MOD 1 - Ash Dam Expansion

I object to Eraring Power Station - Ash Dam Expansion MOD 1 on the
following grounds;

- The Eraring Power Station ash dump poses an unacceptable hazard to
the health and safety of the residents and environment of Lake
Macquarie and increasing the volume of coal ash stored indefinitely on
the shores of Australia's largest saltwater coastal lake is
irresponsible.

- The proposal is to extend the operational life of the ash dump to
approximately 2024. No mention is made in the EIS of what is proposed
for the ash generated after this time.

- Origin has failed to meet its coal ash reuse target of 80%, with
only 37% of the ash generated currently reused.

- The proposal would allow the continued dumping of heavy metal laden
coal ash leachate into Lake Macquarie from its cooling water outflow
and through listed coastal wetlands to the west of the ash dump and
ultimately into Lake Macquarie.

And finally, I object because SERIOUSLY - are ANY of you paying
attention to the issues of natural destruction, climate change et al?
You negligence in the continued expansion of, or permission for any
additional development of projects that destroy the natural habitat
border on criminal negligence. I hope you don't have grandchildren
that will one day grow up to inherit a planet that you helped to
destroy.

The Eraring Power Station ash dump poses an unacceptable hazard to the
health and safety of local residents and the environment, allowing the
continued dumping of heavy metal laden coal ash leachate into Lake
Macquarie

The plan to extend the operational life of the ash dump to
approximately 2024 makes no mention in the EIS of what is proposed for
the ash generated after this time.

I note that Origin has already failed to meet its coal ash reuse
target of 80%, with only 37% of the ash generated currently reused.

As a resident at Murrays Beach, on Lake Macquarie, I wish to register my
concern on the proposed expansion of the coal dust storage facility
adjacent to the Eraring Power Station.

The coal dust storage area is in the vicinity of the Murrays Beach, to
the north westerly direction. Already we are receiving fine dust to
the area, obviously carried by the wind across the water from other
areas, and the coal dust is a well known factor in this regard. This
dust is a common occurrence, and something what one would not expect
in a seemingly clean and fresh environment. The proponents of the
expansion to the facility will argue otherwise, but surely any
expansion will only add to the nuisance and possible detrimental
health effects this is already causing. There are a large number of
other much more negative effects from storing such a toxic pollutant,
which undoubtedly have been covered in detail by other submissions,
but as a local resident directly affected feel it is important to add
in this point to your consideration.

With the ever increasing development around the beautiful Lake
Macquarie, the population adversely affected will only increase. As
such, any expansion of the coal burning energy production can only be
a rather shortsighted policy.
NSW Government should set a long term policy to close the burning coal
fired power stations so close to the most densely populated areas of
the state, and replace them with cleaner and more sustainable energy
facilities.

Please note this is from private citizen, who will consider these
matters very closely when voting in the next NSW state & federal
elections.

As a resident in the Lake Macquarie area I would like to register my
strong objection to any expansion of the ash dam storage of toxic
waste materials.
The ash is liable to blow in the wind, and seep into the ground water
during rainy periods, thereby contaminating Lake Macquarie.
Please consider closing down the coal fired power station and using
the stored ash for building projects etc.

I live very close to Eraring Power Station and we often get fine
particles settling on our deck and washing when the wind is blowing
from the west sou west. I am vehemently opposed to any increase in the
ash dam. There will be a significant loss of flora and fauna due to
the extension and greater leaching and run off into Lake Macquarie.
Origin energy said at their last AGM that Eraring will gradually be
wound down and eventually closed. Now we find they are increasing the
dam . We have already lost so much flora and fauna on the western side
of Lake Macquarie due to housing and industrial development that seems
to consist solely of stripping every blade of grass,every bush, every
tree and every particle of topsoil it is abhorrent . The vandalism to
the environment must be curtailed.

We are in an age of increasing extreme weather events including high
winds and rainfall. The former will blow dust and the later could lead
to the dump containment failing as has happened in the US where 300
hundred acres were covered with toxic sludge after a wall of a coal
ash holding an ash pond near Kingston in East Tennessee gave way.


https://goo.gl/images/1FfpkE

This type of event would dump hundreds of tons of toxic material into
the lake.

To whom it may concern ,

I object to Eraring Power Station - Ash Dam Expansion MOD 1 on the
following grounds;

· The Eraring Power Station ash dump poses an unacceptable hazard to
the health and safety of the residents and environment of Lake
Macquarie and increasing the volume of coal ash stored indefinitely on
the shores of Australia's largest saltwater coastal lake is
irresponsible.

· The proposal is to extend the operational life of the ash dump to
approximately 2024. No mention is made in the EIS of what is proposed
for the ash generated after this time.

· Origin has failed to meet its coal ash reuse target of 80%, with
only 37% of the ash generated currently reused.

· The proposal would allow the continued dumping of heavy metal laden
coal ash leachate into Lake Macquarie from its cooling water outflow
and through listed coastal wetlands to the west of the ash dump and
ultimately into Lake Macquarie.

