Mount Pleasant Optimisation Project

I support the project to continue as it provides jobs in the Hunter Valley and surrounding areas and assist the next generation who also require stable employment for there future

I rely on the continuation of this project for employment. The benefits of this include injection of funds into the local community such as local retailers/ food outlets and services. This also impacts on my family directly.

As a resident of the Upper Hunter Valley I drive past the Mount Pleasant mine on a regular basis. The existing mine is a blight on the beautiful landscape and is only adding to the deleterious cumulative impacts of all the mines in this area.

When Mount Pleasant was approved some 20+ years ago there were significantly less mines in this area. Now there are many large mines all adding to the cumulative impacts of noise and dust and placing unnecessary pressure on the limited water resources. Also, at the time this mine was approved the regulatory requirements were significantly less onerous than they are today, yet the mine was still allowed to commence just a few years ago when it had been inactive for some 18 years.

This Project more than doubles the size and impact of this mine. The quality of air in the Upper Hunter Valley is extremely poor and only getting worse. The lack of cumulative assessment impact studies by the NSW Government in respect of air quality is doing an enormous disservice to our local communities.

This part of the Upper Hunter Valley should be protected for agricultural purposes. The land is fertile and productive and should not be given up for relatively short term mining activities.

I am concerned about the impact of this Project on noise, water and air quality. The cumulative impacts of all the mines in this area is extremely concerning. The community is now being asked to accept this Project which has the potential to create enormous impacts on the environment in which we live and it should not be allowed.

I object to this proposal.

Its proven support to the community and the lives of the people in the mining region can not be denied.
That fact that the pit is heading away from town
Seals the deal for me.

I object to the Mt Pleasant Optimisation Project.

The current Mt Pleasant Project should never have been granted approval. I drive past the current operation every time I go to town and it is very visible that they are having trouble controlling spontaneous combustion at the mine. It appears there is little or nothing that the regulator can do about this so it just continues to pollute the already heavily overburdened Hunter airshed. The horrendous waste of resources in the building of a rail loop which will only be used for a couple of years and now building another without even reusing the materials cannot be rewarded. We cannot continue to waste resources like this. How can the Department of Planning permit this?
The Government through the Department of Planning cannot continue to abdicate their responsibility to do something to address climate change. The continual finding that large emission intensive open cut coal mines can be approved is exactly that, abdicating their responsibility to act on climate change.

Location.
The proximity to Muswellbrook should also mean that this large expansion is not permitted. We need to move away from open cut coal mining now. Muswellbrook and region will most likely suffer already trying to transition away from reliance on coal mining, so we need to start and not be exacerbating the problem by continuing to approve more open cut coal mining. We must start to encourage more sustainable industries to flourish in the Hunter. By continuing to approve further expansions we are just making the problem bigger and more difficult to fix.
The location of this proposed project will be catastrophic for Muswellbrook to become anything other than a coal mining ghetto, where the workers don't live here and no other industry is able to grow. We need to start to improve Muswellbrook’s economy, environment and visual amenity. This region is perfectly located close to Sydney and Newcastle Airport for many other sustainable industries to take advantage of this proximity. If we continue to depend on the economic fix of coal mining, the lost opportunity of the development and growth of other sustainable industries must be calculated as a cost.

Air Quality.
The Hunter already has an air quality problem it can't control from the reckless, careless over approval of coal mining by our Government. It is a matter of urgency that we attempt to rectify this and not add further to it. The cumulative impacts to air quality are too great and must not be permitted.
Water.
The impact on groundwater and the size of the final voids is far too great and should never be permitted. We have to consider future generations and the legacy we are leaving for them. Other industries are not able to grow or develop if the water supply is not safe. The large final void filled with saline toxic water is an enormous risk.

Climate Change.
We have to take heed of the known science about climate warming and leave the coal in the ground. All arguments/decisions against this are simply worsening the problem and delaying the repair needed for a sustainable future for generations to come. We want our elected officials to listen to us on this issue and change course on the extraction of fossil fuels for energy generation.

