United Wambo Open Cut Coal Mine project
SSD 7142
I object to the above application.
The issues that concern me include environmental destruction, damage to water supplies, noise, dust, social impacts and lack of compliance with previous consents.
* This project proposes clearing 464ha of vegetation, close to half of which is Central Hunter Valley Eucalypt Forest, a critically endangered species.
* The impacts of this project on biodiversity will be unacceptable and it must be refused development consent. It will clear 223ha of a critically endangered ecological community, including moderate to good quality patches that are critical to the community's survival.
* Threatened species such as the Spotted-tailed Quoll, Regent Honeyeater and Swift Parrot will lose important habitat if this project proceeds. These species are already in severe trouble and any further loss of habitat will drive them towards extinction.
* The proponent is offering a 'biodiversity offset' package that will protect the equivalent of just 7% of the bulldozed area of this community protection in existing woodland. In contrast 56% of the offset requirement is proposed to be met through future mine rehabilitation. This is a clear violation of the 25% limit on meeting offset obligations through mine rehab promises, and is a clear indication that impacts on this community cannot be offset and the mine should be refused consent. The practice of allowing mines to have off-sets within their mining areas defies logic and common sense.
* At least 38 nearby residences are predicted to be impacted by increased noise pollution from this project. This area of the Hunter has been severely depopulated because of large scale mining, and further loss of farmers and private residents will cause ongoing destruction of regional social fabric. In our area with the surrounding mountains there is an echo effect. When complaints are made there is always an excuse, usually weather conditions or coming from another source. With so many opencut mines in the area, it is impossible to tell sometimes, and no consideration is given to cumulative effects. Over time the noise of the surrounding mines has been added to the background noise, and we are just expected to put up with the accepted increase in noise levels.
* Increased dust emissions will also exacerbate health problems in the region. The cumulative effect of all the mines in the area has resulted in more dust. This is evident by the more frequent need to change water filters, and clean the outside of the house.
* Threatened species such as the Spotted-tailed Quoll, Regent Honeyeater and Swift Parrot will lose important habitat if this project proceeds. These species are already in severe trouble and any further loss of habitat will drive them towards extinction.
* This mine and the three surrounding it will cause more than two metres draw down in the productive alluvial aquifers of the Hunter River and Wollombi Brook. The cumulative loss of water and productivity in these water sources and the wholesale destruction of surface water catchments for their tributaries is already too great. The privately owned wells in the Wambo mining lease are not monitored, even though it is a consent condition. It is of great concern that there is likely to be further losses from this project, but we will probably never know the real impact because of the lack of monitoring.
* This project has been developed at the expense of the owners of the United mine fulfilling obligations to close and remediate a mine that has not been operational for six years and which was supposed to cease mining altogether four years ago.
* It's going to leave behind two final voids, and delay rehabilitation at both the United and Wambo mine sites. Final voids are an unacceptable impact of mining that damage waterways for hundreds of years into the future, and are not wanted by the NSW community.
* There's increased unemployment in the local area for this project since early 2014. Over the same period at least half a dozen damaging mine expansion projects were approved by the State Government on the basis that doing so would be good for employment in the region. New mine approvals are not securing jobs in the Hunter, and we need another strategy.
* With the drop in coal prices, how can this proposal be economically viable?
* Wambo has a poor compliance record with Singleton Council and the Department of Planning. Repairs have not been done, monitoring was not done. How can we be assured that this poor practice will not continue with this joint venture?
The Hunter Valley can't afford to lose any more of its critically endangered remnant woodland. It can't afford any worsening air quality or any more draw down of its rivers and alluvial aquifers. It can't afford to worsen the oversupply of coal that is costing jobs. It cannot afford this mine, and the project should not be approved.
The Department of Planning should not approve this modification. Coal has had its day. It is time to change to renewable forms of energy.

I am objecting to the United Wambo Open Cut Coal Mine Project for a number of reasons:
* This area of the Hunter Valley has been the focus of many mines and the cumulative impacts on residents , farmland and the environment are already too great.
*Yet again an important area of critically endangered bushland will be sacrificed along with 20 threatened species which will lose critical habitat. Particularly adversely affected will be the Spotted-tail Quoll which is struggling for survival at present.
*This mine will exacerbate the oversupply of coal on the export market with the effect of lowering prices and contributing to more job losses.
*Quality of life for the unfortunate 38 families which live near the proposed site will be badly affected by increased dust and mine noise
*The mine will generate 259.3 tonnes of additional grenhouse gases which, given our knowledge and, indeed, experience, of the deleterious effects of climate change,would show wilful blindness and /or stupidity if it was to be approved.
I urge the government to put people and the planet before profit and reject this proposal

as attached

With this project progressing, we request an acquisition of our property in the interest of our son's health. The current levels of noise and dust from the mine has been marginally bearable however with this merger they will increase & we'd prefer not to wait until they exceed the acceptable levels until an aquisition is made, as obviously, by this point, they would be quite significant. Our biggest concern is for our 2 year old who has already been admitted to Singleton emergency for respiratory problems and who suffers from daily coughs and congestion from environmental factors. Not to mention that even in recovery his sleep in interrupted by mine noise. It is always amusing to hear representatives sound surprised to hear that the mine notice levels are intolerable at times. I'd happily welcome these individuals to spend a night in our home & see if their opinion varies. Legitimately, our gravest fear and concern is the further deterioration of our son's health if dust levels increase. Medical records will be provided ion request

I oppose this proposal.
It is time to get out of mining for coal.
It destroys communities, environment and people's health, not to mention the affects on Global Warming.

