I absolutely object to a fourth coal export terminal in Newcastle. Port capacity has already been increased to 211 million tonnes per annum (mtpa). This proposal wants to increase coal export capacity by a further 120mtpa to 331mtpa. This is totally unsustainable. The Upper Hunter environment and rural community cannot support or survive an increase in coal production of this scale. The Hunter cannot afford to lose any more farmland, groundwater or biodiversity. If the Strategic Regional Land Use Plans for Upper Hunter and New England North West are to be effective in preventing land use conflict, this large proposed expansion must not occur. The Upper Hunter Strategic Land Use Plan predicted that export demand through Newcastle would stabilize at about 216 mtpa by 2015 which is close to current approved capacity - an additional 120 mtpa capacity is not justified. The proposal will require an additional 41 trains per day through the Hunter Valley Coal Chain. This will cause a cumulative impact of noise and dust through the major towns and suburbs along the rail line. The proposal will further destroy critical habitat for migratory birds and threatened species in the Hunter estuary. The proposal and expanded coal mines needed to supply it will put additional pressure on the health of the Hunter River, the health of the Hunter people and the future viability of the Hunter Valley.
ON top of this there is the issue of Climate Change. If we are serious about tackling this most critical issue, (and I firmly believe that it is our moral duty to do so), then we must curb our coal industry and invest instead in renewable energy as a matter of urgency.

Lynette MacBain
51 William St
Singleton. NSW 2330
65722235
[email protected]

Please Note Revised Submission
Objection to Proposed Fourth Coal Export Terminal in Newcastle
Project Title: Port Waratah Coal Services Terminal 4
Application No: 10_0215

On behalf of my family I/We strongly object to this development application.
There is no justification for this fourth Coal Loader except to make money at the expense of the health of the communities of the Hunter and the Environment. It is a deplorable situation where once again human life and quality of life is not the first consideration in assessment.
We make the following points
* Once again where is the Health Risk Assessment for the people of the Hunter and Upper Hunter and importantly to us Singleton. It appears the Director Generals Requirements or in this case the Acting Director General's are again devoid and sadly lacking in requiring protection of health. For years we have called for all application to require Health Risk Assessments as mandatory in the DG Requirements.

* No consultation with those living in the Upper Hunter and particularly Singleton, we are not considered as stakeholders despite the massive impact Coal has on our community and the further impact a fourth loader will make.

* The size of the Environmental Assessment should have triggered a longer time for evaluation by the community and submissions. Once again we see a major project transgress a major holiday period.

* On calculation the proposal will require an additional 41 trains per day equating to one train every 4.5mins through the Hunter Valley Coal Chain. This will cause a cumulative health impact of noise, dust, diesel fumes, and vibration through the major towns and suburbs along the rail line and in particular Singleton.

* The proposal and expanded coal mines needed to supply it will put additional pressure on the health of the Hunter people; the health of the Hunter River, and the future viability of the Hunter Valley.


* The Upper Hunter environment and rural communities cannot support or survive an increase in coal production of this scale; infrastructure capabilities are just one example.

* The proposal wants to increase coal export capacity by a further 120mtpa to 331mtpa; this is unsustainable and in no way considers future generational needs.

* Port capacity has already been increased to 211 million tonnes per annum (mtpa).

* When the Minimbah Track was completed we were told the Hunter would have to put up with a railhead of 7-10mins what can we eventually really expect when as previously stated this has the potential for a railhead of 4-5mins

* The Hunter cannot afford to lose any more farmland, groundwater or biodiversity
The Federal Government is looking to expand food production but by the time NSW Planning has finished with us the Hunter Valley; one of the great food producing environments in Australia will be negated to a moonscape and devoid of life and for all intense and purposes also human life.

* The proposal will further destroy critical habitat for migratory birds and threatened species in the Hunter estuary.

* To take the previous point our fishing industry will be further impacted on is sensitive areas are destroyed.

* If the Strategic Regional Land Use Plans for Upper Hunter and New England North West are to be effective in preventing land use conflict, this large proposed expansion should not occur.

* The Upper Hunter Strategic Land Use Plan predicted that export demand through Newcastle would stabilize at about 216 mtpa by 2015 which is close to current approved capacity - an additional 120 mtpa capacity is not justified.

Once again we are disappointed in the Environmental Assessment and its process.

* A FOUTH COAL LOADER IS NOT JUSTIFIED AGAINST THE HEALTH ON THE HUNTER, ITS RESIDENTS AND ENVIRONMENT.

