Tahmoor South Coal Project

Given that the proposed expansion WILL have an impact on UNESCO World
heritage listed national Park, exacerbating an already weakened
environment due to previous mining in Longwall 17 & 18 (Which
coincides with the rapid decline in groundwater levels as well as the
increase in water being pumped from the mine workings), I demand
government action on behalf of the community.

As damage has occurred and been acknowledged in both previous and
current reports, UNESCO will be informed of this governments failure
to act to preserve a Pristine environment.


Taken from current report "Cumulative effects of mining activities,
including historical operations at Tahmoor Mine, have been modelled
and quantified and assessed as minor."

Minor impact is still an impact.
What has been done to rectify the damage already caused ? (Since 1997,
when the mines activities clearly cracked the underground aquifer)?
Nothing has been done by the mine or mine owners to protect this
environment).

A disgrace to my town
A disgrace to my nation.

Why is Matt Canavan doing nothing?
Are the Liberal party getting "donations" from certain people within
this organisation?

*The above is a question, not an accusation
*Parliamentary privilege

I've worked for 25 years as a bricklayer to be able to save and buy a
home for my family in Bargo. I specifically chose Bargo for
affordability and the fact that they were not mining under our homes.
Bargo badly needs money spent on roads and infrastructure, long wall
mining under our homes will further devalue what we have worked so
hard for and cause damage through subsidence. I didn't save for 20
years to buy a home that could be damaged through mining. The stress
and worry of wether our homes will be impacted is unfair on residents,
I don't want my home patched up by the mine subsidence board. Enough
environmental damage and subsidence has already occurred in the
region. I strongly oppose the mine extension

Full support for the project. The positives outweigh the negatives. A lot
of money from the Colliery goes back into the community. Keep the
gates open.

The extension of Tahmoor South Coal Project is a vital part of our
Community's future. The loss of employment of a large number of local
people would have major consequences to our towns, since there are not
many other large businesses who could employ lots of people. It could
mean hundreds of families may have to uproot & move out of the area.
I am definitely not convinced that the supposed impact on Thirlmere
Lakes is caused by the mine, since I know from personal family
history, that these Lakes have been almost dry before, prior to any
mining in the area. As a family who have farmed in this area for 4
generations, we know how droughts can affect the environment over a
number of years. We are currently in the worst drought our family has
seen in past 60 years or more - so it's not likely the mines are
causing the environmental effects which are so widely talked of.
The mine has an extremely high safety record - & is well-known to put
it's employees safety interests first. I feel whilst there is a need
for it's quality coal, that it should indeed be able to continue to
operate well into the future. Mining is an important industry for our
country & also our local area. The mine should be allowed to extend
it's operations beyond the next few years, if it is viable for the
owners to continue to do so.
Thank you.

I would like to formerly make a submission to the Tahmoor South Coal
Project in view of objecting the extension of this mine
My objection for this mine extension is in line with the most recent
refusal of the Rocky Hill Coal Project's refusal by the Land and
Environment Court of NSW and is predominately focused on the impact
this mine will have on climate change
The Paris Agreement and the need to keep within well below a 2oC rise
in global temperature
To address these impacts of GHG emissions on the climate system, the
terrestrial and oceanic environment and the people of the planet,
governments around the world have not only agreed the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992 but in 2015 agreed in
the Paris Agreement to "(a) Holding the increase in the global average
temperature to well below 2ºC above pre-industrial levels and pursuing
efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5ºC above
pre-industrial levels, recognising that this would significantly
reduce the risks and impacts of climate change" (Article 2). Article
4.1 of the Paris Agreement calls for net zero emissions in the second
half of the century.
"In order to achieve the long-term temperature goal set out in Article
2, Parties aim to reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as
soon as possible, recognizing that peaking will take longer for
developing country Parties, and to undertake rapid reductions
thereafter in accordance with best available science, so as to achieve
a balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by
sinks of greenhouse gases in the second half of this century..."
Australia is a party to both the Climate Change Convention and the
Paris Agreement. Under the Paris Agreement, each party commits to make
its contribution to keeping the global average temperature rise to the
1.5-2ºC range by reducing their GHG emissions through their Nationally
Determined Contributions (NDC). Australia's NDC is to reduce GHG
emissions by 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2030. The NSW Government has
endorsed the Paris Agreement and has set a more ambitious objective to
achieve net zero emissions by 2050 (see NSW Climate Change Policy
Framework, October 2016, pp 4, 5).
All of the direct and indirect GHG emissions of the Tahmoor South Coal
Project will impact on the environment. All anthropogenic GHG
emissions contribute to climate change. As the IPCC found, most of the
observed increase in global average temperatures is due to the
observed increase in anthropogenic GHG concentrations in the
atmosphere. The increased GHG concentrations in the atmosphere have
already affected, and will continue to affect, the climate system.
The direct and indirect GHG emissions of the Tahmoor South Coal
Project will contribute cumulatively to the global total GHG
emissions. In aggregate, the Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions over the life
of the Project will be at least 104.5Mt CO2-e, a sizeable individual
source of GHG emissions. It matters not that this aggregate of the
Project's GHG emissions may represent a small fraction of the global
total of GHG emissions. The global problem of climate change needs to
be addressed by multiple local actions to mitigate emissions by
sources and remove GHGs by sinks.
hundreds of millions, of individual emissions around the globe. All
emissions are important because cumulatively they constitute the
global total of greenhouse gas emissions, which are destabilising the
global climate system at a rapid rate.
There is undoubtedly causal link between the Tahmoor South Coal
Project's cumulative GHG emissions and climate change and its
consequences. The cumulative GHG emissions will contribute to the
global total of GHG concentrations in the atmosphere. The global total
of GHG concentrations will affect the climate system and cause climate
change impacts. The Project's cumulative GHG emissions are therefore
likely to contribute to the future changes to the climate system and
the impacts of climate change. In this way, the Project is likely to
have indirect impacts on the environment, including the climate
system, the oceanic and terrestrial environment, and people.
The potential approval of the Tahmoor South Coal Project (which will
be a new source of GHG emissions) runs counter to the actions that are
required to achieve peaking of global GHG emissions as soon as
possible and to undertake rapid reductions thereafter in order to
achieve net zero emissions (a balance between anthropogenic emissions
by sources and removals by sinks) in the second half of this century.
This is the globally agreed goal of the Paris Agreement.
The NSW government has endorsed the Paris Agreement and set itself the
goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. It is true that the
Paris Agreement, Australia's NDC of reducing GHG emissions in
Australia by 26 to 28% below 2005 levels by 2030 or NSW's Climate
Change Policy Framework do not prescribe the mechanisms by which these
reductions in GHG emissions to achieve zero net emissions by 2050 are
to occur. In particular, there is no proscription on approval of new
sources of GHG emissions, such as new coal mines.
Nevertheless, the exploitation and burning of a new fossil fuel
reserve, which will increase GHG emissions, cannot assist in achieving
the rapid and deep reductions in GHG emissions that are necessary in
order to achieve "a balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources
and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases in the second half of this
century (Article 4(1) of the Paris Agreement) or the long term
temperature goal of limiting the increase in global average
temperature to between 1.5ºC and 2ºC above pre-industrial levels
(Article 2 of the Paris Agreement).

