I support Whitehaven's efforts to helping communities in regional NSW.

Employment for Aboriginal people is important to raising the standards of
living within the Aboriginal communty in the region. Having a job
increases, educational, health and general wellbeing.

This project provides that opportunity and to build on the successful
and award winning Maules Creek Aboriginal Employment Strategy.

Our Progress Association represents a significant proportion of the
Northern Gunnedah District located between Gunnedah and Boggabri. A
majority of the residents are rural landholders involved in various
agricultural food and fibre production.
We feel that this Coal Mine expansion will have a massive detrimental
impact on many facets of our region and our way of life.
The big picture is Climate Change having major impacts on the Southern
Hemisphere especially Australia. These impacts are measurable and
certainly creating detrimental impacts on our capacity to produce.
Major concerns which have not been addressed in the EIS from
Whitehaven are:
* Agricultural flow on effects have been greatly underestimated e.g.
the cotton production just from your water licences alone is almost
double the estimate stated, plus other income from biodiversity
offsets and the land the mine occupies. Whilst this number may seem
irrelevant it proves that Whitehaven analysis is grossly inaccurate.
* Stock, domestic and production irrigation bores capacity have been
significantly impacted upon by the adverse weather conditions of the
past 5 years, alluvial ground water is already under significant draw
down e.g. sustainable yield have been passed. Bores are running dry.
Whitehaven proposal to place 10 production bores in Zone 4 as back up
in dry times, the reality these bores will be used constantly, not
only in dry times when the aquifer is under extreme pressure. There
has been a moratorium on over extraction in all river valleys in NSW
over the past 30 years. Rural communities cannot survive here without
the security of safe reliable ground water.
*Flood Assessment Vol 2 5.2.4, the proposal assumes that local
tributaries will not concede with Namoi River peeks. Local knowledge
and experience shows this is not always the case and extreme flood
levels can occur when additional water enters the river system during
peak times e.g. Collygra Creek. Rangari Creek had a huge local impact
across the Emerald Hill flood plain. Local vegetative growing
conditions e.g. height of grass and crops etc can redirect flood
pattern flow depth, height, duration i.e. no flood is the same.
*No details of Rail spur construction for the positioning of
causeways, pylons, culvits, earthen embankments and structural heights
so predicted flood level changes and flood velocity changes are
impossible.
* The impact of Collygra Creek flood water is ignored
* No detail has been supplied on how the pylons will be positioned
into alluvium subsoil and if any subsidence will occur. If drilling
fluids are used contamination of ground water will occur
* Noise levels are tabled as "equivalent continuous level", or simply
the average. This is extremely misleading as peaks in noise levels is
not distinguishable.In other words we live in a quiet rural
environment and they're averaging over 24 hours their noise levels to
look compliant.
*We feel the occupants near the mine and rail spur should have peak
noise levels extensively evaluated, including sleep disturbance.
*The community of Maules Creek have been decimated from the noise
levels and dust contamination from the mine have far exceeded the
mining company original estimate.
*Table 9-3 estimated Green House Gas emissions shows that once the
mine is fully operational Green House Case emissions will basically be
around 20 million tonnes a year of C02. There is no assessment of
methane emissions, even though methane has 25 times the effect on
Green House Gas than CO2.
*Our community would love this company to maintain a presence in our
valley but investing in renewal energy into new technologies like
concentrating solar thermal. Thus looking into the future prosperity
of our community, environment and healthy food production.
* The social impacts are already being felt within our community,
Symptoms include, feelings of grief, trauma, nostalgia, alienation,
depression, anxiety and loss.
* Solastagia is what happens when you remain within the same locality,
but that sense of home, that sense of place, is lost through the
destruction of the landscape. In response to the changing landscape of
the Upper Hunter Valley from open cut mining, power station pollution
and prolonged drought, Glenn Albrecht, an ecological philosopher and
professor of sustainability of Murdoch University, went on to describe
an unrecognised form of psychological distress in residence that he
called solastalgia.

I believe the vickery project will do great things for the area,
Whitehaven are a very professional company and inject millions into
the local economy.

I fully support the development of the Vickery project. It will provide
many jobs for the local region especially the indigenous community and
will also provide a strong stream of Royalty revenue to the State
government. Other taxes will be paid to the Federal government over
the life of the mine.
The project will also deliver much needed coal to a number of
countries in Asia helping to keep the lights on and industry running
in those countries.

I am in full support of this project and the jobs it will generate.
Rehabilitation of grazing land will result in minimal impact to
agriculture.

I've been in the mining industry for over 15 years and 7 of those were
around around the Gunnedah. Mining and farming have worked together
the whole time I've been here, in fact, most of the people I work with
are farmers themselves.
Mining provides an alternative income for times when they need it like
the drought season we are currently facing.
Opening up Vickery will mean more opportunities for the locals around
Gunnedah to have this alternative source of income.

I support the mine .

i support this application as i believe the jobs it will create and the
ongoing support provided to the local economy will be enormous.
Additionally, by decommissiong the CHPP at Gunnedah and commissioning
on site at Vickery, this will reduce the number of trucks on the road
thus making it safer on roads for the community as well as reducing
dust and noise to stakeholders en route between mines and Gunnedah.

The Vickery Extension Project will provide much needed job opportunities
for locals in north-western NSW and through royalties ensure state
government revenue for education, hospitals and infrastructure
throughout the state.