The Upper Hunter and the Hunter need to transition to sustainable industries.

That this mine has been in mothballs for six years without continuing with rehabilitation because of the proposed extension is a disgrace.

Once again the small communities are held to ransom. The NSW Government has a duty of care to protect these communities and all communities from the ravages of coal mining.

The mental health issues experienced by residents living in the areas is an untold story. Years of fighting to protect their homes and peace of mind. Communities divided by the invasion of multi national companies.

I have copied the rest of this letter from information sent to me and I fully support the comments. The offsets proposal is disgraceful as it goes against the true meaning of the idea of offsets.

This project proposes clearing 464ha of vegetation, close to half of which is Central Hunter Valley Eucalypt Forest, a critically endangered ecological community under the Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act.

The impacts of this project on biodiversity will be unacceptable and it must be refused development consent. It will clear 223ha of a critically endangered ecological community, including moderate to good quality patches that are critical to the community's survival.

The proponent is offering a 'biodiversity offset' package that will protect the equivalent of just 7% of the bulldozed area of this community protection in existing woodland. In contrast 56% of the offset requirement is proposed to be met through future mine rehabilitation. This is a clear violation of the 25% limit on meeting offset obligations through mine rehab promises, and is a clear indication that impacts on this community cannot be offset and the mine should be refused consent.

38 nearby residences are predicted to be impacted by increased noise pollution from this project. This area of the Hunter has been severely depopulated because of large scale mining, and further loss of farmers and private residents will cause ongoing destruction of regional social fabric. Increased dust emissions will also exacerbate health problems in the region.
Threatened species such as the Spotted-tailed Quoll, Regent Honeyeater and Swift Parrot will lose important habitat if this project proceeds. These species are already in severe trouble and any further loss of habitat will drive them towards extinction.
This mine and the three surrounding it, will cause more than two metres draw down in the productive alluvial aquifers of the Hunter River and Wollombi Brook. The cumulative loss of water and productivity in these water sources and the wholesale destruction of surface water catchments for their tributaries is already too great.

This project has been developed at the expense of the owners of the United mine fulfilling obligations to close and remediate a mine that has been inoperational for six years and which was supposed to cease mining altogether four years ago.

It's going to leave behind two final voids, and delay rehabilitation at both the United and Wambo mine sites. Final voids are an unacceptable impact of mining that damage waterways for hundreds of years into the future, and are not wanted by the NSW community.

This is also the first mine to be assessed under the new economic assessment guidelines, but the economics of it don't stack up.

There's increased unemployment in the local area for this project since early 2014. Over the same period at least half a dozen damaging mine expansion projects were approved by the State Government on the basis that doing so would be good for employment in the region. New mine approvals are not securing jobs in the Hunter, and we need another strategy.

This mine is going to exacerbate the oversupply of coal in the export market, which has been a key driver of job losses. Further oversupply will drive further drops in the price of coal and this will lead to lay-offs and even mine closures, as it has in the last two years.

Despite applying the new economic guidelines, the assessment of the mine fails to include the economic cost of worsening air quality from coarse particle pollution and lost water from the Hunter River and Wollombi Brook.

It also fails to include the economic cost of the downstream greenhouse gas emissions from the coal mined at the site. The downstream emissions likely to be generated by this project are 259.3 million tonnes. Applying the per tonne carbon costs used in the economic assessment in Appendix 19, this would result in costs of a staggering $2.3-4.9 billion, dramatically reversing the proponent's claim that this mine will have a net economic benefit.

The Hunter Valley can't afford to lose any more of its critically endangered remnant woodland. It can't afford any worsening air quality or any more draw down of its rivers and alluvial aquifers. It can't afford to worsen the oversupply of coal that is costing jobs. It cannot afford this mine, and the project should not be approved.

In our DVD of 2006, "Rivers of Shame", Rivers SOS filmed Ron Fenwick of Bulga on the dry bed of his Wambo Creek, a tributary of Wollombi Brook. This water source on his property had never dried up until longwall mines went underneath and nearby. His problems have never been resolved. We continue to protest against Peabody's mining in the Hunter. Not only do they dry up precious water resources with disregard for property owners, they are also at or near bankruptcy. We also say that they are unscrupulous in their dealings: one of their consultants at their Wambo mine was on a PAC panel which approved expansion of another of their mines in Sydney's drinking water catchment, without warning people that he was a Peabody employee. When we complained, a fictitious story was created to say that he was actually employed by the Dept of Planning. This is evidence of collusion between Planning bureaucrats and Peabody. Therefore we state that Peabody is not "fit and proper" for this project to be allowed. In more general terms we say, along with so many others, that the Hunter and its agricultural industries and expanding tourism must be protected from further destruction and degradation. More large and unsightly voids are a terrible heritage for our generation to leave in this once prime area. Also, dust and noise are health hazards not only to residents and mine workers but also to tourists. It is said that black lung has re-emerged but we have evidence that it has never gone away, but only been covered up. Lung diseases caused by fine particles of coal dust are another appalling heritage being passed on from our generation to the next. Please do not approve this project.