Potential justification of mine by the Tahmoor South Coal Project due
to market substitution and carbon leakage
Often is the case that a mine proposal will make the argument that the
project will occur regardless of whether the Project was approved or
not, because of market substitution and carbon leakage.
I believe this argument to be false based on reasoning that was
provided in the Rocky Hill Coal Project
The International Energy Agency released their World Energy Outlook
Report in 2017 that modelled a Sustainable Development Scenario (SDS).
The SDS is broadly consistent with the world having a 50% chance of
limiting climate change to 2ºC above pre-industrial levels (Buckley
report. The SDS forecasts a decline in global demand for coking coal
of about 39% relative to 2016 by 2040:
"The SDS forecasts a 39% decline in coking coal, slightly less than
the 52% decline in total global coal use by 2040 vs. 2016. This
suggests a reduction in global supply is needed, not new capacity
beyond already approved mines" (Joint Report of Coal Demand Experts, p
3).
Within the recent case of the Rocky Hill Coal Project it was
determined that there was sufficient coal mines, both existing and
approved, in Australia that could meet current and likely future
demand for coking coal. This would mean that the demand for coking
coal would be met by Australian coking coal of the highest quality in
the world from Australian coal mines operating to the highest
environmental standards in the world. There is, therefore, unlikely to
be a moving of coal mining abroad or carbon leakage.
If approval for the Project in the developed country of Australia were
to be refused, on grounds including the adverse effects of the mine's
GHG emissions on climate change, there is no inevitability that
developing countries such as India or Indonesia will instead approve a
new coking coal mine. As highlighted in the Rocky Hill Coal Project
countries around the world are increasingly taking action to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions in their countries, not only to meet their
nationally determined contributions but also to reduce air pollution.
Countries that will deal with chronic and rising air pollution,
including new emissions control regulations on its power sector and
plans to greatly expand renewable energy capacity.
The market substitution assumption was rejected in WildEarth Guardians
v US Bureau of Land Management 870 F 3d 1222 (10th Cir, 2017). The US
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) had approved coal leases that would
expand coal mines partially within national grassland. The BLM
concluded that approving the coal leases would not result in higher
national GHG emissions than the `no action alternative' of declining
to issue the leases because the same amount of coal would be sourced
from elsewhere even if the leases were not issued. This was termed the
"perfect substitution assumption
On this basis, it is not necessary to approve the Project in order to
maintain steel production worldwide. The GHG emissions of the Project
cannot therefore be justified on the basis that the Project is needed
in order to supply the demand for coking coal for steel production.
Producing coking coal not a justification for GHG emissions
Tahmoor currently extracts approximately 3 million tonnes per annum
(Mtpa) of Run-of-Mine (ROM) coal from its existing operations at the
Tahmoor Mine, and undertakes underground mining under existing
development consents, licences and the conditions of relevant mining
leases.
The proposed development seeks to extend the life of underground
mining at Tahmoor Mine until approximately 2035 and increase
production to 4 Mtpa. The proposal will enable mining to be undertaken
within the southern portion of Tahmoor Coal's existing lease areas and
for operations and employment of the current workforce to continue for
a further 13 years.
The proposed development will extend mining at Tahmoor Mine within the
Project Area
f) A harsher fire-weather climate in the future (high confidence)." (p
5).
439
On 23 October 2017, the amended development application was referred
to the Planning and Assessment Commission, as the delegate of the
Minister, for determination. On 14 December 2017, the Commission
determined the amended development application under the former s
89E(1) of the EPA Act by refusing consent to the application. The
Commission gave three reasons:
The creation and operation of an open cut coal mine in this proposed
location, within the RU1 and E3 zones of the Gloucester Local
Environmental Plan 2010, is in direct contravention of each zone's
objectives;
The residual visual impact of the mine would be significant throughout
all stages of the Project; and
The Project is not in the public interest.
Although I did not mention this in my submission, I will note that
within the Rocky Hill Mine Project the justification of the need for
coking coal as a resource for society was not sufficient for this mine
to go ahead. This could be due to the predicted deceasing demand for
coal as demonstrated in reports such as the International Energy
Agency's their World Energy Outlook Report or improving technology in
other areas, such as EAF, however this is not in my field of expertise
to comment on.
However, I believe it is important this information be noted

