Science now tells that to keep dangerous global warming below 2oC, all of the coal that is currently below ground should stay there. An appropriate fossil fuel policy would include a sensible phasing out of these dirty energy sources over two decades allowing a planned exit for all investors without the losses that will be incurred when we find ourselves left with stranded assets. A smooth transition to a zero carbon economy could be achieved with simultaneous investment in renewables and new technology.

From a global perspective, the best outcome would be to have no new coal mines at all. From a local perspective, the Bylong Coal Project will have many disadvantages for the people living nearby and the environment.

The area that is proposed to be mined is on prime agricultural land. The loss of this land and the loss of productivity to surrounding farm land is a significant financial loss especially when future losses are taken into account. Destruction of the aquifers cannot be undone. All farming areas report significant loss of available groundwater, often much more than was predicted, when mines are constructed in the area. Given that ground and surface water impacts are predicted to be significant, actual losses may well be devastating.

A significant area of Woodland habitat will also be destroyed by this mine. Species that live in Woodland areas are already in serious decline, if not already threatened with extinction, because Woodlands have been extensively cleared all over Australia to make way for farmland. Any remaining areas of Australia's woodlands areas are precious and must be protected before we lose them and all the species that depend on them. The Bylong Coal Project will further endanger a significant area of Grassy Box Gum Woodland as well as the Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby, New Holland Mouse, Regent Honeyeater and the Spotted-tailed Quoll.

The recent suicide of George Bender after constant disputes with mining companies on his farm, illustrates the toll this mine will have on the human inhabitants can also not be dismissed. Loss of community, water and the harmful dust blowing across their once prime farmland all add to the deterioration of the health, both physical and mental, of people living near the mines even if they are not directly impacted by mining. In fact, the Bylong community has already suffered devastating social impacts.
The area also has significant Aboriginal cultural sites and important European historical sites that will be destroyed if this project proceeds.

I respectfully object to the proposed mine venture in Bylong region.
I stand with our neighbours of the Pacific who are calling for Australians to join them in calling for NO NEW MINES. Their lives and livelihoods already seriously impacted by climate change.
I also stand for the protectionof agricultural land, waterways, the rights of Aboriginal people and the protection of cultural sites.
Please, no mining in the Bylong.
yours, sincerely, Lynn Daniel

Bylong Coal Project: SSD 14_636

Please accept this submission from Stop Coal Seam Gas Blue Mountains, a group with approximately 450 supporters opposed to inappropriate mining ventures.

We wish to object to the proposal on the following grounds:

The predicted long-term impacts on prime agricultural land and water systems in the Bylong Valley are unacceptable and will not be mitigated through proposed offsets and rehabilitation. The renowned Tarwyn Park natural sequence farming processes will be destroyed.

A significant area of prime agricultural land will be destroyed: the mine footprint will disturb 2,875 ha of land including 440 ha of Bioregional Significant Agricultural Land (BSAL), 260 ha being destroyed in open cut, plus 700 ha of mapped Critical Equine Industry Cluster land. The proposal to replace BSAL at another location is untested and high risk.

Impacts on groundwater and surface water will be significant. The highly connected alluvial aquifer system within the stressed Bylong River catchment will have predicted peak losses of up to 295 million litres per year (ML/yr). Loss of base flows to the Bylong River is predicted to be 918 ML/yr. The mine proposes to use up to 1,942 ML/yr which is over 75% of the annual rainfall recharge. The river system is over allocated and local farmers will lose important water supply.

The mine disturbance area has very high biodiversity values that will not be mitigated through the proposed offset arrangements. Nationally endangered species recorded in the area include the Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby, New Holland Mouse, Regent Honeyeater and Spotted-tailed Quoll. Three entirely new plant species were recorded. A significant area of critically endangered Grassy Box Gum Woodland will be destroyed along with habitat for 17 threatened birds and 7 threatened plants.

The area has Aboriginal cultural heritage significance: 239 sites were recorded in the study area with 25 regarded as being of high local or regional significance (including an ochre quarry, grinding grooves and rock shelters); 144 sites have been identified at risk from mine impacts with 102 in the open cut area.

Important European heritage, including the Catholic Church Cemetery, Upper Bylong Public School and a number of historic homesteads and farm buildings will be destroyed in the open cut. The social impacts on the Bylong community have already been devastating.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

Jan O'Leary
for Stop CSG Blue Mountains,
PO Box 468,
Springwood, 2777.

I object to the proposed mine on the basis of the potential damage to the groundwater and agricultural land and therefor on the sustainability of Australia's future food security and quality of life.

The predicted long-term impacts on prime agricultural land and water systems in the Bylong Valley are unacceptable and will not be mitigated through proposed offsets and rehabilitation.

A significant area of prime agricultural land will be destroyed: the mine footprint will disturb 2,875 ha of land including 440 ha of Bioregional Significant Agricultural Land (BSAL), 260 ha being destroyed in open cut, plus 700 ha of mapped Critical Equine Industry Cluster land. The proposal to replace BSAL at another location is irrelevant, as the replacement BSAL is never the same, and is usually being already well managed and conserved. Experience in the Upper Hunter has shown that replacement BSAL was better managed when owned by graziers.