Social Impacts.
The Muswellbrook LGA already has lower socio-economic outcomes than the NSW average. This is a town that has been captured by open cut coal mining for several decades now. It hasn’t helped the town/ district have a better quality of life, be happier, healthier or more sustainable so why would we keep supporting this industry? The cost to our LGA has been too great and we need to start to repair and build other industries for the future.

Strategic Context.
This project application must be considered in the context of the current time and in the location that is seeking approval for. There are other large coal mines in the area, that have existing approval, that are for sale. To purchase one of them would not fix the problems experienced by too much coal mining, however it at least would not be adding to them.
These are just a few of the reasons I object to this proposed project and I ask that the Department of Planning consider them and find that this project has a far too large negative impact locally and globally to be approved.

Mt Pleasant provides my family, family members and town members a sustainable future.

Dear Sir or Madam,
I wish to lodge the attached submission on behalf of Aurizon. The submission is from Mr Ed McKeiver, Group Executive Coal, Aurizon.
Yours sincerely,
Patrick Coleman
Principal Advisor Policy and Stakeholder Relations
Aurizon

The long term consequences out weigh the short term financial and employment gains. Long term this project negatively impacts the whole of Muswellbrook and surrounding environment and in terms of climate change, the whole world.

My family have been farming in the Segenhoe Valley for over 120 years.
I am very concerned about the cumulative impacts of coal mining on our valuable water, air and land.
Mt Pleasant's objective is to double it's output of coal. How is this acceptable or responsible when the air that hovers over Muswellbrook on most days of the week is yellow and that blanket of yellow air continues to creep up our valley. The air quality on most days of the week surrounding Muswellbrook exceeds the world health standards. How can the Government continue to approve so many coal mine expansions and extensions when we have already past the tipping point of the negative impacts of the coal industry.

I farm my property in the Upper Hunter Valley. My family have been farming on the outskirts of Scone since 1837.
I am extremely concerned with regard to the cumulative impacts of the ever increasing number of coal mines in our area.
The Mount Pleasant Project intends to extend the life of open cut mining operations to 2048; extract an additional 247 million tonnes of run-of-mine (ROM) coal over the life of the Project, through mining of deeper coal seams and expansion in a northerly direction to currently unmined areas; dispatch up to 10 laden trains per day, with an average of 6.5 laden trains per day; and transport up to 17 Million tonnes per annum of ROM coal by rail.
This would equate to doubling the current coal extraction!
There are upwards of 40 open cut coal mines in the Hunter Valley. The footprint of these mines in the Upper Hunter has expanded significantly in the last 15-20 years, encroaching to impact land designated as critical industry clusters (CICs) and/or strategic agricultural land (SAL).
Mining expansion in a northerly direction up the valley from Singleton in the last decade has significantly impacted the rural population centres of the upper regions of the Upper Hunter including Muswellbrook, Aberdeen and Scone. The town of Muswellbrook is now totally encircled by open cut coal mines, many of which are creating a visible blight on the landscape surrounding the town, as well as having significant negative impacts on air quality. The Mt Pleasant mine is only approximately 3km from town and is clearly visible to the west.
Each new mine proposal is considered in a stand-alone manner throughout the planning process. This does not allow for adequate assessment of the cumulative impacts of each new mine or mine expansion on the air quality, water resources, visual amenity, social fabric and health & wellbeing of the communities of the Upper Hunter region.
The Upper Hunter Valley is currently the epicentre of climate change in Australia.
We need to become far more responsible and respectful of our precious land, air and water resources. Approving the doubling of the coal output from Mt Pleasant should not be allowed.

I believe that this project will improve the life of many Muswellbrook and local residents from nearby townships on an employment level and also to improve the infrastructure in the local area. This particular mine are making a much better effort to rehabilitate the already mined areas and i would like to see neighbouring mines taken to task to match the effort they are making.

I was extremely disappointed to read that the Mount Pleasant mine might be "optimised". Increasing coal production in any part of Australia is a retrograde and reckless policy, let alone in an area which is already suffering from the effects of air pollution. The health of the nearby population is already at serious risk because of poor air quality. Doubling coal production here runs counter to well documented action required to lessen the impact of climate change. Damage to the local environment and quality of life would also be severe. Millions of litres of ground water would be lost every year. The enormous mound of spoil produced by the mine could endanger TV, radio, and emergency communication as well as being unsightly. What is going to happen to property prices of those unfortunate enough to live on land likely to be acquired to serve the needs of the mine? Flora and fauna of the area, some of which are endangered, would be degraded. Australia's standing in the global community is also in danger - we are not contributing enough to the fight against climate change. Please refuse this application for "optimisation". Any financial gain will not compensate for the environmental damage.