In conclusion, Australia is a party to both the Climate Change
Convention and the Paris Agreement. Both NSW Government and the
Federal Government have endorsed the Paris Agreement with NSW setting
an ambitious goal of net zero emissions by 2050.
The Tahmoor South Coal Project is in direct conflict with these goals
and targets as well as what the climate change science is telling us
we need to do, which is to greatly and quickly de-carbonize our
community.
The Tahmoor South Coal Project will only hinder any attempt by State,
Federal and International governments in achieving the Paris
Agreement, and for this reason I strongly object to this proposal
progressing.

Extend the life of mine for Tahmoor Coal until approximately 2035

I have been working as a metallurgical consult for the Tahmoor Colliery
for many years. I'd like to show my support in the Tahmoor south
project. The mine has gone through some very tough times, but I'm very
impressed with the engineers and managers, who demonstrated their
resilience and integrity during these tough times. These are the
people who did not move on, and stayed loyal to their team and to the
site, these are the people who take pride of what they do. The recent
change of ownership has given them a new purpose, that is to sustain
the biggest Australian Steelworks in Whyalla. The economical benefit
is not only a few hundred local mining jobs, but also the overarching
strategy in the steel industry.

Based on the review of the submission I fully support the project based
on the proven history and the ability of Tahmoor Coals management team
being able operate the site and minimise the effects on the community
and environment.

A significant amount of people live and integrate with community so
it's in their best to excel in environmental and community management.

The mine provides a significant benefit to the local communities from
moss vale to Wollongong and the surrounding areas. They are a great
supportive company for all employees and it's community members.

I am seeing that this proposal as very important to the Wollondilly
region.

* Extend the life of mine for Tahmoor Coal until approximately 2035;
* Secure the ongoing employment of the current workforce;
* During the construction phase of the project, employment of
approximately 50 to 175 additional people will be required;
* The project will result in a net benefit to NSW of $699.5 million;
and
* a net benefit of up to $139.5 million to the local Wollondilly
region

Great for the community and jobs

This proposal would supply jobs to the area until 2035 - this is very
important for the local community and surrounding areas.

-Extend the life of mine for
Tahmoor Coal until
approximately 2035.

-Secure the ongoing employment
of the current workforce.

-During the construction phase of
the project, employment of
approximately 50 to 175
additional people will be
required.

-The project will result in a net
benefit to NSW of $699.5 million
and a net benefit of up to $139.5
million to the local Wollondilly
region.

Multiple benefits to the local community and greater NSW make this a
great proposal

This project will be a fantastic opportunity for the region and the youth
in the area
I 100% support the expansion

I support the application

The Tahmoor South project will create employment for up to 175 local
people during construction.

The project will benefit NSW of approx $700 million and the local
Wollondilly region of up to approx $140 million.

The project will extend the life of Tahmoor mine until approx 2035 and
provide support to local people and businesses.

The project will result in a net benefit to NSW of $699.5 million.

I believe this project will provide positive benefits for the community
of Wollondilly Shire in ongoing employment of the mine's workforce as
well as the money they spend in the local community.
It is great for the local area that one of our biggest employers is
able to continue operation for an extended period after coming close
to closing just a couple of years ago.
The operators of the mine have shown over the 40 years the mine has
been operating that they can work in with the community.

This project will extend the life of the mine which will secure ongoing
employment for the current workforce and I believe this is a major
benefit for the entire community.

Extend the life of the mine for Tahmoor Coal until 2035 which would
benefit the community and local businesses whilst sustaining a number
of employment opportunities.