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
Email to: plan_comment@planning.nsw.gov.au
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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