RSWUA opposes the Cobbora Coal Project and urges you to write a submission to the NSW Department of Planning voicing your concerns.
Here is a guide to help with your submission provided by the Mudgee District Environment Group (www.mdeg.org.au).
Submission Guide
Objection to Cobbora Coal Project – (state owned coal
mine proposal)
Application No: 10_0001
Deadline: Friday
16 November 2012
Address: Major
Planning Assessments
Department
of Planning and Infrastructure
GPO
Box 39
Sydney
2001
Label your submission as an objection, include your
name, address and contact details
Key Points of Objection:
1. Cobbora
Coal project is inappropriate investment of $3.4b of NSW taxpayers money
2. The
project justification is based on outdated electricity demand and coal price
projections
3.
The project will generate additional greenhouse gas emissions,
approx 25m tonnes per year, conflicting with State and Federal policy to reduce
climate change impacts
4.
The large open cut mine will disturb approx 47km2
of land with important high conservation and agricultural value
5.
The project will destroy 1,867ha of significant woodland
providing habitat for 39 threatened species, including nationally listed
endangered species
6. The
project will destroy significant Aboriginal cultural heritage sites
7.
The NSW Government has purchased 68 of 90 properties in the
affected area. The loss of farming community and broadscale food production has
not been adequately assessed.
8.
The project will use a large amount of water from the
Cudgegong River and compete with the Mudgee wine and tourism industry for water
supply during drought conditions
9.
Up to 10 coal trains a day will pass through Gulgong to Ulan,
Wollar, Bylong and additional export product could be sent through Mudgee in
the future.
Background:
Cobbora Coal project is proposed in central west NSW north-west
of Mudgee and Gulgong.
It is a state-owned coal mining project tied to the sale of
the power stations. It will lock NSW into coal-fired electricity generation
until at least 2036.
The proposal is to mine 20mtpa (million tonnes per
annum) to produce 12mtpa of usable coal over 21 years – it is extremely poor
quality product with high ash content. The project aims to provide cheap
domestic coal to power stations in the Upper Hunter and Central Coast.
The justification for the project is based on incorrect
projections of demand for coal-fired electricity over the next 10 years. Demand
has dropped significantly since this project was proposed.
The price of black coal on the export market has also
dropped below the projections used to justify the need to source cheaper coal
for domestic use.
The mine
will cost the NSW tax payer approx $3.4b and will be run at a loss. It is a
direct subsidy to power generators in NSW. The argument for continued coal-fired electricity in
comparison to the long-term benefits of renewable energy sources has not been
made. Tax payer’s money would be better invested in renewable energy sources.
Towns and properties along the coal chain will be
impacted by additional noise and dust from increased coal train movements.
The open cut coal mine has a very large footprint and
will cause major environmental impacts on woodland habitat as well as groundwater
and surface water sources and loss of at least 79 Aboriginal cultural heritage
sites.
The clearing of 1,867ha woodland habitat will impact on
species listed for national protection: eg Grassy Box Woodland; endangered and
vulnerable plants, including 100% loss of the local population of Tylophora
linearis , endangered bird species including australasian bittern,
malleefowl, regent honeyeater, superb parrot; and vulnerable microbat species -
southern long-eared bat, large-eared pied bat
Also a large number of threatened woodland birds
protected under the NSW Threatened Species Act were recorded in the area of
impact - brown treecreeper, diamond firetail, glossy black-cockatoo,
grey-crowned babbler, hooded robin, speckled warbler, varied sittella, masked
owl, barking owl, powerful owl.
The mine will need to use up to 3,700 ML (million litres)
of water per year from surface water and groundwater interception. The use of
high security licenced water from the Cudgegong River will threaten the water
security of the Mudgee region wine and tourism industries. It could also
threaten the long –term security of urban water supply from Windamere Dam.
The cost benefit analysis for the project has not taken
into account the social disruption; competition for workforce with other
industries, particularly the agricultural industry across western NSW; or the
costs of major infrastructure upgrades, particularly rail lines, to accommodate
additional coal transport.
For more detailed information go to above web address.
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