Mount Pleasant Optimisation Project

The Hunter is already suffering enough from unchecked mining and what is needed is investment to diversify the region's economy.
New coal extraction, including expansions to existing mines, is out of step with community expectations and the actions required to bring down eamissions to safeguard Australia and the global community from the most devastating effects of climate change.
Moreover, local communities at Kayuga, Aberdeen, and Muswellbrook are already dealing with unacceptable levels of particle air pollution (PM 2.5) from existing mining activities in the region. Expanding existing coal mining activity will only exacerbate the health risks.
The proposed expansion would see ugly spoil piles visible from idyllic Scone which will have an impact on tourism.
The Hunter is prime agricultural land for NSW and continued and expanding mining threatens water supplies and ecosystems.
Uncultivated bushland in the Hunter is precious as well seeing as we are facing the Koala's extinction by 2050 if more native forest habitat is not protected from development.
A government-led orderly and just transition away from fossil fuels is what is needed and this will bring local long-term sustainable job opportunities, economic certainty and community cohesion essential to replace the doubt and uncertainty of a sunset industry.
For this plethora of reasons approval for the expansion to the Mount Pleasant mine is inappropriate and therefore must be rejected.

I object to a big coal mine expansion near Muswellbrook that threatens to worsen the dire air pollution from coal mining that’s already affecting people’s health.

Mount Pleasant is a new mine that’s already planning a big expansion, with the owner Mach Energy wanting to expand the mine and get approval to operate beyond 2040.

The mine already looms visibly over Muswellbrook. If it expands, it will further empty the rural community at Kayuga, increase air pollution for Aberdeen and Muswellbrook and produce mountainous, ugly spoil piles visible from idyllic Scone.

With Muswellbrook already subjected to air pollution that breaches national standards, an intensification of open cut mining on the edge of town is bound to make the situation worse.

The local community are actively seeking support to let the planning department know this project is far too risky and should not be approved. It's time for clean air and people's lives to come first.

The Hunter Valley is already suffering enough from unchecked mining and what we need is investment to diversify its regional economy.

At this stage with what we know about Climate Change, it seems absurd to approve even more coal mining at a time when we need to be DRASTICALLY cutting back on its mining, processing and burning. To lock in increased greenhouse gas emissions for another 30 years is definitely not want the world requires, There are so many other clean ways that the local community and NSW and Australia can prosper.

Please reject this application for a process that will only leave the world and everyone and thing in it (except the bottom line of Mach Energy) worse off.

This proposed coal mine expansion threatens to worsen the already dire air pollution from coal mining that is affecting human health in the Hunter Valley region. It is completely ridiculous, at a time of impending climate disaster, that Mach Energy could get approval to expand a mine and to operate beyond 2040.
Mt Pleasant mine already looms visibly over Muswellbrook. If it expands, it will further empty the rural community at Kayuga, increase air pollution for Aberdeen and Muswellbrook and produce mountainous, ugly spoil piles that will be visible from idyllic Scone.
With Muswellbrook already copping air pollution that breaches national standards, an intensification of open-cut mining on the edge of town is bound to make the situation worse.
This project is far too risky and should not be approved. It's time for clean air and people's lives to come first.

Australia should be reducing its reliance on coal for both its own domestic energy needs and for its export income. Introducing new coal mines or expanding existing coal mines demonstrates a total disregard for the future wellbeing of the planet and for the health of the populations in the immediate vicinity of new and existing coal mines. The Mount Pleasant expansion project will adversely affect the community of Kayuga and the people of Aberdeen and Muswellbrook, and will contribute to a worsening climate for all Australians and for the world in general.

The NSW government should be providing leadership and direction away from coal mining projects and towards clean, renewable and sustainable energy harvesting.

More time is needed to properly consider this new proposal and its impact on our future, our business and community, 4 weeks is not enough time to expect individuals, farmers and small businesses to get across over 6,500 pages of technical information. These documents take years to prepare and access to experts over a greater time frame than 4 weeks, further time should be allowed to reply. Community Consultation is a must, if the Department and Government were genuine about community consultation they would allow time to prepare and respond. The lack of cumulative and independent environmental assessments, particularly for air quality and water resources, provides little confidence in this EIS assessment and the entire mining assessment process. The people who make the decisions on these mines need to live here to see what residents are exposed to on a daily basis, both through impacts on the environment i.e. air quality and services that cannot keep up with current demands. i.e. health services, road repair and infrastructure.

