Maxwell Underground Coal Mine Project

I support the project because of the jobs that it will create. I believe it will be good for the economy.

Please see attached letter.

See attached letter of support.

I am in support of the project for the positive economic impacts that the project will have on the local community and the State. I have seen the positive contributions that coal mines make to local economies, particularly the knock on effects to indirect areas such as accommodation/housing, hospitality, trades, maintenance, services, retail etc. This is in addition to the obvious significant economic contributions of jobs and wages, infrastructure investment/ voluntary planning agreements with local councils, rates, donations to local causes. The impact for the State government is significant royalty revenue. The many positives can really help lift and boost the local community. This flows on to positive social impacts and livelihoods.

There are so many mines already operating in the Upper Hunter. They are creeping close to our towns and agricultural industries. It is important to maintain a balance between the economies in the area, and to maintain the environment.

To Whom it may concern.
My name is Jason Troy, I am a Muswellbrook resident and Service Manager at Muswellbrook Nissan.
I fully support Malabar Coal's Maxwell Underground Project. The project will be a fantastic, much needed boost to our local economy, supporting local businesses and offering employment opportunities to local residents for decades to come.
Our business was a long term supplier to Anglo American Drayton mine, benefiting from the sale of new vehicles to the mine, and the continued service and parts supply in support of those vehicles over many years. When the Drayton South proposal did not gain approval, and with the cessation of mining activities, we were forced to cut our workforce by 50%, such was the amount of work we were afforded by our relationship to the mine. As a smaller, family based business, this was a very hard decision to come to terms with.
On a further personal level, I witnessed many friends of mine who were long term employees of the mine, that were forced to move on from the area to seek out work opportunities elsewhere.
The Maxwell project, with it's commitment to underground mining, and the utilisation of existing infrastructure, I believe has addressed the concerns that some parties have had with previous submissions made relating to the site, and I could not see how anyone could be in opposition to the existing proposal.
I would look forward to the opportunity for our business to again flourish, along with many others over a broad range of areas , in partnership with the Maxwell Project.

Regards
Jason Troy

For years I have been against the idea for a coal mine of any sorts within the area near Godolphin (woodlands) and Coolmore. You have 2 of the worlds great thoroughbred breeding groups in these properties. The reason being the impact of damaging the underground water streams in the area, the visual impact on the landscape, the noise that will be generated with the large machinery moments. In the area in question how many more mines do we need, I am a tour operator in the Upper Hunter and have been for 23 years, the impact that mining is having on my business is profound.
The visual impact, and the dust component is unbearable.
I am totally against this mine in the location it is being proposed
Regards
Craig Benjamin
General Manager
Upper Hunter Tours

Please refer my attached letter of support as my submission.

I support this project due to the economic benefits that it will bring to the local community and the state through both the construction phase and the ongoing operational phase.

Please see the attached letter which i submit in support of the project.

To all, it may concern,
My objections to this mine are simple. AIR, WATER & CULTURE
I was lucky to be born in the hunter valley, coming from stock that has been rooted within the Hunter Rivers catchment for 3 over generations.

My objections are based on the future of the hunter valley itself and that future isn’t another coal mine, it’s my 9month old son. I look at the devastation to the land, air and water that’s unfolded through my eyes over the last 33 years I’ve lived directly in The Hunter Valley and I ask myself a question, what will be left of this valley when he is my age? The land we’ll have been turned on its head, the air will be dirty and dusty and the river will be scared beyond repair.

The impacts directly and indirectly from this coal mine on air quality are demonstrably underestimated, I live and work here in the valley with the majority of my time is spent within an area of NSW that has the worst air quality in all of the state and that is because of coal-based pollution.

Our region like many others has been hit hard by water stress over the past few years, any further impacts on that highly stressed system could see catastrophic results across many facets of life. Malabar’s groundwater modelling predicts a 2-metre drawdown of the hunter river alluvium thus having an effect of groundwater availability and surface water flows. They also plan to use the old Drayton site to dump spoil, reject and pumped water, this has potential to contaminate the alluvial aquifers of the hunter valley. If there is any impact on the hunter river or its alluvium this mine cannot proceed.

The constant strain on myself and family has to stop, there is no certainty that the air or water quality will get better, the line pushed by all and sundry is that “they” are taking steps to reduce all forms of pollution, but data suggest we are in a worse state then we have ever been. So the question and uncertainty remain, can I afford to raise my family within a valley that generations before me have because of the coal mining operations and its effects?. We have no certainty or control over the future of this beautiful valley.

Onto culture, Australia is often seen in the eyes of the world as not having much culture because Europeans have only been here for 200+years, that notion astounds me. We have some of the oldest living cultures in the world and this valley has a rich indigenous history and it's being lost forever to create large open wounds in the ground. An emphasis on cultural heritage whether it is indigenous or not needs to take place.

I will conclude with a question that I often ask myself, what will be left of this valley when all is said and done? Will it be left better than it was found? Or will it be left for my kids and their kids to try and clean up?

Regards

Please find attached submission stating my objection to this project.

Objections attached

Hunter New England Population Health has reviewed the EIS for the Maxwell Underground Coal Mine, paying particular attention to Air Quality, Noise, Surface Water, and Groundwater and other issues that may impact on public health. Due to the proposed coal mine being underground, and most above ground infrastructure existing already, the EIS indicates that the Project will have minimal additional impact on public health.

Please find advice attached.

Bobby Dodovski
56 South street Adamstown NSW 2289

NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment
GPO Box 39, Sydney NSW 2001
Date 23/09/2019

To Whom It May Concern
Re: Maxwell Underground Coal Mine Project. SSD-9526
My name is Bobby Dodovski and I have lived and worked in the Hunter Region for the past 24 years.
I am writing to lodge my support for Malabar Coal’s Maxwell Underground Project.
Upon reading the executive summary proposal I’m confident that all parties will benefit from the opportunities this project will bring to the area.

I support the project because it will deliver important benefits for the local community and NSW.
The Maxwell Project will create 350 new jobs for the region. These new jobs and the wages that will flow from them, will deliver a much needed boost to the local economy. Further afield, the project will also generate up to $1.25 billion for the NSW State Government and local Councils. This money can be used to upgrade regional hospitals, schools or infrastructure.
The project will mean 350 more skilled jobs for the local community. These jobs will inject around $55 million in wages into our community – benefiting many other businesses in the area. Malabar have also said they want to prioritise hiring locals to ensure that the benefits of the project stay here in the community.
Malabar takes mine rehabilitation seriously. They started rehabilitating the old Drayton open cut straight away and have made great progress so far. It is great to see a business take this job so seriously. I appreciate that they have already opened up some of the land for cattle to graze on. This shows a commitment to coexistence with other local industries. I also note that the Maxwell Project will deliver a better rehabilitation outcome in the long term by filling voids at the former Drayton Mine with reject stone and rock. This will mean a much better outcome for our community.

It is my belief that the benefits of the project will make a substantial long-term difference to the communities in the Upper Hunter and to NSW.
The Hunter Region needs a diverse economy and the Maxwell Underground Project can help make sure our economy prospers for years to come.
Regards


Bobby Dodovski

Please see attached document.