I object to the Wambo Open Cut Coal Mining Project because...

*This project proposes clearing 464ha of vegetation, close to half of which is Central Hunter Valley Eucalypt Forest, a critically endangered ecological community under the Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act.


*The impacts of this project on biodiversity will be unacceptable and it must be refused development consent. It will clear 223ha of a critically endangered ecological community, including moderate to good quality patches that are critical to the community's survival.


*The proponent is offering a 'biodiversity offset' package that will protect the equivalent of just 7% of the bulldozed area of this community protection in existing woodland. In contrast 56% of the offset requirement is proposed to be met through future mine rehabilitation. This is a clear violation of the 25% limit on meeting offset obligations through mine rehab promises, and is a clear indication that impacts on this community cannot be offset and the mine should be refused consent.

*38 nearby residences are predicted to be impacted by increased noise pollution from this project. This area of the Hunter has been severely depopulated because of large scale mining, and further loss of farmers and private residents will cause ongoing destruction of regional social fabric. Increased dust emissions will also exacerbate health problems in the region.

*Threatened Species such as the Spotted-tailed Quoll, Regent Honeyeater and Swift Parrot will lose important habitat if this project proceeds. These species are already in severe trouble and any further loss of habitat will drive them towards extinction.

*This mine and the three surrounding it, will cause more than two metres draw down in the productive alluvial aquifers of the Hunter River and Wollombi Brook. The cumulative loss of water and productivity in these water sources and the wholesale destruction of surface water catchments for their tributaries is already too great.


*This project has been developed at the expense of the owners of the United mine fulfilling obligations to close and remediate a mine that has been inoperational for six years and which was supposed to cease mining altogether four years ago.


*It's going to leave behind two final voids, and delay rehabilitation at both the United and Wambo mine sites. Final voids are an unacceptable impact of mining that damage waterways for hundreds of years into the future, and are not wanted by the NSW community.


*This is also the first mine to be assessed under the new economic assessment guidelines, but the economics of it don't stack up.


*There's increased unemployment in the local area for this project since early 2014. Over the same period at least half a dozen damaging mine expansion projects were approved by the State Government on the basis that doing so would be good for employment in the region. New mine approvals are not securing jobs in the Hunter, and we need another strategy.


*This mine is going to exacerbate the oversupply of coal in the export market, which has been a key driver of job losses. Further oversupply will drive further drops in the price of coal and this will lead to lay-offs and even mine closures, as it has in the last two years.


*Despite applying the new economic guidelines, the assessment of the mine fails to include the economic cost of worsening air quality from coarse particle pollution and lost water from the Hunter River and Wollombi Brook.


*It also fails to include the economic cost of the downstream greenhouse gas emissions from the coal mined at the site. The downstream emissions likely to be generated by this project are 259.3 million tonnes. Applying the per tonne carbon costs used in the economic assessment in Appendix 19, this would result in costs of a staggering $2.3-4.9 billion, dramatically reversing the proponent's claim that this mine will have a net economic benefit.


The Hunter Valley can't afford to lose any more of its critically endangered remnant woodland. It can't afford any worsening air quality or any more draw down of its rivers and alluvial aquifers. It can't afford to worsen the oversupply of coal that is costing jobs. It cannot afford this mine, and the project should not be approved.

I object to the United Wambo Open Cut development. It should not be approved due to unacceptable environmental and social impacts that include the following:
1. If global warming is to be held under 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels NSW must stop approving new coal mining developments.
2. Peabody Coal is in bankruptcy. We have no confidence this company will be able to carry out the necessary rehabilitation required nor manage the many ongoing impacts such mine voids.
3. Leaving mining voids are an irresponsible high risk legacy for future generations. These scars on the landscape continue to be a threat to surface and groundwater quality for 100s of years
4. The mine assessment fails to account for the economic cost of air pollution and impact on water quality and quantity in the Hunter River and Wollombi Brook.

I fully support this proposal. This will keep job security in our community which will continue to benefit our small businesses around our district, which in turn benefits all locals living in the area. Being a brown fields operation, I feel it will have minimal impact on the environment as it is a continuation of an existing mine.

I support this proposal and strongly believe that this proposal will create opportunities for local businesses within Singleton and surrounding areas and provide a positive injection to the community and the industry as a whole. Being a brownfields operation it will have minimal impact on the environment within this area of the Hunter Valley. When you compare this to a green field proposal in other within areas that coal mining operations will have a large impact on eg: Bylong Valley, it seems like a no brainer to approve.