Impacts on groundwater and surface water will be significant, even in the absence of unintentional damage (when the situation will be irretrievable). The highly connected alluvial aquifer system within the stressed Bylong River catchment will have predicted peak losses of up to 295 million litres per year (ML/yr). Loss of base flows to the Bylong River is predicted to be 918 ML/yr. The mine proposes to use up to 1,942 ML/yr which is over 75% of the annual rainfall recharge. The river system is over allocated and local farmers will lose important water supply.

A significant area of critically endangered Grassy Box Gum Woodland will be destroyed along with habitat for 17 threatened birds and 7 threatened plants.

Everywhere you go and speak with other communities affected by coal mining one of the biggest issues is how they've been affected negatively by decreased water supply or contamination of water supply.
I have a well on my land at the Bylong General Store it is over 70 years old and is one of reliability and quality. In the dry times when we've run out of tank water I have been able to put my garden hose in my rain water tank to have a reliable, quality supply of potable water, an absolutely priceless commodity.
It is only for stock and domestic has no pressure on it for irrigation. You can imagine to my horror in August of this year, not in a dry time and in winter, so hardly anyone irrigating nearby when I discovered that my well had dropped 6 feet! I had to buy a new pump, as the pump in the well could not handle the extra lift. How has this happened? No, drought, no irrigation nearby. A well that has never changed in 70 years in any circumstance!
It then occurred to me that since Kepco bought the exploration licence in 2010 they have drilled over 500 core holes during their exploration. Could it be that has had the dramatic affect on my otherwise reliable water supply.
I have put this to Kepco and they said no way has their drilling had any affect on my well and basically I would have to prove it.
Is that any way for the proponent to behave? Why not offer in good will to monitor it for me. Could they be in the wrong, why don't they have to prove it. I am entitled to potable stock and domestic water , it is extremely important to my business, my health and well being.
Volume 2 Geology Report Section C Figure 7 show the drill holes in the exploration licence. I have heard some stories from drillers where they had trouble filling holes with grout, holes bubbling over with water, how could this not be linked with my situation.
They haven't started mining and already these issues are happening. What happens if the project does go ahead and they start washing their coal and other land holders start complaining of exactly the same issue, will they have the same attitude, more than likely. So how about not letting this happen in the first place.

Volume 5 EIS Historic Heritage Impact Assessment 8.4.2
St Stephens Anglican Church is alive and well, it is used for christenings, funerals, weddings and is used by the local community approximately 4/6 times per year. Our local minister Rev Leigh Gardiner has been in the parish for about 4 yrs and is a very passionate advocate and loves coming to Bylong for services. She has never been approached by Kepco for any information about the church.
I am gobsmacked that such a simple fundamental error can occur in such an important document, makes me wonder how many more mistakes there are. Just shows what a bunch of amateurs this company really is.
The Bylong Hall Committee maintains the grounds, pays the power bill and even donates $1200 per year to the Rylstone Parish so that it can keep functioning.
I am led to believe the church is of historical importance, being the only heritage listed building in Bylong.
This church is most definitely in use!

I object to another Foreign owned Company planning to destroy thousands and thousands of pristine and prime agricultural land all in the name of profits and under the disguise of creating hundreds of "local" jobs for the localities nearby.

I object to the Bylong Coal project for the following reasons;
It is now well recognised that coal mining is fuelling climate change, so we should not be opening any new coal mines.
We should instead be focussing on development of renewable energy sources which have the potential to provide employment and stimulate economic activity.
This mine should not be considered on prime agricultural land which will be severely impacted and made unproductive in exchange for a short term gain. The proposed offsets will not mitigate the effects of this mine on land and water systems.
Loss of base flows to the already stressed Bylong river will be up to 918 million litres per year. The proposed mine water usage of 1942 ML/yr is over 75% of the annual rainfall recharge. The river is over allocated and local farms will lose water supply.
Biodiversity offsets will not mitigate impacts. Nationally endangered species in the area include Brush tailed rock wallaby, Regent Honeyeater, New holland Mouse, and Spotted tail Quoll. Habitat for 17 threatened birds and 7 threatened plants will be destroyed as well as a significant area of critically endangered Grassy Box Gum Woodland.
three entirely new plant species have been found in the area.
The mine will destroy 102 aboriginal significant sites in the open cut area out of 239 in the study area. 25 of these are regarded as of high significance.
The mine will impact European heritage in the area including the Catholic church cemetery and the Upper Bylong Public School. The social impacts on the Bylong community are already devestating.
This mine should not be allowed to proceed.

Long term impacts on water resources and valuable agricultural land are unacceptable.The mine will use up to 75% of annual rainfall recharge and that will be lost to farmers and others users in the Bylong River Catchment. There are at leasr four nationally endangered species in the area to be disturbed (Rock Wallaby,New Holland mouse,Regent Honeyeater and Spotted-tailed Quoll). The area has a critical 239 Aboriginal cultural heritage sites of deep importance. These sites must never be disturbed by mining as they will be lost forever. Please reject this application as the resource is onbly useful in the short term as against the heritage and long term use of the water and land resources.

Do not allow this company to destroy a huge area of biodiversity ,water supply ,aquefers species for a mere 25 years of producion for a product that is outmoded already and dangerous in our global warming climate..
We will be left with permanent ,expensive damage that we will never be able to repair or recover all the species that we will lose and the visual amentity provided by this unique area of AustraliaThe Australian government needs to learn to care for its people rather than going after the so called profit and causing untold suffering and loss to Australians.