Mod 12 - Southern Longwalls

I object to the proposed Wambo Mine modification 12 because:
1. Management of Wambo mine impacts over a long period of time has been very poor
2. The cumulative impacts of Wambo Mine and surrounding mines has not been assessed
3. Peabody Energy has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and may not have the financial capacity to comply with obligations under the mining right
4. The mine has had a significant subsidence impact on Wambo Creek. The required repair work has not been carried out under conditions of approval and management plans. This issue has been ongoing since longwall mining commenced in 1991
5. The dam wall collapse at the mine in January 2016 causing pollution of water ways demonstrates ongoing harmful project management. South Water Storage Dam built in 2009 has also failed on one occasion by overtopping with mine waste water.
6. Health impacts from noise & dust generated by current operations is not assessed
7. The proposed 3 year extension for Wambo open cut will defer current rehabilitation commitments
8. The impact on perched aquifers supporting the endangered Warkworth Sands Woodlands has not been assessed
9. Extended production of thermal coal is irresponsible and will hinder climate change mitigation and management

I am shocked that this application from Peabody Energy is proceeding while Peabody Energy has filed for bankruptcy in the United Sates, I cannot see any due diligence work that suggests that Peabody Energy is in any position to follow through on their obligations, both to their workforce or the environment, should their corporate malaise spread to their Australian operations which is highly likely.

As always the cumulative impacts of this mine extension have bot been assessed. To suggest that with so many mines operating in this area that each one has its own individual impacts and their is no cumulative impact is clearly absurd. It's a bit like saying that each of us only emits a relatively small amount of greenhouse gases so what is the problem? The problem clearly is the cumulative impact.

I am deeply concerned about the impact of the mine on our waterways. Water is way more precious than coal, and if looked after, it is the key to being able to survive into the future on the driest inhabited continent on our planet.

Not only has mine subsidence had detrimental impacts on Wambo Creek, but ongoing pollution to local waterways has occurred due to the dam wall collapse earlier this year.

The impact of the Wambo mine on the aquifers which support the endangered Warkworth Sands Woodlands has not been assessed.

Then of course, there is the impact of more coal resources on climate change. I am of the view that it needs to be kept in the ground and we need to have an immediate and energetic process of renewable energy development and implementation.

Coal is a finite resource. There will be a time in the future when it may be needed. That time is not now.

I object to the Wambo Mine - Modification 12 - Southern Longwall Modifications for the following reasons:

1. Existing damage to Wambo Creek and neighbouring farmland
2. Lack of cumulative impact assessment - particularly on amenity, water sources and biodiversity
3. Poor justification and economic analysis
4. Peabody Energy financial distress
5. Increased greenhouse gas emissions over a longer period of time
6. Poor management and regulation of mining operations in the Hunter Region

I object to the prposed Wambo Mine modification 12 for the following reasons:
1) Wambo mine has not managed to satisfactorily address ongoing subsidence problems . These have had an adverse effect on Wambo Creek which has cracked and lost important permanent pools which had provided drought protection for wildlife and farmers.
2) The fact that Peabody has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy could mean that the company may not have the financial capacity tocomply with its obligations in rehabilitation or in running the mine in an environmentally responsible way.
3) Cumulative impacts of Wambo mine and surrounding mines have not been assessed and nor have health impacts from the noise and dust been assessed. In addition noise and dust emissions are now in excess of the predictions for the current mine.
4) Peabody has ongoing management problems with the aforementionedsubsidence problems, a dam wall collapse in 2016 and the failure on at least one occasion of the South Water Storage Dam.
5) When climate change is becomoming an increasing threat to the future of the planet extending the life of this mine and its coal production by another 3 years is irresponsible.

I object to the proposed Wambo Mine modification 12 because:

Extended production of thermal coal is irresponsible and will hinder climate change mitigation and management. For the climate to remain in a safe state, the scientific community is advising that coal must now be left in the ground and no new coal mines should be developed.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jan/07/much-worlds-fossil-fuel-reserve-must-stay-buried-prevent-climate-change-study-says

Society and all species on Earth should not bare the brunt of corporations such as Peabody not seeing the writing on the wall for fossil fuel production and not diversifying their portfolio. This enterprise is now too dangerous for the climate and should not be progressed. Fossil fuel enterprises such as this are holding back the transition to clean renewable energy and the new jobs of the 21st Century.

The cumulative impacts of Wambo Mine and all of the surrounding mines have not been assessed and the Wambo mine has had very poor management over a long period of time. The mine has had a significant subsidence impact on Wambo Creek. The required repair work has not been carried out under conditions of approval and management plans. This issue has been ongoing since longwall mining commenced in 1991. The dam wall collapse at the mine in January 2016 causing pollution of water ways demonstrates ongoing harmful project management. South Water Storage Dam built in 2009 has also failed on one occasion by overtopping with mine waste water.

Peabody Energy has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and may not have the financial capacity to comply with obligations under the mining right

Health impacts from noise and dust generated by current operations are not being assessed.

The proposed 3 year extension for Wambo open cut will defer current rehabilitation commitments which is unacceptable.

The impact on perched aquifers supporting the endangered Warkworth Sands Woodlands has not been assessed.

The economic assessment is not transparent and does not comply with the December 2015 Guidelines for the economic assessment of mining and coal seam gas proposals. The assessment is based on an $AUD coal price forecast of $108/tonne. This is far above Australian Treasury forecasts of AUD$78 per tonne.

I object to this proposal. I do not wish to see it proceed.

Yours sincerely,
Su Morley

I object to the proposed Wambo Mine modification 12 because:
1. Management of Wambo mine impacts over a long period of time has been very poor
2. The cumulative impacts of Wambo Mine and surrounding mines has not been assessed
3. Peabody Energy has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and may not have the financial capacity to comply with obligations under the mining right
4. The mine has had a significant subsidence impact on Wambo Creek. The required repair work has not been carried out under conditions of approval and management plans. This issue has been ongoing since longwall mining commenced in 1991
5. The dam wall collapse at the mine in January 2016 causing pollution of water ways demonstrates ongoing harmful project management. South Water Storage Dam built in 2009 has also failed on one occasion by overtopping with mine waste water.
6. Health impacts from noise & dust generated by current operations is not assessed
7. The proposed 3 year extension for Wambo open cut will defer current rehabilitation commitments
8. The impact on perched aquifers supporting the endangered Warkworth Sands Woodlands has not been assessed
9. Extended production of thermal coal is irresponsible and will hinder climate change mitigation and management

Please find attached submission by Hunter Environment Lobby Inc for this Wambo Modification.
Please advise by return email of your receipt.
Sincerely,
Jan Davis

As attached

As attached

Please refer to our submission attached.

Submission attached.

Please see attached.

See attached.

Please find pdf submission attached.

Please see attached.

Please see attached.