- I am extremely concerned about the risks of air & water pollution on
the Myuna Bay Area that may result from the proposed expansion of the
ash dam.

I object to Eraring Power Station - Ash Dam Expansion MOD 1 on the
following grounds;
1. The proposal would allow the continued dumping of heavy metal-laden
coal ash leachate into Lake Macquarie from its cooling water outflow
and through listed coastal wetlands to the west of the ash dump and
ultimately into Lake Macquarie.
2. Origin has failed to meet its coal ash reuse target of 80%, with
only 37% of the ash generated currently reused.
3. The proposal is to extend the operational life of the ash dump to
approximately 2024. No mention is made in the EIS of what is proposed
for the ash generated after this time.
4. The Eraring Power Station ash dump poses an unacceptable hazard to
the health and safety of the residents and environment of Lake
Macquarie and increasing the volume of coal ash stored indefinitely on
the shores of Australia's largest saltwater coastal lake is
irresponsible.

Expansion of the Eraring Fly Ash dump.
Dear Sir/Madam.

I would like to add my support to Hunter Community Environment Centre
opposition to any increase to the existing Eraring ash dam. The
existing dam already poses an unacceptable risk to
Lake Macquarie and its environs.

Below please find a report from USA's Rachel Maddow report on
post-Florence floodwaters breaching the retaining walls of a toxic
coal ash dump, with video suggesting that the toxic coal ash has
washed into the Cape Fear River a short distance upriver from the
flooded city of Wilmington, North Carolina.

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/flooded-coal-ash-dump-threatens-downriver-nc-city-with-toxicity-1326562371559

There is no doubt that we in Australia are also experiencing weather
extremes with increasing severity and frequency. Is there any
guarantee that a future East Coast low well not overfill and spill
over the existing system in place?

Rather than expanding the dump, we should act promptly to reduce its
size and ensure no possibility of leakage or the dumps contents into
Lake Macquarie and its environs.

Thanking you for the opportunity to voice my concerns.
Regards
Paul Moors
47 Northminster Way
Rathmines. 2283
[email protected]

I strongly object to Eraring Power Station - Ash Dam Expansion MOD 1
for the following reasons;

· The Eraring Power Station ash dump poses an unacceptable hazard to
the health and well-being of the community and the environment of Lake
Macquarie.

· The long-term storage of such large quantities of toxic coal-ash, in
such proximity to populations and Australia's largest coastal lake is
a huge liability. The proposal will see the life of the ash dump
extend to approximately 2024. No mention is made in the EIS of what is
proposed for the ash generated after this time.

· Removal and reuse of coal-ash is the preferable alternative to
continued dumping and dam expansion. Historically, Origin has failed
to meet coal ash reuse targets, if this indicates the future
performance a more sustained effort should be made to demonstrate
Origins ability to secure responsible reuse outcomes.

· The proposal will see existent problems associated with coal ash
into Lake Macquarie and surrounding ecosystems intensify, and
eradicate the future rehabilitation of the area

The sensitivity of the site is a major factor being so close to the Myuna
Bay Sport and Recreation Club, the Eraring settlement and Dora Creek
township.
Of the 3 Options, Option 3 should be the only consideration, others
requiring large destruction of natural habitat.
AIR QUALITY is possibly the most important as page 57 (8.5.1) clearly
states that dust from the present ash dam is of some concern. The
monitoring shows that it may be within the EPA guidelines, but a
greater exposure of the ash dam means that the breezes and winds from
the Lake Macquarie regime may well exceed all previous data.
Because the current capacity of the ash dam is not expected till
somewhere between Oct 2023 and march 2026 it would seem, that even if
this approval is forthcoming, then work should not begin until such
times nearer a finer timeframe. The whole generation grid statewide
may well change over the next five or six years as other technologies
take a larger share of the market.
Great care should be taken of overflow plans with the Receiving Pond,
which eventually flows into lake Macquarie itself. This overflow plan
should not be used outside severe weather conditions.
The establishment of the 60ha offset should be cemented into place and
as much of the other 500ha sectors considered and not be allowed to be
compromised.

Option 3 is the only option available as the options 1 and 2 would
destroy great areas of natural habitat and the buffer that exists.
The current dam is an unlined facility so it is of some concern that
additional load may create problems not considered. This technical
aspect needs to be fleshed out before approval is forthcoming.
Should approval be successful for this application commencement of
work does not need to begin immediately as the current capacity will
be realise somewhere between October 2023 and march 2026.
Drilling down into old mine workings and attempting to fill the voids
with ash needs to take into account aquifers that may intersect in the
voids. These need to be identified and contamination of those aquifers
must be avoided. State authorities must play a role in their
identification and protection.
It is worrying that already the current dam gives off toxic dust on a
daily basis as expressed on page 57 (8.5.1). Extreme dust depositions
occur during both morning (winter)and then daytime (summer) and affect
local communities. Whilst EPA claim that these depositions are within
their own guidelines, toxic dust emanating from an even greater and
higher dam dimension needs serious thought. Rathmines,Buttaba,Arcadia
Vale and Wangi Wangi, suburbs that we know are high in percentage
young families, will bear the brunt of these dust influences. We
believe that more work may be required to prevent contamination on a
regular basis of these local communities.
The offsets stated by EPS of 60ha must be locked into place as part of
the approval whilst further offsets as stated, up to 500 hectares must
be seriously considered.

