Holcim Salt Ash Sand Operations

I wish to oppose a proposal to ‘wet-mine’ Holcim Salt Ash Sand Mine at Salt Ash by dredging up to 30 metres below the water table. I have three main concerns . Our water table is very important in this area with most of our water being supplied from groundwater. Even the authorities such as Hunter Water have worries about this previously untested extraction method.

It will also result in removal of a large amount of vegetation which will be environmentally detrimental.

I am also concerned at the more than doubling of heavy truck movements it will generate. Our roads are very clogged with sand-mining trucks. They add a considerable burden to our roads and a compounded danger to other traffic.

Judy Washington

extra support to local community providing job stability and revenue

This is a great project for the area.

I’m extremely concerned about the 30 metre depth of extraction affecting the underground water table in our region. Also, the heavy truck movements that will be involved will be detrimental to the already degraded road surfaces in that area.
Please put our local living quality above importance of satisfying expanding profits of international investors.

There are three major issues with this development. The impact on the groundwater, the impacts of the additional truck movements on the local road network and the environmental impacts of the clearing the area of vegetation.
• The impact of extracting wet sand from 30m below the water table could have an adverse effect of the Tomaree sand beds. I believe there is a risk that this work will draw down the water table and increase the risk of pollution. The underground water from these sand beds supplies drinking water to many of the resident of Port Stephens. There are also wet mines proposed in the Williamtown/Fern Bay area. The impacts of these three wet mines should be consider collectively. During drought conditions this underground water supply is critical.
• The impact of this project on road safety and potential damage to the existing road network must be considered. The Holcim Project is expected to move750000 ton/ann off sand by truck. This would result in in approximately 15,000 loaded B-double truck and 15000 empty trucks. An estimated total of 30,000 truck movement a year. These additional truck movement should be added to the truck movements from the existing approved sand mining projects. This project is located adjacent to Mackas Sand.. This existing sand extraction business has approval for 500,000 tons/ann with the potential approval of 1 million tonnes from each of its two sites. There are five additional sand mining business between Anna Bay and Fern Cove The impacts of all these projects on the local road network must be taken into account in the approval process.
• I am concerned that the removal of the vegetation from the mine site would have a serious impact on local wildlife.

I note in the scoping report Cl 5.2.1 and Appendix A that consideration of the impact of heavy truck movements is noted but given little attention. One only has to visit Lavis Lane in nearby Williamtown to see the impacts of HV operations on a local road never built for the frequency of such heavy traffic. It must be part of the permission process that industries such as this are required to contribute to the upkeep of local roads so the local council and ratepayers are not disproportionately burdened with repair costs.