Muswellbrook is presently suffering air pollution that breaches national standards.
Increasing open cut coal mining on the edge of town is unconscionable.

I believe Mt Pleasant should go ahead as they have shown they do not effect the local environment and will create local jobs for years to come in a town that relies on mining.

As per attached submission

I object to the Mt Pleasant, so called optimisation plan, because it is far from optimisation of outcomes for the community. I have a farming,food and tourism business in the Upper Hunter and this business is based on the pristine environment the Upper Hunter is well known for. However with the overly hasty expansion of the coal industry into the Upper Hunter I fear my business will suffer considerable damage. I would support the proposed expansion of Mt Pleasant if I could see that the land and environment involved were to be restored to equivalent environmental values. However amongst the many impacts will be a forever saline/toxic lake left in the landscape. This solution for the final void in the proposed expansion is simply a cost cutting measure by the proponent, who is trying to avoid rehabilitation to worlds best practice. This should not be permitted because it will be a permanent scar on the landscape and who knows what sort of death trap for wildlife.
I would also support the Mt Pleasant expansion if they were to contain all pollution to their approved footprint. However we know through monitoring stations that air born pollution from coal mines already exceeds accepted international levels. This is already occurring now before the proposed expansion. With the proposed expansion located north west of Muswellbrook and west/south west of Aberdeen these towns can expect to suffer even higher levels of air born and gas pollution. However air born dust and gases from coal mines currently pervades many areas in the Upper Hunter. Not only can the clouds of air born dust be seen across the Upper Hunter from coal mines, but the coal mines can also be smelt as a tar like odour from inefficient burning of waste coal from spontaneous combustion. What other industry is permitted to operate at the expense of community health, the expense of the environment and the expense of other industries frying to survive and grow an alternative economy for the Upper Hunter. It is time to stop to relentless expansion of the coal industry in the name of jobs, because many others suffer as a result of such jobs and an alternative economic future for the region is threatened by such jobs.
We all know that the coal industry is in decline. We all know that the coal industry must reduce its footprint because of its impact on the climate. To further expand the coal industry in full knowledge that it must decline is selling the people of the Upper Hunter a false economy. When the decline in the coal industry comes to this area, as everyone knows that it will, what will be left of the economic future for the region, if all we are left with are spoil piles of unproductive land, polluted lakes and waterways and no alternative economic base. What is needed in the Upper Hunter now is development of an alternative economic plan for the area, not one based on the false economy of the coal industry which has had its day, which is seeing its sunset and the sooner we all realize that the better the future will be for all residents in the Upper Hunter, because we will have a long term, rich, sustainable economic base for our children's future.

I am a resident of the Upper Hunter and I strongly object to this project. My children are 5th generation of our family of graziers at Scone. The Upper Hunter is already suffering the effects of the cumulative impacts of so many mining operations in the area. Our community is striving for a sustainable and healthy future with diversity of industry and long term employment. We want to ensure this sustainable future for our children and we want to protect our farms, our air and our water resources. I strongly object to the project based on the following:
1. Air Quality/Health – due to the already existing multiple mining operations, the Upper Hunter currently experiences regular air quality exceedances. Our airshed is already overburdened by existing mining operations with cumulative impacts including increased incidence of respiratory disease (especially asthma) and low birthweights for babies. Our local sustainable agricultural industries rely on the clean, green and pristine air which our area has been known and valued for. We do not need or want to be increasing the footprint of mining operations. This will only lead to greater air quality issues and exceedances, putting our communities and their health at even greater risk; and further threatening our other sustainable agricultural industries.
2. Water Resources - we depend on our water resources to support and sustain agricultural enterprises in the Upper Hunter. The security of our water resources is threatened by mining operations. We cannot afford to be threatening water resources essential for long term sustainable industries such as agriculture and thoroughbreds for short term economic benefit from coal mining, which is also to the detriment of the environment.
3. Noise - the project will result in increased unacceptable noise impacts on the community and residents in proximity to the mine.
4. Community/Social - the project will contribute to the ongoing degradation of the local community - in both numbers and spirit. Many residents will leave the area due to the negative environmental, air quality and noise impacts. For those who are unable to sell their properties (due to decreased land values or lack of buyers due to the impact of a mine being in close proximity), as well as those that feel they have no choice but to move away, this will lead to solastalgia (a form of mental or existential distress caused by the negative transformation of one's environment).
5. Environmental - this project will increase the already multiple negative impacts which mining is already having on our local environment. With reference to the Rocky Hill decision by Chief Justice Preston, now is the time that rapid and deep decreases in emissions are needed to ensure climate targets can be met. The cumulative impacts from the already existing multiple mines in the Upper Hunter already significantly impact the environment. Additional mining is not needed and is considered a tipping point in terms of long term negative impacts on our environment.

