stress and a high extraction rate. It is more often a series of water holes with no visible flows during Summer. I witness , know this, as I travel alongside it in between home and Mudgee.

3.Bowdens are double -counting the harvest-able water from their property. The amount of water drained out of the tailing dam would expose lead etc etc dust. We live east of this, downwind from the Mine. Lead is toxic for people and wildlife.

4 Bowdens are ignoring what scientists are saying over and over again : that climate chaos is changing our rainfall patterns, amongst so much more. The area of Lue, Rylstone and surrounds has been in devastating drought over the recent years, to the extent that whole hillsides of trees have been dying, looking as though they have been burned in a bushfire. We live about 10 kms away from the Mine site, and our ridges looked as though they had been burnt but the eucalypts were simply parched to death . What is the morality of mining silver, lead and zinc in this climate?

Yours sincerely, Sue Pridmore

I would like to re-iterate the support that I provided to the initial submission of the Bowdens Silver Project development application (SSD-5765).
This amendment shows the proponents commitment to reducing the impacts of the project where possible and to act on community feedback.
It is excellent to see the improvements to the efficiency of the site and the resulting reduction of impacts in particular;
- The Mudgee-Wollar key breeding area for the Regent Honeyeater and Acacia Ausfeldii are no longer impacted
- The significant reduction in water requirements, and
- The reduction in disturbance footprint and impact on native vegetation.
The modification of the powerline route also shows the proponent's commitment to minimising impacts to community amenity where possible.
This project remains vital to the region, it is essential that we diversify and open the Mid Western Region to a wide range of businesses and projects to ensure stable long term employment from projects that benefit the community at large and are undertaken with a commitment to minimise impacts to the environment and community.
The NSW government have identified silver and zinc in their Critical Minerals and Hi-tech Metals Strategy for NSW, the Bowdens Silver Project is key to achieving the outcomes of this strategy. With NSW's combination of highly skilled industry professionals and world leading environmental standards the project will provide long term intergenerational benefit to the local area, region and wider country.

I strongly object to the development of the Bowdens Silver mine near Lue for many reasons. In particular I am concerned with the health of villagers in nearby Lue from the mine’s unavoidable and inevitable multifaceted pollution- including lead, noise, light & increased traffic Also Lawson creek is already under threat in fact it has been identified in the NSW Stressed River Assessments to be in the most seriously stressed category with a high level of environmental stress as well as a high extraction rate. Bowdens mine will only exacerbate these issues with its high demand for water. This will have far reaching negative implications for town resources, as well as agriculture and farming that the Lawson flows through.
Lead is poisonous for Lue- I’m aware of the disastrous implications lead has on the health of children- working as a paediatric Physio for over 40 years I vehemently oppose any development that will place the health of children in particular and their families at unnecessary risk.

Dear Sir/Madam,
I write to register my objection to the following application .
Notice of Exhibition - Bowdens Silver Mine Application Amendment (SSD-5765)

* The ground water drawdown has the potential to reduce streamflow through either direct stream depletion or through intercepting groundwater that would otherwise discharge to surface water .
* Bowdens attempt to ‘get by’ with no external water supply will increase the health impacts on the local community.
* 2KM from the village of Lue is just too close .
Thank you.

I object to the project. For reasons, please see the attached PDF.