Angus Place Extension Project.

To whom it may concern,
Prof Will Steffen, a internationally acclaimed climate science expert, says that we should leave coal , oil and gas in the ground if we are to meet our Paris accord agreements of no more than 1.5° C global heating.
Australia has signed the Paris agreement. It is time for our legal and political system to get behind this international agreement instead of continuously ignoring the facts that global heating and its ramifications such as bushfire, drought and floods have major social and economic impacts on Australian citizens.
It would not be in the best interests of most humans on the planet to extend this mine which would allow it to still be mining coal after 2030.

I agree there is the issue of jobs required in the area of Lithgow, however having seen how deeply the Federal government can dig for financial help for people affected by Covid 19, I would expect the government to dig just as deeply to provide financial, social and educational support for people in the Lithgow area who may lose their jobs in the longer term due to the closure of this mine.

Thank you for allowing me to comment.

Yours sincerely

Please see attached submission on behalf of Lithgow Environment Group Inc.

I object to extending this coal mine because continuing to use coal as a fuel source is incompatible with maintaining a safe climate. We don't have time to continue using fossil fuels - we need to stop now.

It would be irresponsible and even negligent of people's safety to approve this project without reading up on climate science, the contribution of fossil fuels to global heating and what the science says on climate change impacts. It would be approving something that is dangerous to people without wanting to know how dangerous it is.

Need to happen to further secure the energy supply for NSW

There are obvious environmental issues around this proposal - to me, the most concerning is that it will facilitate the continued use of coal fired power in Australia when there is clearly a need for us to move towards sustainable energy sources. As an Australian < 30, projects like this highlight the government's lack of concern (at State and Federal levels) for my future and the livability of the country for everyone.

I have read some of the supportive submissions, and I appreciate the potential for local, short-term benefit. However, I strongly believe that these potential benefits are far outweighed by the negative effects on local water security, regional biodiversity, and global climate change. These are existential risks.

I urge you to reject this proposal, but respectfully ask that you maintain a long-term view on transitioning regional communities out of unsustainable and damaging industries. NSW must look forward.

I support this project on the basis that Mt Piper is the most greenhouse efficient coal fired station in NSW and on the premise that other coal fired stations will be progressively shut down as NSW transitions to more sustainable energy sources.
I trust the NSW government to put in adequate regulation and oversight on the project to ensure that environmental harm will be minimised over the term of the project.
As a citizen of NSW I encourage the extension of already existing mines and infrastructure over pure greenfield mines in new areas and Angus Place extension is an example of this.

To invest is any fossil fuel mining that adds to climate change, after we were confronted head-on by the catastrophic fires that were linked to climate change, and to ignore the overwhelming science on climate change is a willful act of environmental and societal terrorism. The NSW Government knows that if we do not act now to save our planet, the social, health and economic costs are going to be frightening. Invest in renewables. Invest in innovative green industries. Invest in research. Please do not cause further damage to precious land and our atmosphere. The Coronavirus lockdown has give us an enforced circuit-breaker and a much-needed 'breather' for our environment. If we do not take advantage of this opportunity to reform our thinking about the type of economy and society we want to rebuild; how we can help those nations that are most vulnerable to climate change but least able to pay for our excesses; about the world we are leaving for our grandchildren - then we are not only stupid but morally bankrupt.

