February 25, 2013

MAKE A SUBMISSION TO COBBORA MINE

Hello All,

Below is a quick submission guide prepared by Bev Smiles of the Mudgee District Environment Group to help generate a large number of objections to this major state-owned coal mine proposal in Central West NSW north of Mudgee.

 Please do not send the guide to the Dept of Planning - select some or all of the points provided and add some of your own words.
 
 Brief Background:
 The mine will extract 20 million tonnes of coal per year  (mtpa) to produce 12 mtpa saleable product. 9.5mtpa has been contracted to the Eraring and Vales Point power stations on the Central Coast (over 300km away) by Ian McDonald when Minister for Mining and Energy.

 The mine has a very large ecological footprint, large water demand and will have major social impacts. All this is happening with NSW taxpayers money.

 Thank you to all who sent in submissions of objection in December to the original project assessment. There has since been a Planning Assessment Panel hearing and now a revised project for public comment.

 Please add your voice to the objections to this monstrous proposal. All additional coal will be exported.

 Help NSW to quit coal.

 More information on this project can be found at:

 http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=3695 <http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=3695>
 





Submission Guide
Cobbora Coal Project – Preferred Project Report
Application No: 10-0001

Submission deadline:  Friday 8 March

Label your submission as an objection, include your name, address and contact details




Key points of objection to Preferred Project Report (PPR):

1.     The economic assessment of the project and response to submissions has not adequately addressed the cost of a state-owned coal mine to the taxpayers of NSW.

2.     The project cannot guarantee a ‘reliable, secure and economically stable domestic coal supply (to)NSW generators’ nor can it guarantee ‘affordable electricity in NSW.’

3.     The justification for the mine is based on contracts negotiated by the ALP Govt as part of the Gentrader deal. These could be filled through other arrangements.

4.     The PPR does not justify the increase in water demand for mining operations from the previous prediction of 3,700 ML per year up to 4,340 ML per year.

5.     The increased pump rate from the Cudgegong River and access to higher natural flows has not been adequately assessed.

6.     The PPR will increase the area of destroyed woodland by 92 ha including an additional 11 ha of threatened ecological communities.

7.     The ecological footprint of the mine is too high and cannot be adequately offset. The PPR does not identify a final offset package because this is not achievable.

8.     The increased height of over burden emplacements by 20m will increase dust emissions. The air quality model needs to be redone using all available meteorological information.

9.     The proposal to implement the draft ‘Rail Infrastructure Noise Policy’ will disadvantage local residents affected by increased noise from the proposed rail loop.

10.  The issue of train length on the Ulan line has not been addressed as identified in the ARTC 2012 – 2020 Rail Corridor Capacity Strategy.


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