Sincerely,
Lynette MacBain

I object to the approval of the Port Waratah Coal Services Terminal 4 development for the following reasons:
*Locally, the fourth coal terminal project would see 41 more coal trains through Newcastle and Maitland every day, increasing dust related health problems such as asthma and other respiratory ailments.
*Pollution from coal affects all major body organ
systems and contributes to the leading causes of morbidity and mortality.
*The Fourth Coal Terminal would facilitate many more large coal mines (the equivalent of at least 15 'mega-pits') in the Hunter and Liverpool Plains, which will threaten food and water security by destroying prime agricultural land, irreversibly damaging ground water systems and polluting waterways.
*The proposal also carries the risk of mobilising toxic contaminants on Kooragang Island (the former BHP Steelworks site) and in the South Arm of the Hunter River. Too little is known about the risks to ensure the communities of Newcastle will be protected from toxic accidents, seepage and accidents. There is no plan to fully remediate the site.
*The coal exported would provide the capacity to feed at least 15 more large power stations around the world emitting 288 million tones of carbon pollution each year and fuelling climate change. Approving this project will not take us towards a clean energy future and contradicts the Commonwealth Government's Clean Energy Future initiative.
*This project would damage internationally important wetlands that provide critical habitat for protected migratory bird species and nationally threatened species including the Green and Golden Bell Frog and the Australasian Bittern.
*An area within the site is currently owned by the National Parks service, and provides irreplaceable habitat for migratory shore birds. The proposal will mean loss of habitat and disruption to an ecologically significant proportion of a population of four migratory shorebird species listed under international conservation conventions.
*At least 11 species of migratory birds recognised by international treaties rely on the habitat at "Deep Pond" and its
proximity to the Hunter estuary Ramsar site. Deep Pond is the only freshwater refuge in the Hunter estuary, yet a significant area of Deep Pond, would be lost to this project.
*The Environmental Assessment fails to meet the requirements set out by both the State and Federal agencies, and the proposal represents an unacceptable risk to the Australasian Bittern.
*After construction, the coal terminal will provide no additional employment. Rather, it is likely to result in the loss of other economic activities in the port, such as tourism, fishing and other shipping. Clean and sustainable energy will provide more on-going employment opportunities that coal, as there is always going to be a future in sustainable energy. Why not invest into this industry to equip people with the skills needed for the future.

This is a submission objecting to the proposed Port waratah coal services Terminal 4 development in Newcastle (10_0215). I believe that this proposal must not be approved.
The effects of this proposal, on the social and natural environment in the Hunter Region are of great concern and are unacceptable. Of concern are the impacts of increased dust and coal train movements to local communities and the destruction of threatened species habitat and migratory wader's habitats.
This terminal will be supporting the massive expansion of coal mining projects in the Hunter region and beyond. The cumulative impacts on the social and natural environment from this proposal and associated mining expansion projects have not been fully assessed.
The establishment of the Port waratah coal services Terminal 4 development in Newcastle (10_0215) indicates the Australian Government's lack of commitment in leading Australia to a carbon reduced and clean energy future.
The proposed Port waratah coal services Terminal 4 development in Newcastle (10_0215) must not be approved.

Please note: I have made no politically aligned donations

Yours Sincerely,

Sue Bower

I am writing as a concerned resident, parent and citizen. The Newcastle Port has doubled its export capacity over a period of less than ten years, with further, yet to be built upgrades already approved.
The Hunter is already the Australian region with the highest occurrence of asthma in children, including two of my own, with both parents not sufferers of asthma. While I acknowledge that the T4 proposal will have the stockpiles located on Kooragang Island, as this is a further massive increase in capacity, it will lead inevitably to an increase in the coal dust pollution in residential areas.
The construction of the T4 should only be allowed to proceed if the closest terminal to the residential areas of Mayfield, Tighes Hill and Carrington, the Carrington terminal, will get closed as a result of building the T4. This would compensate the residential areas that are most impacted by the coal port of Newcastle and counteract the increase in dust levels caused by the further increase in stockpile, handling and transport of coal.
The Lower Hunter is further an area that is heavily threatened by rising sea levels and severe weather events caused by man made climate change. It is perverse that we should facilitate by way of increasing the capacity of the already largest coal port in world the speed of our own demise without adequate safeguards and without a plan B and without any benefits to the affected community.

I am frankly disgusted by the proposed Port Waratah Coal Services Terminal 4 development in Newcastle (10_0215). The T4 proposal must not be approved due to significant and unacceptable associated impacts as detailed below.