I object to Eraring Power Station - Ash Dam Expansion MOD 1 for the
following reasons;

· The Eraring Power Station ash dump poses an unacceptable hazard to
the health of the community and the environment of Lake Macquarie,
this is NOT an inert waste product, and has been shown to leech into
ground water, and present unacceptable levels of heavy metal
poisoning.

· The long-term storage of such large quantities of toxic coal-ash, in
such proximity to populations and Australia's largest coastal lake is
a huge liability. The proposal will see the life of the ash dump
extend to approximately 2024. No mention is made in the EIS of what is
proposed for the ash generated after this time. America has already
shown just how dangerous the storage of coal ash is, with their EPA
making amendments to their own disposal laws on the basis of 'leaking
of contaminants into ground water, blowing of contaminants into the
air as dust, and the catastrophic failure of coal ash surface
impoundments'.

. Removal and reuse of coal-ash is the preferable alternative to
continued dumping and dam expansion. Historically, Origin has failed
to meet coal ash reuse targets, if this indicates the future
performance a more sustained effort should be made to demonstrate
Origins ability to secure responsible reuse outcomes.

· The proposal will see existent problems associated with coal ash
leachate (containing heavy metals) into Lake Macquarie and surrounding
ecosystems intensify, and exacerbate the future rehabilitation of the
site.

I'm not willing to stand by and watch the continued destruction and
endangerment of our communities.

https://www.epa.gov/coalash/coal-ash-rule

I object to Eraring Power Station - Ash Dam Expansion MOD 1 on the
following grounds:

· The Eraring Power Station ash dump poses an unacceptable hazard to
the health and safety of the residents and environment of Lake
Macquarie and increasing the volume of coal ash stored indefinitely on
the shores of Australia's largest saltwater coastal lake is
irresponsible.

. It would continue to expose the surrounding area to pollution by
wind-blown ash at a time when the health effects of fine particulate
matter are better understood and need to be ameliorated.

· The proposal is to extend the operational life of the ash dump to
approximately 2024. No mention is made in the EIS of what is proposed
for the ash generated after this time.

· Origin has failed to meet its coal ash reuse target of 80%, with
only 37% of the ash generated currently reused.

· The proposal would allow the continued dumping of heavy metal laden
coal ash leachate into Lake Macquarie from its cooling water outflow
and through listed coastal wetlands to the west of the ash dump and
ultimately into Lake Macquarie.

Objections to the Eraring Power Station Ash dam expansion Mod 1
The environmental assessment is inadequate as it does not detail the
chemical composition of the coal combustion products. Coal ash can
contain mercury, cadmium and many other chemicals harmful to the
environment. Without detailing the nature of the product it is
impossible to assess whether the ash dam proposal is adequate to
protect human health and environmental values.
Best practice management of coal combustion products requires that ash
dams be constructed with an impervious barrier membrane to prevent
ground water movement away from the storage area. The environmental
assessment does not mention a barrier except in relation to the issue
of mine subsidence.
As the Eraring ash dam is proposed to be used for a further 14 years,
this major redevelopment of the site should be used as an opportunity
to bring the facility up to current best practice.

I object to Eraring Power Station - Ash Dam Expansion MOD 1 on the
following grounds;

· The Eraring Power Station ash dump poses an unacceptable hazard to
the health and safety of the residents and environment of Lake
Macquarie and increasing the volume of coal ash stored indefinitely on
the shores of Australia's largest saltwater coastal lake is
irresponsible.

· The proposal is to extend the operational life of the ash dump to
approximately 2024. No mention is made in the EIS of what is proposed
for the ash generated after this time.

· Origin has failed to meet its coal ash reuse target of 80%, with
only 37% of the ash generated currently reused.

· The proposal would allow the continued dumping of heavy metal laden
coal ash leachate into Lake Macquarie from its cooling water outflow
and through listed coastal wetlands to the west of the ash dump and
ultimately into Lake Macquarie

I object to increasing the size of the coal-ash dump. The health impacts
must be considered and the polluting of Lake Macquarie is not
acceptable.
Power stations must find a more acceptable way to deal with their
waste.

The Hunter Community Environment Centre objects to the proposed expansion
to the Eraring coal-ash facility for reasons outlined in the
submission.

Ash dams have a history of cover-ups on environmental degradation
throughout Australia. In 2018 it is the responsibility of the
manufacturer of any contaminant, which has the possibility to harm the
ecosystems on land and sea, as well as human health, to demonstrate
that they can sustainably remove, destroy or remediate their
by-products.
This Plan fails to demonstrate any aspect of our request.

Please see attached