Ms Carolyn McNally
Secretary
NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure
GPO Box 39
Sydney NSW 2001


Dear Ms McNally

I am writing to voice my objection to the Dartbook Coal Mine and
specifically to Australian Pacific Coal's Dartbook Mine DA 231-7-2000
Modifications 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 and DA 30/91 Modification 5.

My objection is probably a little bit unusual as my Mum is writing it
on my behalf. I'm 8 months old and I know this kind of thing is
usually decided by adults, but as I'll be living with the impacts of
this mine and others like it, Mum and Dad thought my voice should be
heard.

Your Government is currently planning for a world where our energy
will be mostly renewable, where driverless, electric cars will be
normal and where most of the jobs we currently have won't exist.

This thinking is terrific and will create an exciting future for
people like me, but it needs to be extended to the mining industry.

When I'm a little older, I'd like to attend my local primary school
and high school in Aberdeen. Unfortunately, these schools already
receive dust from the Mount Arthur North and Bengalla open cut mines
and, unless your Department does something about it, they will also be
on the receiving end of the dust from the Mount Pleasant, Dartbrook,
Muswellbrook West and Manobalai open cuts. My parents feel like there
might already be enough dust in the air for me without adding any
more.

My family have lived in the Upper Hunter for more than six generations
and looking a little further into the future, I might even like to
stay here myself - it's the perfect distance from Sydney or Newcastle
for the kind of flexible workplaces that my generation will have.

One of the things that will help me decide whether I have a future in
this area though, is whether there is clean air and water and whether
I still see the fertile farmland that is here now.

Please make sure you consider people like me, who are too small to
have a say, when you make a decision on this proposal.

Kind regards
Adeline O'Connell

Ms Carolyn McNally
Secretary
NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure
GPO Box 39
Sydney NSW 2001


Dear Ms McNally
I am writing to voice my objection to the Dartbook Coal Mine and
specifically to Australian Pacific Coal's Dartbook Mine DA 231-7-2000
Modifications 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 and DA 30/91 Modification 5.

I have lived in the Aberdeen community for over 80 years and have
witnessed decades of mismanagement of the coal industry.

The Hunter is a fertile river valley with the infrastructure and
proximity to be the food bowl of Sydney. However the explosion of the
export coal industry right on our most fertile river flats is
seriously compromising that potential.

When I was a young man, the coal industry was a small industry with
one or two mines producing coal for the local power stations - no one
had a problem with that.

Over the years though, the infrastructure developed for farming (such
as rail and road infrastructure) and our proximity to the Port of
Newcastle, have attracted export mining. These mines have little to do
with fuelling our power stations and are focused on generating profits
for their foreign owners and the foreign companies that supply them
with equipment. They monopolise the infrastructure that was created
for the agriculture sector along with the most fertile land and the
available water. This is creating a very un-level playing field.

The trouble is that we as residents and our local beef, dairy, wine
and horse industries are left with all the downside. The environmental
and health impacts used to be offset to a degree by the fact that
these mines created local jobs and work for local contractors. These
days though, many of the jobs aren't even local. The workers prefer to
live in Maitland or Newcastle where they don't have to deal with the
dust. The jobs that are created locally are created at the expense of
other local industries.

I've been a business person my whole life and to my way of thinking
this industry just isn't good business for the Upper Hunter.

This proposal - like the Mount Pleasant, Muswellbrook West and
Manobalai propsals that are currently underway - does not offer enough
positives to make up for the serious negative environmental effects
and the ill effects on the health of local people that such a huge
number of coal mines create.

Also, I know that when Dartbrook was previously operating it had
serious issues with flooding and gas. These issues couldn't be solved
by a major mining company so I'm not sure how a smaller, less
experienced company would be better equipped to deal with these
serious problems.

I urge you to reject this proposal or alternatively to encourage this
proponent to find an opportunity away from towns, away from fertile
farming land where their proposal and the infrastructure they develop
might allow the country to be opened up and help local people to
create other industries around it.

We don't have space for another coal mine in the Upper Hunter. This is
the wrong mine in the wrong place.