The mining companies continue to be granted leases closer to our rural communities. This impacts on the health and lifestyles of all of us. Mining companies will come and go but agriculture is here forever. Agricultural industries and jobs need protection.

The once beautiful Hunter Valley has been decimated by mining. The air is polluted well above legal safety levels. The water has been negatively impacted. People are having health issues due to current dust and other pollutants in the air. It is a negative step to extend mining when coal is already on the down turn in use world wide. Even coking coal can be replaced now with recycled car tyres! It would be forward thinking to rehabilitate the Valley and make it once more a place that produces quality food stuffs (animal and vegetable) and also supplies clean air and water to the population in the region.

I object to the Mount Pleasant Optimisation proposal and seek that an Independent Planning Commission reviews the proponent’s technical reports, particular water and final void impacts, Hunter River impacts, and cumulative impacts particularly on water, air quality and dust.
There will be significant changes to landform and many negative inter-generational impacts once the mine closes. I am concerned about the negative effects mining is having, and that this mine will have, on our community and environment. I am also concerned about the damaging effects mining is having, and that this mine will have, on the Upper Hunter’s air quality and health. The Upper Hunter is already saturated with dust cumulative impacts travelling up the valley.

Mining companies are destroying our agricultural lands and not rehabilitating the voids and moonscapes they leave behind. No-one is holding them accountable. This is not acceptable.
Mining companies will come and go but agriculture is here forever. Agricultural industries and jobs need protection.
The Hunter also boasts a growing tourism industry that should be encouraged and supported.
We need to look to the future and support our agriculture and tourism industries. They are here for the long term and provide sustainable jobs and strong diverse regional economies.

I have first hand experience with dealing with mines and the impact it had on our home, our thoroughbred business and our overall health and lifestyle. Our home was under constant, and costly repair due to the damaging impact dust and nearby blasting were having. We lost existing clients as well as potential business as a result of the health impacts this dust and poor air quality was having on the horses on our farm. Health issues that became more apparent the more the surrounding mines expanded and encroached closer to our properties.
All independent findings that supported our argument were dismissed. We were bullied into making choices we didn't want to make by a company seemingly only interested in beating us down rather than trying to work towards a compromise, throwing extensive amounts of money at their legal team to make their point. more than we could ever afford. In the end we were pushed to relocate. To stay we would have to face further costs to our home, further losses to our business, and potential health risks to our young family. (if the air quality is affecting horses, what is it doing to my children?) we also had to witness the unpleasant physical changes to what was once a very pretty outlook, morphing into a barren mound of dirt from the mines waste that was ever growing.

We need more time to properly consider this new proposal and its impacts on our future, our businesses and community – 4 weeks is not enough time to expect individuals, farmers and small businesses to get across over 6,500 pages of technical information. The mining company takes years to prepare these documents and has deep pockets and access to experts. We do not. It must be remembered that for the people this mine negatively impacts – it is not their day job to monitor and respond to ongoing and draining government mining proposals. If the Department and Government were genuine about community consultation they should give us enough time to respond.

Despite all the rhetoric on climate change, thermal coal is still one of the most important exports of Australia. Coal miners are still the largest employer in Muswellbrook. Thousands of people will be unemployed if the present SSD application is not granted, especially when COVID-19 is still raging.

There is abundant evidence that humankind is not yet ready for a full transition to renewable energy. Thermal coal is still a reliable source of non-intermittent energy all year round, when battery technologies are not yet mature. The recent power outages in China and the US have demonstrated that. Japan, Korea, Taiwan, India and Vietnam are still far from ready for energy transition.

Mount Pleasant is extremely focused on managing and mitigating any and all environmental issues such as air quality, noise, blasting through real time monitoring. The effective, innovative and performing rehabilitation speaks volumes towards MACH Energy's commitment to do the right thing by the community.

I totally SUPPORT the project and welcome the continued contribution it will make to Muswellbrook and other LGA's through employment, local spend, the Aboriginal Community Development Fund, local hire policy and focus on delivering the right environmental outcomes. The collaboration with the University of Newcastle's Institute of Energy & Resources (NIER) is testament to its drive to achieve best practise in all its endeavours.