As a group we object to the proposed extension to the Angus place Extension. on the following grounds.
1. As it stands the proposal will definitely permanently damage and dry out the few remaining upland swamps on the Newnes Plateau. Centennial coal obtained approval for it's Springvale mine on the assumption that there would be minimal or negligible impact to the upland swamps. This proved not to be the case, and many swamps have been destroyed for ever, and several long walls were shortened to avoid further impacts. the monitoring put in place proved beyond all doubt that this damage to swamps was happening. The long walls proposed in the Angus place proposal must be modified shortened or deleted, to guarantee there would be no cracking to the swamps, taking into account the far field impacts. Loss of swamps not only destroys the endangered plants and animals living in them, it also dries to a tinderbox, that increases fire danger for ever.
2. The water lost to the rivers and streams in the Greater Blue Mountains area is not acceptable. The cracking that long wall mining causes will reduce water flows in pristine creeks, the Wolgan River. much of this water will be pumped from the mines and sent to Mt.Piper power plant, meaning a considerable and permanent loss of water in these creeks and rivers.
3. The pollution of the rivers further downstream (still in the world heritage area. Some water will seep through cracks caused by the long wall mining, and reappear further downstream. This water has a very high probability of being polluted with iron and other dangerous minerals. This is not only visually unacceptable but is so detrimental to the health of plants and animals that rely on the water.
4. The Newnes Plateau has globally significant Pagoda formations, Aboriginal heritage culture, Caves, waterfalls that could be a very significant tourist attraction. To destroy this for ever, for coal to be burnt in a power station is not acceptable for future generations.
5. The time line of Centennial's proposal is not acceptable. NSW has a pledge to be carbon neutral by 2050. Having a coal mine with a license out to 2053 is not compatible with this aim. Also as we see more and more of the damage the underground mining does to the surface of such a wonderful natural beauty as the Newnes Plateau, there must be provision for reassessing the impacts at least every 5 years.
6. Climate change is having an impact world-wide on coal-fired power and we should be moving to renewable power as soon as possible. Mt Piper mine should have a time-line for closure well before 2053, and essentially as by 2030.
7. This is thermal coal. At present NSW is producing and exporting huge amounts of thermal coal. It is not necessary, nor in the interest of the NSW people to damage or destroy such magnificent area for a few years of coal

Angus Place has provided personally directly & indirectly to my family for over 35years.
Centennial & Angus Place are an integral part of the Greater Lithgow community creating jobs & income to local business.

I write in support of the Angus Place Mine Extension Project (SSD 506)
Coal mining in our area continues to be the largest driver of employment and economic wellbeing within our community and indeed sources employees from neighbouring areas as well as our own Local Government Area. It provides hundreds of direct jobs and many other industries benefit from the mining operations including but not limited to, engineering work shops, supply providers, contracting companies, trucking companies, NSW Rail, etc
The nearby Springvale Mine is scheduled for closure in 2024 and once developed, the Angus Place mine will continue with the employment of those 450 employees thus avoiding any retrenchments and job losses.
Jobs are vitally important here as our Local Government Area has a high unemployment rate especially in relation to youth unemployment. Coal mining creates many direct jobs and many more indirect jobs
The mine is currently on care and maintenance and once operational will continue to December 2053 giving certainty to those miners currently employed at Springvale and indeed certainty to the wider community and the many industries and organisations that rely on mining
Springvale and the proposed Angus Place mine will supply coal to the nearby Mt Piper Power Station. A power station that provides 15% of NSW electricity requirements so it is vitally important that a reliable and designated coal source is available now and into the future.
Energy Australia (the owners of the Mt Piper Power Station) engaged in a community survey in 2017 with a response to a question on support for coal mining and power generation returned a staggering 71% in support!
Lithgow City Council at it's recent Council Meeting on the 20th April 2020 endorsed unanimously, support for the Project.
I sincerely hope the Project gets the approval to go ahead.

Regards
Wayne McAndrew
Lithgow City Councillor

Dear Madam/Sir,

I object to the Angus Place Coal Mine Extension, and request that the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DoPIE) recommend refusal of consent. Centennial Coal’s Angus Place proposal would be disastrous for NSW both because it will exacerbate the climate emergency and destroy and degrade NSW’s precious natural heritage, including nationally endangered swamps.