Ms Carolyn McNally
Secretary
NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure
GPO Box 39
Sydney NSW 2001


Dear Ms McNally

I wish to object to the Dartbook Coal Mine and specifically to
Australian Pacific Coal's Dartbook Mine DA 231-7-2000 Modifications 2,
3, 4, 5 and 6 and DA 30/91 Modification 5.

The grounds of my objection are that this proposal and the associated
opencut proposal will:
1. cause the degradation of arable farming land
2. create unacceptable air quality impacts for the community of
Aberdeen
3. create unacceptable impacts on the local water table, which we know
is affected by mining
4. and adversely impact local property values.

Our family home of 43 years will lie within several kilometres of the
proposed underground and open cut mines, in the path of prevailing
winds. I see no plan within this proposal to adequately deal with the
impacts on our home and that of our neighbours.

As long time residents we have no confidence in the Environmental
Protection Authority to effectively regulate this proposed development
as it simply isn't feasible to effectively manage the impacts of
something so totally incompatible with communities and other
industries. The mines we have aren't effectively managed and we see
nothing in this proposal that would make it likely to be any more
successful.

Finally, as a grandparent I have considerable concern for future
generations living in this community. Our young people deserve to grow
up in a healthy environment and this is already a faint prospect with
the number of mines currently operating in the area. We simply can't
afford any more. The Berijiklian Government will be failing in its
duty to future generations if it allows this proposal and others like
it to proceed.

We note public statements that the mine's real intention is for open cut
mining and that the underground proposal is not genuine. In addition,
there has been no proper community consultation and former coal
experts have previously indicated their concerns of the risky
proposal. The mine proponents have not openly addressed the issues
(gas, fire and flooding) which led to the closing of the mine into a
questionable state of "care and maintenance". The head of the Hunter
River or underground aquifers should not be compromised.

I strongly object to this mine reopening.
The negative impact on the air quality, precious underground water and
landscape are to be avoided.
How is the Government considering yet another mine when the impact on
global warning from fossil fuels is already having such a frightening
impact on the world weather.
Please do not reopen the Dartbrook mine.

I am very concerned that the Dartbrook mine may reopen.
Our family has been farming in this area since 1837 and want to
continue to do so.
The potential impact on the aquifer and our water for farming is a
major concern.
Also the air quality and the associated health impacts are a big
issue.
Why is the cancer rate in the Hunter Valley at the highest in the
country Because of the impact the mining industry has had on our air
quality.

My family have been farming in this area for 5 generations and want to
continue to do so.
The impact of this mine reopening will have a detrimental effect on
our invaluable water supply and on our air quality.
There is also a proven health impact associated with the mines and we
do not need yet another mine.
Please do not reopen the Dartbrook mine.

Very concerned landowner. My objection is because of the potential impact
on our critical underground water, the air quality and health
concerns.
And because of the impact on our world renown thoroughbred industry.
If the industry is effected then it will have a major impact on our
community, employment and brand image. The Upper Hunter Valley is
known as a beautiful, clean and normally green area attracting
tourists from all over Australia.
The area has been negatively impacted for years by the mines. Look at
Muswellbrook and Singleton. The once beautiful countryside now looks
like a luna landscape. We do not want any further expansion of the
mines.

Cumulative air quality impacts have not been assessed
There is no socio economic analysis as required by the Dept of
Planning
Noise and air quality show exceedances of the project limits
aboriginal and cultural Heritage has not been fully assessed

I object to this proposal on the basis of the greenhouse emission that
will result from
a) the burning of this coal after market
b) the fugitive emissions during mining. While in care and maintenance
this men was producing 40 000 tons of CO2 equivalent/year. As a member
of the CCC I raised concerns about this regularly. These emissions
will only increase if mining continues. This mine needs to be sealed
to prevent further pollution.
Climate change is impacting now. It will only get worse until we
reduce our use of fossil fuels, especially the dirtiest, coal.

Moving more coal will result in more LM2.5 partial emissions along the
rail corridor, negatively impacting on the health to residents along
this corridor.