LOCAL ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS
The proposed development would result in loss of habitat for 23 threatened species of fauna, including the Green and Golden Bell frog and the Australasian Bittern. It would also result in disruption to an ecologically significant proportion of the population of four migratory shorebirds listed under international conservation conventions. At least 11 species of migratory birds recognised by international treaties and 15 species of waterfowl (three of which are listed as threatened under the TSC Act) rely on the habitat of Deep Pond and its proximity to the RAMSAR listed wetland. Deep Pond is in fact the only freshwater drought refuge in the Lower Hunter Estuary system. Deep Pond should be protected, and its management should be coordinated with the ongoing conservation efforts in the Hunter Estuary. An area of the development would take place on land previously gazetted as National Park. This area should not be part of the proposed development. Furthermore, the project site includes 18.8ha of Saltmarsh (an endangered ecological community under the Threatened Species Conservation Act), 28.9ha of mangrove and 27.3ha of freshwater wetland, 4ha of which are listed as an endangered community under the TSC Act. Offsets cannot compensate for the loss of habitat at the project site. The proposed offset site at Ellalong has been identified as critical for conservation in its own right. Furthermore, the offset site is 50km away from Kooragang Island, which is too far away to provide the ecological function of Deep Pond. Deep Pond provides key foraging and roosting habitat due to its proximity to the RAMSAR listed wetlands in the Hunter Estuary.

IMPACTS ON AIR QUALITY AND HEALTH
The Environmental Assessment downplays the impact of the project on air quality. The EA only considers the impact of increased coal train movements on residencies within 20m of the rail line. However, the impacts of coal dust are likely to extend far beyond these boundaries. More uncovered coal stockpiles will increase the amount of coal dust already affecting Newcastle suburbs. The precautionary principle should be applied to potential health impacts of the T4 project. Approval for the project should not be given until a comprehensive health and air quality study has been conducted across the Newcastle LGA. The health impacts of the coal industry are estimated to be around $2.6 billion across Australia. Pollution from coal affects all major body organ systems and contributes to the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. The 4th terminal project would increase negative health impacts in the Hunter region. For this reason alone, the project should not be approved.


DREDGING AND WATER CONTAMINATION
There is no plan to fully remediate the heavily contaminated T4 site. The T4 proposal could therefore cause the leaching of existing toxic material into groundwater and surrounding surface waters via a `squeezing effect'. The result will be pollution of both the neighbouring (National Park and RAMSAR listed) wetlands and the Hunter River. The dredging will have massive impacts including the removal of aquatic habitats and impacts on estuarine habitats via changes to tidal hydrodynamics and salinity. Also, it has the potential of creating stagnant deep holes, altering currents, causing riverbed erosion and releasing pollutants that are currently trapped within the bottom sediments. A study should be conducted to investigate this issue. An increase in shipping will negatively impact harbour water quality with sediment disturbance (some of it contaminated), release of bilge water, more antifouling agents, chemicals and oil spills, and dumping of debris. It will also increase the risk of introduced species. The T4 proposal requires the realignment of the banks of the South Arm of the Hunter River and construction of a `swing basin'. The proposal also requires dredging of the South Arm of the river from its natural depth of 2-4m to 16.2m with 17.8m deep shipping berths along each bank. The area that will be dredged has changed significantly after the State Government gave the dredging approval. PWCS should apply for a new license for dredging, given that the proposal for dredging has changed significantly.

LOCAL SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS
After construction, the T4 proposal will provide no additional long-term employment. Rather, the 22 extra coal ships per week that the T4 project will bring is likely to push out other economic activities in the port, such as tourism, fishing and other exports. It is also likely to impact commercial fishing due to the loss of fish habitat and increased contamination from dredging. T4 would facilitate an increase of at least 41 additional coal trains per day through the suburbs of Maitland and into Newcastle. This would increase congestion on the rail lines as well as increasing noise and dust. During the construction period, traffic congestion on roads is also likely to occur. The T4 project would also increase noise, light and dust pollution (mentioned in `Air Quality' above). Noise, vibrations and light pollution from on-site operations will occur 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. IMPACTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND INCREASED MINING The T4 project would facilitate the development of at least 15 more large coalmines in the Hunter Valley and Liverpool plains. The EA should consider the cumulative social and environmental impacts of these mines. The costs of more mining to the State include greenhouse gas generation, loss of agricultural lands, blasting, noise, air quality, loss of aboriginal and non-aboriginal heritage, visual impacts, loss and pollution of surface water and groundwater, damage to aquatic ecology, flora and fauna loss. T4 would provide coal for the equivalent of 15 more large power stations around the world, generating an extra 288 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year and fuelling the global climate crisis. Consideration of the impact of the `Scope 3' downstream emissions of coal exported via the T4 project should be included in the Environmental Assessment.