Further, I wish to raise the following specific matters for consideration:

I oppose the mine extension as it will fracture and drain nationally endangered swamps. Centennial Coal admits that subsidence-related impacts are expected at Tri-Star Swamp, Twin Gully Swamp, Trail Six Swamp, Birds Rock Swamp, Crocodile Swamp and hanging swamps in their catchments. These swamps are home to vulnerable and endangered species such as the Blue Mountains Water Skink, Giant Burrowing Frog and the Giant Dragonfly. In the recent bushfire season, wildlife and bushland was devastated. The bush was dried out by an extended drought and then scorched in extreme heat which is becoming more common. In this context, these swamps are critical refuges and natural firebreaks and more precious than ever. Centennial coal has destroyed enough swamps on the Newnes Plateau. It’s time to protect, rehabilitate and recover these threatened ecological communities, not destroy more.

I oppose the mine extension as it will worsen the climate emergency. Global heating is having devastating impacts on people and nature in NSW and around the world. The climate emergency has been caused by many small emissions which add up to a huge global problem. The only way to solve it is to begin closing down these emissions sources one-by-one and rejecting approval of new ones, such as this mine.

Centennial Coal mis-reported its downstream (scope 3) CO2 emissions as being 30 times smaller than in reality. In reality, this project would be responsible for 11 million tonnes of CO2 each year, a whopping 8.5% of NSW’s CO2 emissions, while Centennial claim the number is only 0.368% of NSW’s emissions. Centennial fail to account for the impacts of these emissions. The climate impacts such as sea-level rise and associated flooding, longer and more extreme fire seasons, heatwaves, coral bleaching, ocean acidification and increased disease spread must be properly estimated and quantified.

I request that if any consent is issued, then it must be reviewed every 5 years with a possibility of cancellation from 2025, to enable future NSW Governments to end coal-fired electric power as soon as possible and so help stop the growing climate catastrophe.

Approval to 2053 is certainly in breach of the NSW government’s net zero emissions by 2050 target. Approval beyond 2030 is in breach of Australia’s commitment to the Paris agreement goals of making efforts to limit global heating to 1.5 degrees.

Please require Centennial Coal to revise this amended proposal to prevent damage to spectacular Birds Rock, pagodas, cliffs and the nationally endangered swamps in the 2,000 hectare proposed mining area.

DoPIE must not allow Centennial Coal to replicate under this proposal the damage it has already caused to nationally threatened upland swamps on the Newnes Plateau.

If mining is to be approved in this environmentally sensitive area, mini-longwall mining methods should be applied instead of the intensive longwall mining proposed to protect this significant part of the Gardens of Stone reserve proposal.

The Wolgan Falls must not run dry and so the proposed longall mining panels along the Wolgan River side of the proposed mining area must be shortened by hundreds of metres to prevent river water losses due to far field impacts associated with the extensive Wolgan Lineament Field.

DoPIE must require that pristine Carne Creek, and its waters that flow through the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and past the Wolgan Valley resort not be contaminated with iron and manganese or suffer reduced flows due to fracturing of surface rocks.

In the seven years since Centennial’s consultants identified the need for targeted surveys of four nationally endangered plants, the company failed to undertake these searches. Lithgow Environment Group has in that time identified many sites where these Federally listed plants occur within the proposal, highlighting the weakness of the company’s environmental assessment.

For all the above reasons, the amended mine extension proposal must be subject to Independent Planning Commission review processes.

I have not made political donations or gifts totalling $1,000 or more in the last two years.

I provide my consent for the contents of my submission including my suburb and postcode (NOT my name) to be published and listed by the Department.

Yours sincerely,
Melissa Mezups,
2208

I object to the Angus Place Coal Mine Extension, and request that the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DoPIE) recommend refusal of consent. Centennial Coal’s Angus Place proposal would be disastrous for NSW both because it will exacerbate the climate emergency and destroy and degrade NSW’s precious natural heritage, including nationally endangered swamps.

