I vehemently object to this proposal!
The Regent Honeyeaters are an iconic Australian native bird and we are responsible for their survival.
This area has been determined by Birdlife Australia as a significant breeding ground for this critically endangered species. Please stop this project

In view of the rapid decline of our native species in NSW, AustraliaI’m am truly disappointed with the proposal of raising Warragamba dam.
The endangered Regent Honeyeaters breeding habitat is in direct threat. This habitat must be protected to maximize and support their future survival.
I urge the members involved to consider this proposals.
Once our WILDLIFE is extinct it is final and the consequences of extinction, regrettable.

I strongly oppose the proposal to raise Warragamba Dam due to the project’s potential impacts on the environment including to the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and threatened species that depend on this unique and valuable area.

The draft EIS concludes that the project poses significant potential impacts to contemporary breeding habitat for the Regent Honeyeater that “cannot be avoided or minimised.”

The Regent Honeyeater is listed as Critically Endangered at both a state and federal level, with as few as 350 individuals remaining in the wild.  The protection of this beautiful bird is a matter of national importance that is not limited by our state boundaries.

Modelling by BirdLife Australia suggested that up to 50% of contemporary Regent Honeyeater foraging and breeding habitat was burnt in the 2019/20 bushfires. Protecting remaining unburnt breeding habitat is of the highest conservation priority.

There are only a handful of contemporary breeding sites for Regent Honeyeater and during the assessment of the project a total of twenty one (21) Regent Honeyeaters, including active nests, were recorded within the impact area.

Any breeding habitat is considered habitat critical for survival of the species under the National Recovery Plan for Regent Honeyeater and it states “It is essential that the highest level of protection is provided to these areas and that enhancement and protection measures target these productive sites”.

The destruction or degradation of a contemporary breeding site for Regent Honeyeaters would have dire consequences for the species as a whole.

The destruction and degradation of breeding habitat for Regent Honeyeaters is incongruous with the time and money that the Federal and NSW Governments have invested into the recovery program, including the Regent Honeyeater Captive Breeding and Release program.

It is unacceptable and inconsistent with the National Recovery Plan for any avoidable loss or degradation of breeding habitat to occur.

I also strongly oppose the Project’s offset strategy for the Regent Honeyeater.

Offsets are rarely an appropriate response to proposed biodiversity loss and especially for critical habitat for the survival of a species, in this case breeding habitat for the Critically Endangered Regent Honeyeater.

There is no evidence that breeding habitat for Regent Honeyeaters can be successfully offset and any offsets would be unlikely to provide direct benefits for both the local affected population and the species.

Thank you for considering this submission, please do the right thing to protect our shared environment and unique biodiversity.

As someone who lives in the Blue Mountains region, the negative trickle down effect on the environment, wildlife and overall aesthetics that comes with raising the dam just isn’t acceptable, not to mention the impact on Indigenous sites. One animal that would be tragically affected is the Regent Honeyeater. The Regent Honeyeater is listed as Critically Endangered at both a state and federal level, with as few as 350 individuals remaining in the wild. Why is the potential deaths of 350+ birds and animals okay, but if these were human lives there would be an outcry? Australia is one of the top countries that has a disproportionate rate of extinction compared to the rest of the world. Don’t let the Regent Honeyeater face the same fate and help preserve what little natural beauty we have left in this ever-shrinking world.

As a resident of the Blue Mountains, I strongly oppose the raising of the Warragamba Dam wall on environmental grounds. Temporary flooding caused by raising of the dam wall would have unacceptable impacts on the area’s World Heritage values, Aboriginal heritage and threatened flora and fauna, including inundation of one of only three breeding areas in NSW for the critically endangered Regent Honeyeater.
Mark Hocking
Blackheath

My main objection is the flooding of habitat for the endangered Regent Honeyeater. This habitat is not a "maybe the Regent Honeyeater MIGHT like this habitat" or "it seems suitable for them here." No. They have been recorded BREEDING in the proposed flood zone. They are only sighted sporadically and are critically endangered - with as few as 350 wild individuals. If this species doesn't give sufficient pause to re-consider raising the dam, then I imagine there would be very few environmental considerations that would get in the way of any development. It's a sad time to be a conservationist - or indeed, it seems, a critically endangered species.

As an aside I wonder if, down the track, if the dam wall is raised, developers could then justify developing currently zoned floodplain. I'm sure any zoning changes/development would be examined under a microscope should this go ahead.

I strongly oppose the proposal to raise the Warragamba dam due to the projects unacceptable potential impacts on the environment, including to the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and threatened species.

The draft EIS concludes that the project poses potential significant impacts to contemporary Regent Honeyeater breeding habitat that cannot the 'avoided or minimised'.
The Regent Honeyeater is listed as Critically Endangered at both a state and federal level, with as few as 350 birds remaining in the wild. Any breeding habitat is considered critical for survival of the species, under the Regent Honeyeater Recovery Plan which has been endorsed by the Australian Government under the EPBC Act (1999).

I have a 5 year old daughter who is very concerned about the state of our world and environment. When she asks me if I did everything that I did to look after our environment, I need to be able to say 'yes', which is why I am making this submission. I hope that I can go birdwatching with her one day to see a thriving population of Regent Honeyeaters, in a protected World Heritage Area.

I am objecting to the proposed raising of the Warrigamba Dam on the basis that it will potentially endanger the habitat of the critically endangered Regent Honeyeater among other species, and therefore contribute to the extinction of this beautiful Australian bird.

I strongly object to the raising of the dam wall as it will impact on the habitat and breeding grounds of the critically endangered Regent Honeyeaters. Please reconsider this plan and take into consideration the impact on the environment and the wildlife!!!

I stronngly oppose the proposal to raise Warragamba Dam due to the project’s unacceptable potential impacts on the environment including to the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and threatened species.

The draft EIS concludes that the project poses potential significant impacts to contemporary breeding habitat for the Regent Honeyeater that “cannot be avoided or minimised.”

The Regent Honeyeater is listed as Critically Endangered at both a state and federal level, with as few as 350 individuals remaining in the wild. 

Modelling by BirdLife Australia suggested that up to 50% of contemporary Regent Honeyeater foraging and breeding habitat was burnt in the 2019/20 bushfires. Protecting remaining unburnt breeding habitat is of the highest conservation priority.

There are only a handful of contemporary breeding sites for Regent Honeyeater and during the assessment of the project a total of twenty one (21) Regent Honeyeaters, including active nests, were recorded within the impact area.

Any breeding habitat is considered habitat critical for survival of the species under the National Recovery Plan for Regent Honeyeater and it states “It is essential that the highest level of protection is provided to these areas and that enhancement and protection measures target these productive sites”.

The destruction or degradation of a contemporary breeding site for Regent Honeyeaters would have dire consequences for the species as a whole.

The destruction and degradation of breeding habitat for Regent Honeyeaters is incongruous with the time and money that the Federal and NSW Governments have invested into the recovery program, including the Regent Honeyeater Captive Breeding and Release program.

It is unacceptable and inconsistent with the National Recovery Plan for any avoidable loss or degradation of breeding habitat to occur.

I strongly oppose the Project’s offset strategy for the Regent Honeyeater.

Offsets are rarely an appropriate response to proposed biodiversity loss and especially for critical habitat for the survival of a species, in this case breeding habitat for the Critically Endangered Regent Honeyeater.

There is no evidence that breeding habitat for Regent Honeyeaters can be successfully offset and any offsets would be unlikely to provide direct benefits for both the local affected population and the species.

Why are all the beautiful creatures and things of this world devalued so absolutely. Is the aim to kill everything that's beautiful?