Lamentably many similar conserns ought to have disqualified the T3 development before this one, as outlined in a submission I lodged objecting to that preceeding project. T4 carries forward the same rapacious development of the coal mining industry, heedless of the deeper and wider costs to communities here and abroad.

I fear this exercise here may be just one more deplorable instance of powerful vested interests corrupting and perverting our political and planning processes. Not for nothing does the mining industry boast it always gets its way.

Please stand for something better and more balanced.

Sincerely,
Shaku Jo'on Gregg Heathcote,
(Buddhist priest and chaplain at the University of Newcastle)

Locally, the fourth coal terminal project would see 41 more coal trains through Newcastle and Maitland every day, increasing dust related health problems such as asthma and other respiratory ailments.
Pollution from coal affects all major body organ
systems and contributes to the leading causes of morbidity and mortality.
The Fourth Coal Terminal would facilitate many more large coal mines (the equivalent of at least 15 'mega-pits') in the Hunter and Liverpool Plains, which will threaten food and water security by destroying prime agricultural land, irreversibly damaging ground water systems and polluting waterways.
The proposal also carries the risk of mobilising toxic contaminants on Kooragang Island (the former BHP Steelworks site) and in the South Arm of the Hunter River. Too little is known about the risks to ensure the communities of Newcastle will be protected from toxic accidents, seepage and accidents. There is no plan to fully remediate the site.
The coal exported would provide the capacity to feed at least 15 more large power stations around the world emitting 288 million tones of carbon pollution each year and fuelling climate change.
This project would damage internationally important wetlands that provide critical habitat for protected migratory bird species and nationally threatened species including the Green and Golden Bell Frog and the Australasian Bittern.
An area within the site is currently owned by the National Parks service, and provides irreplaceable habitat for migratory shore birds. The proposal will mean loss of habitat and disruption to an ecologically significant proportion of a population of four migratory shorebird species listed under international conservation conventions.
At least 11 species of migratory birds recognised by international treaties rely on the habitat at "Deep Pond" and its
proximity to the Hunter estuary Ramsar site. Deep Pond is the only freshwater refuge in the Hunter estuary, yet a significant area of Deep Pond, would be lost to this project.
The Environmental Assessment fails to meet the requirements set out by both the State and Federal agencies, and the proposal represents an unacceptable risk to the Australasian Bittern.
After construction, the coal terminal will provide no additional employment. Rather, it is likely to result in the loss of other economic activities in the port, such as tourism, fishing and other shipping.
If you would like to get involved in the campaign to stop

1. A fourth coal export terminal in Newcastle cannot be justified
2. Port capacity has already been increased to 211 million tonnes per annum (mtpa)
3. The proposal wants to increase coal export capacity by a further 120mtpa to 331mtpa. This is unsustainable.
4. The Upper Hunter environment and rural community cannot support or survive an increase in coal production of this scale
5. The Hunter cannot afford to lose any more farmland, groundwater or biodiversity
6. If the Strategic Regional Land Use Plans for Upper Hunter and New England North West are to be effective in preventing land use conflict, this large proposed expansion will not occur
7. The Upper Hunter Strategic Land Use Plan predicted that export demand through Newcastle would stabilize at about 216 mtpa by 2015 which is close to current approved capacity - an additional 120 mtpa capacity is not justified
8. The proposal will require an additional 41 trains per day through the Hunter Valley Coal Chain. This will cause a cumulative impact of noise and dust through the major towns and suburbs along the rail line
9. The proposal will further destroy critical habitat for migratory birds and threatened species in the Hunter estuary
10. The proposal and expanded coal mines needed to supply it will put additional pressure on the health of the Hunter River, the health of the Hunter people and the future viability of the Hunter Valley.

I object to the expansion of coal exports for the following reasons:
- My home where I live with my wife and 2 small children is already polluted with coal dust , I don't want anymore.
- I am concerned about the the impact on the adjacent wetland.
- I am concerned about the effect on the environment from carbon emissions.
- The effect of mining on the Hunter Valley is disgraceful in that it show little regard for the land and residents.

We consider this project will result in increased coal dust in our community. It will lead to increased noise from coal trains and increased trucks on the road.
We feel we are already suffering environmental contamination from industry and this will add to it.
we have concerns for ourselves, our child who attends a local school and for the environment and community in general.
There are few measures taken to improve the well being of the community despite the huge profits that are being made.
The lack of safe bike paths to newcastle due to the train line (and narrow bridges over it) mean that we are already penalised by the priority given to the export of coal. Enough is Enough. If the t4 goes ahead then all coal should be moved out of the mayfield/carrington/ tighes hill area - not added to.