Further, I wish to raise the following specific matters for consideration:

I oppose the mine extension as it will fracture and drain nationally endangered swamps. Centennial Coal admits that subsidence-related impacts are expected at Tri-Star Swamp, Twin Gully Swamp, Trail Six Swamp, Birds Rock Swamp, Crocodile Swamp and hanging swamps in their catchments. These swamps are home to vulnerable and endangered species such as the Blue Mountains Water Skink, Giant Burrowing Frog and the Giant Dragonfly. In the recent bushfire season, wildlife and bushland was devastated. The bush was dried out by an extended drought and then scorched in extreme heat which is becoming more common. In this context, these swamps are critical refuges and natural firebreaks and more precious than ever. Centennial coal has destroyed enough swamps on the Newnes Plateau. It’s time to protect, rehabilitate and recover these threatened ecological communities, not destroy more.

I oppose the mine extension as it will worsen the climate emergency. Global heating is having devastating impacts on people and nature in NSW and around the world. The climate emergency has been caused by many small emissions which add up to a huge global problem. The only way to solve it is to begin closing down these emissions sources one-by-one and rejecting approval of new ones, such as this mine.

Centennial Coal mis-reported its downstream (scope 3) CO2 emissions as being 30 times smaller than in reality. In reality, this project would be responsible for 11 million tonnes of CO2 each year, a whopping 8.5% of NSW’s CO2 emissions, while Centennial claim the number is only 0.368% of NSW’s emissions. Centennial fail to account for the impacts of these emissions. The climate impacts such as sea-level rise and associated flooding, longer and more extreme fire seasons, heatwaves, coral bleaching, ocean acidification and increased disease spread must be properly estimated and quantified.

I request that if any consent is issued, then it must be reviewed every 5 years with a possibility of cancellation from 2025, to enable future NSW Governments to end coal-fired electric power as soon as possible and so help stop the growing climate catastrophe.

Approval to 2053 is certainly in breach of the NSW government’s net zero emissions by 2050 target. Approval beyond 2030 is in breach of Australia’s commitment to the Paris agreement goals of making efforts to limit global heating to 1.5 degrees.

Please require Centennial Coal to revise this amended proposal to prevent damage to spectacular Birds Rock, pagodas, cliffs and the nationally endangered swamps in the 2,000 hectare proposed mining area.

DoPIE must not allow Centennial Coal to replicate under this proposal the damage it has already caused to nationally threatened upland swamps on the Newnes Plateau.

If mining is to be approved in this environmentally sensitive area, mini-longwall mining methods should be applied instead of the intensive longwall mining proposed to protect this significant part of the Gardens of Stone reserve proposal.

The Wolgan Falls must not run dry and so the proposed longall mining panels along the Wolgan River side of the proposed mining area must be shortened by hundreds of metres to prevent river water losses due to far field impacts associated with the extensive Wolgan Lineament Field.

DoPIE must require that pristine Carne Creek, and its waters that flow through the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and past the Wolgan Valley resort not be contaminated with iron and manganese or suffer reduced flows due to fracturing of surface rocks.

In the seven years since Centennial’s consultants identified the need for targeted surveys of four nationally endangered plants, the company failed to undertake these searches. Lithgow Environment Group has in that time identified many sites where these Federally listed plants occur within the proposal, highlighting the weakness of the company’s environmental assessment.

For all the above reasons, the amended mine extension proposal must be subject to Independent Planning Commission review processes.

I have not made political donations or gifts totalling $1,000 or more in the last two years.

I provide my consent for the contents of my submission including my name and postcode to be published and listed by the Department.

Why would we build dirty coal mines when clean energy is ready and cheaper ? Building a clean energy future creates jobs in sustainable industries, generates economic growth and tackles the climate and economic crises. This single coal mine would contribute 8.5% of NSW’s greenhouse gas emissions by supplying coal to the nearby Mt Piper coal-fired power station’. It is unconscionable to approve this extension when the science overwhelmingly proves it will have far reaching environmental ( read water and habitat)risks, primarily the five critically-endangered swamps in the proposed Gardens of Stone conservation reserve, draining them of water and life.
Please do not authorise this extension

This submission (attached) objects to this extension on three grounds:
• Greenhouse gas emissions, Scope 1, 2 and 3, causing global heating
• Toxic gases and particulates causing regional damage to life
• Continued undermining of the Newnes Plateau and the Gardens of Stone, a World Heritage Area

State Significant Project – Angus Place Mine Extension

To whom it may concern

My husband and I have owned a property in the Wolgan Valley for around 20 years.