Please see attachment

I am I’m support of this project, it provides enormous employment opportunities to our community as well as economic growth. I am from a long generation of mining families and we have made Muswellbrook our home due to employment here in the mines. We are building here, supporting council, paying rates fees etc. we along with a lot of others would not be here and injecting local shops with thousands of dollars with out it.

The Project will provide job security for the existing employees and employment opportunities due to the increase in production. The Project guarantees ongoing economic benefits to Muswellbrook and surrounding areas.

My family has bred seedstock beef cattle for 105 years over 5 generations on our property located North of the Mt Pleasant mine; and this kind of history is repeated across many other farms in the area. I have many concerns with this project and above all I believe there is no social license for this mine.
1. Cumulative Impacts - Each new mine proposal is considered in a stand-alone manner throughout the planning process. This does not allow for adequate assessment of the cumulative impacts of each new mine or mine expansion on the air quality, water resources, visual amenity, social fabric and health & wellbeing of the communities of the Upper Hunter region.
2. Air Quality and Health Impacts - due to the already existing multiple mining operations, the Upper Hunter currently experiences regular air quality exceedances. Our airshed is already overburdened by existing mining operations with cumulative impacts including increased incidence of respiratory disease (especially asthma) and low birthweights for babies. Our local sustainable agricultural industries rely on the clean, green and pristine air which our area has been known and valued for. We do not need or want to be increasing the footprint of existing mining operations. This will only lead to greater air quality issues and exceedances, putting our communities and their health at even greater risk; and further threatening our other sustainable agricultural industries.
3. Water Impacts - we depend on our water resources to support and sustain agricultural enterprises in the Upper Hunter. The security of our water resources is threatened by mining operations. We cannot afford to be threatening water resources essential for long term sustainable industries such as agriculture and thoroughbreds for short term economic benefit from coal mining, which is also to the detriment of the environment.
4. Community and Social Impacts - the project will contribute to the ongoing degradation of the local community - in both numbers and spirit. Many residents will leave the area due to the negative environmental, air quality and noise impacts. For those who are unable to sell their properties (due to decreased land values or lack of buyers due to the impact of a mine being in close proximity), as well as those that feel they have no choice but to move away, this will lead to solastalgia (a form of mental or existential distress caused by the negative transformation of one's environment).
5. Environmental impacts - The legacy being left by open cut coal mining in the Upper Hunter is catastrophic and nothing short of tragic. The communities of this region are experiencing, and will be left with, environmental degradation on a scale that no other community in NSW is being subjected to.
This project will increase the already multiple negative impacts which mining is already having on our local environment. With reference to the Rocky Hill decision by Chief Justice Preston, now is the time that rapid and deep decreases in emissions are needed to ensure climate targets can be met.
The cumulative impacts from the already existing multiple mines in the Upper Hunter already significantly impact the environment. Additional mining is not needed and is considered a tipping point in terms of long-term negative impacts on our environment.
The negative impacts that will occur if this project is approved are going to be serious for our community – a fact that has been backed up by many experts in their respective fields. Be they Social, Economic or Environmental I believe that in the current situation for this region it is hard to see any positive outcomes.