I SUPPORT THIS PROJECT

In my experience the Mount Pleasant project has been executed in a thoughtful and sensitive manner. It has provided significant employment opportunities to Upper Hunter residents leading to many "trickle down" benefits for the local community from sponsorship of local sporting clubs and organisations through to infrastructure improvements. Mount Pleasant operates to very strict environmental approvals and in my experience has had no adverse impact on the surrounding community with regard to dust or noise. It is pleasing to note that, although a relatively new facility, rehabilitation is progressing steadily improving the appearance of the site when viewed from the east.
I am extremely grateful to the Mount Pleasant operation for the opportunities it has afforded myself and my colleagues. Through my involvement with the Mount Pleasant operation I am able to provide a quality of life for my family which I may not otherwise be able to. This includes supporting local traders and supporting charities like PCYC and The Smith Family.
I sincerely hope the Mount Pleasant Operation is successful in it's application and the many benefits may continue to flow to the community for many years to come.

We cannot afford to continue emitting greenhouse gasses, they are wrecking our climate. We need to transition to 100% renewable energy, we do not need fossil fuels.

I am concerned about the effects of coal mining and use of coal-thermal in the case of this project.
I read of the health effects of mining for miners and those affected by dust. Rural productive land needs to be protected not destroyed for limited gains
I read of the need to move away from coal use to stop the deterioration of our climate. I fear for the environment that our grandchildren will inherit if we continue to abuse our natural sysrtems by fossil fuel use.
I did not read of any dire results if this project does not proceed. Its purpose is to make money for the owners who should have no expectation that approval will be forthcoming in the present awareness of the wider impacts of their operations. Whilst there may be some benefits to a few locals there will be dis benefits to the wider community including myself .
To extend the life of this project by 22 years from 2026 is not an optimisation it is a tragedy
Whilst coal mining may have been a "lifeblood" in the past it is certainly not now. We have alternatives.
I note the local council is opposed to the "optimisation"
Muswellbrook needs to look towards a coal free future and tis view of council supported

Approval of Mount Pleasant mine will cause further air pollution. Further burning of fossil fuels will increase climate change effects. Ugly scars from mining on the Musselbrook landscape will worsen destroying communities -Kayuga, Aberdeen, Mussellbrook. This project is far too risky and should not be approved. NSW should be pursuing renewable clean energy alternatives that do not put public health at risk

I personally support the Mount Pleasant Optimisation Project as this will continue my employment as well as provide long term job security for employees and construction workers. This project will continue to provide economic support for the local area and local businesses and continue the great rehabilitation works at this site.

The new big coal mine expansion planned near Muswellbrook threatens to worsen the dire air pollution from coal mining that’s already affecting people’s health in that region, Climate Change and our economy.
Mount Pleasant will not be pleasant any longer, if this mine is expanded. It is only a new mine but it’s already planning a big expansion, with the owner Mach Energy wanting to expand the mine and get approval to operate beyond 2040. This is not in the best interest of this country, its people and our planet. If mankind is supposed to have a chance of survival, we need to leave all remaining fossil fuels in the ground and invest in clean energies. The government should introduce strong national environmental standards and establish a genuinely independent enforcement agency. We need genuine reform consistent with the recommendations of the independent review that has been conducted by Professor Graeme Samuel, not Tony Abbott’s failed 2014 environment bill rehashed, which would harm Australia’s natural environment and put jobs and investment at risk.
The mine already looms visibly over Muswellbrook. If it expands, it will further empty the rural community at Kayuga, increase air pollution for Aberdeen and Muswellbrook and produce mountainous, ugly spoil piles visible from idyllic Scone.
The Environmental Impact is far too large to proceed. Australia cannot afford to allow the alarming environmental decline to continue, which will not only endanger food - and water safety, but also jobs in tourism, especially the rising eco tourism.
With Muswellbrook already copping air pollution levels that breaches national standards, an intensification of open cut mining on the edge of town is bound to make the situation worse. Using massive amounts of water to cool and clean the coal cannot be supported, when Australia is already suffering from water shortages and is facing further problems, when Climate Change impacts are increasing. Temperature rises need to be kept below 1.5°C.
This project is far too risky and should not be approved. It's time for clean air and people's lives to come first.
The local community at Kayuga & Aberdeen and the Muswellbrook townsfolk, actually the whole Hunter Region is already suffering enough from unchecked mining. Investment should be made to diversify regional economy not benefit a single energy provider, invested in outdated fossil fuel.

The project will severely affect the air quality in the surrounding residential areas and therefore should not go ahead, especially since coal is in decline and renewables are transitioning the baseload power capabilities of the state

TfNSW Response

MEG advice attached