Our valley is beautiful. It is home to people with a variety of jobs, including mining, call centre work, work at the Emirates Resort, and farming. People in the valley have travelled outside it for work as teachers, in the Airforce, and in private enterprise. People who own houses in the valley also work as lawyers, plumbers, gardeners and in real estate.

At the end of the valley, at Newnes there is a beautiful campground surrounded by cliffs – here you can also see the remains of the coal shale industry. Drive back up the valley from Newnes and you can walk through a disused rail tunnel, now known as the glow worm tunnel which used to carry the coal shale into the outside world.

The recent catastrophic bushfires have caused untold damage to the natural environment, and also psychological damage to people who lived in the valley and watched the fires unfold over a period of weeks.

The strength of community in the valley is very strong. These ties were emphasised during the fires, when people in the valley banded together to keep each other informed of the way the fire was moving, making sure that when machinery entered the valley that could be used to build firebreaks, it was sent to people’s homes that were tucked away in the bush. Without mobile phone access and with the loss of landlines, we had amazing people coordinating information and supplies.

Longwall mining inevitably causes damage to the environment, mines know this, and the Department of Planning knows this.

It is inevitable that water courses will fracture, water will be lost along water courses, swamps will dry up, gas will be released and iron staining will occur – that is the nature of longwall mining, the rock around the mined coal seams collapses, fractures, and causes this damage.

If you drive down Long Swamp Road, which leads off the Wolgan Road before you reach Angus Place Colliery, you will see signs advising you not to enter certain areas due to mine subsidence this is the long-term consequence of mining in the area – areas that are now out of bounds due to subsidence.

In an era where coal is known to be bad for the health of people who live and work in the area, where water and our natural resources are precious I would ask that the Department of Planning seriously reconsider allowing the extension of Centennial Coal’s operations in the area.

In this era after a season of catastrophic fires that affected most of Australia, an ongoing drought and long-term and ongoing changes in climate which have been a factor in both these natural disasters, it is time to take longer term holistic views of coal mining.

The Centennial Mine proposal area is under Carne Creek – longwall mining should not be allowed under water courses due to the physical and environmental damage that inevitably occurs as a result of this type of mining.

Thank you for your consideration.

Yours sincerely

Suganthi Singarayar

As a user of electrical power in NSW and employee in the coal industry, I am in support of the Angus Place extension. I believe the stability of jobs in the local Lithgow area is important. Supply of electrical power is necessary to sustain our standard of living and these together contribute to our quality of life. Environmental impacts have been significantly minimised through the project design process. I support the Angus Place extension project.

BCCAN objects to the proposed Angus Place mine extension on environmental grounds, as well as loss of tourism in the Lithgow area. This extension would significantly contribute to an increase in global warming, as well as the death of swamps, loss of endangered species, and significant water loss. These ideas are more fully developed in the attached submission.

I object to the proposed extension of the above project.

Of prime concern is the impact on nationally endangered upland swamps on the Newnes Plateau. The mine extension will fracture the sandstone strata supporting these critical swamps. Centennial Coal has not modified the Angus Place mine extension proposal to adequately protect nationally endangered swamps

With Climate Change these swamps are more precious than ever, providing natural firebreaks and critical refuges during prolonged droughts. Centennial Coal has already caused enough damage to these nationally threatened upland swamps and it admits that subsidence-related impacts are expected at several swamps and hanging swamps in their catchments. These swamps are home to vulnerable and endangered species and must be protected. Enough is enough! It is time to protect, rehabilitate and recover these threatened ecological communities, not destroy more.

Also of concern is the excessive clearing of 50 hectares of public forest for additional roads, ventilation and pumping facilities. This area must be greatly reduced and all facilities located away from sensitive areas. This should be independently monitored as given Centennial’s track record (see next point) there is little confidence this will be adequately done. In the seven years since Centennial’s consultants identified the need for targeted surveys of four nationally endangered plants, the company failed to undertake these searches. Lithgow Environment Group has in that time identified many sites where these Federally listed plants occur within the proposal, highlighting the weakness of the company’s environmental assessment.

The proposed intensive longwall mining will cause too much damage a significant part of the proposed Gardens of Stone Reserve. This Reserve has significant toruism potential that will extend well beyond the life of this mine. Mini-longwall mining methods should be applied instead.

The Wolgan Falls should also be protected and must not run dry and so the proposed long wall mining panels along the Wolgan River side of the proposed mining area must be shortened by hundreds of metres to prevent river water losses due to far field impacts associated with the extensive Wolgan Lineament Field.

Another concern is the possible contamination of Pristine Carne Creek, and its waters that flow through the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and past the Wolgan Valley resort with iron and manganese. Nor should these streams suffer reduced flows due to fracturing of surface rocks.

Another major concern is the contribution this extension will make to NSW’s CO2 emissions. The veracity of Centennial’s reporting on downstream emissions have been challenged and we believe Centennial’s emissions are much greater than reported. According to climate scientists, Mt Piper and other coal-fired power stations in NSW must close by 2030 to keep global heating within safe levels. Approval to 2053 is certainly in breach of the NSW government’s net zero emissions by 2050 target and approval beyond 2030 is in breach of Australia’s commitment to the Paris agreement goals of making efforts to limit global heating to 1.5 degrees. Seeking to grandfather its consent until 2053 is totally unacceptable.

For all the above reasons, the amended mine extension proposal must be subject to Independent Planning Commission review processes.

I request that the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (the DoPIE) recommend refusal of consent, as Centennial Coal has not modified the Angus Place mine extension proposal to adequately protect nationally endangered swamps and has sought to grandfather its consent until 2053, preventing future necessary adaption of the energy sector to address the growing climate emergency. As a result:

- I oppose the mine extension as it will fracture the sandstone strata supporting the nationally endangered swamps.

- I request that if any consent is issued, then it must be reviewed every 5 years with a possibility of cancellation from 2025, to enable future NSW Governments to end coal-fired electric power as soon as possible and so help stop the growing climate catastrophe.

- Please require Centennial Coal to revise this amended proposal to prevent damage to spectacular Birds Rock, pagodas, cliffs and the nationally endangered swamps in the 2,000 hectare proposed mining area.

- DoPIE must not allow Centennial Coal to replicate under this proposal the damage it has already caused to nationally threatened upland swamps on the Newnes Plateau.

- Mini-longwall mining methods should be applied instead of the intensive longwall mining proposed to protect this significant part of the Gardens of Stone reserve proposal.

- The excessive clearing of 50 hectares of public forest for an additional roads, ventilation and pumping facilities must be greatly reduced and all facilities located away from sensitive areas.

- The Wolgan Falls must not run dry and so the proposed longall mining panels along the Wolgan River side of the proposed mining area must be shortened by hundreds of metres to prevent river water losses due to far field impacts associated with the extensive Wolgan Lineament Field.

- DoPIE must require that Pristine Carne Creek, and its waters that flow through the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and past the Wolgan Valley resort not be contaminated with iron and manganese or suffer reduced flows due to fracturing of surface rocks.

- In the seven years since Centennial’s consultants identified the need for targeted surveys of four nationally endangered plants, the company failed to undertake these searches. Lithgow Environment Group has in that time identified many sites where these Federally listed plants occur within the proposal, highlighting the weakness of the company’s environmental assessment.

- For all the above reasons, the amended mine extension proposal must be subject to Independent Planning Commission review processes.