Wallarah 2 Coal Mine

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Dear Sir/Madam

I wish to raise points of concern I have with the Amended Development Application (SSD 4974) for the Wallarah 2 Coal Project.
The Wallarah 2 Coal Project is a State Significant Development (SSD) and as such requires public participation under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) Part 4, Division 4.1 Section 89F. Under this section of the legislation, Public participation is required if the Secretary determines that an amendment to a SSD development application substantially differs from the original application and that the environmental impact of the development concerned has not been reduced by the changes proposed in the amended application.

The original development application for the Wallarah 2 Coal project as proposed by the Wyong Areas Joint Venture (WACJV) was placed on public exhibition in 2013 in accordance with section 89F. To date, no final determination has been made in relation to the original DA.

In observing public submissions on both the original and amended DA, I note as I believe should be noted by the Department and the Minister that a vast majority of submissions were in objection to the Project.

The concerns raised were varied but substantial as they pertained to the environmental and health impacts of the project as well as its suitability to current and future land use of the area in which it is proposed.

Amendment
As the Local Member of Parliament for the seat of Wyong, It is my responsibility to raise the concerns that the community and I share about this proposal. These concerns have not been mitigated by the amendment to the Development Application. On the contrary, the amendment has only revealed larger environmental and health impacts. With the proposal removing the planned rail loop and replacing it with a conveyor and rail spur within 300 metres of homes in Blue Haven.
This is the single change made in the amended application. It has come as a great concern to myself and the residents of Blue Haven. Many have raised with what the future holds for their health. In particular several elderly residents who have severe respiratory illnesses have grave worries about the air quality impact.

This health concern also extends to the rest of the community. Under the amended Development Application, the conveyor carrying coal to the rail spur would be only 1.5 kilometres away from Blue Haven Primary School and 2.7 kilometres away from North Lakes High School. This has been raised with me by parents in the area who have children with asthma and other respiratory problems.
In addition to this, the proposed conveyor and rail spur would also be located within 400 metres of the Wyee town centre. Wyee would also be among the many towns potentially affected by air pollution from uncovered coal as the trains transporting the coal would go directly through the town.
The proposed conveyor and rail spur would also be within 300 metres of the new Darkinjung Local Area Land Council housing subdivision, members of the Land Council have raised their concern about this with me.
It should be noted that there has been no undertaking made to cover the coal as it is being loaded or transported through one of the fastest growing areas of NSW.

I believe these concerns are more than valid. Over 3000 Australians die every year due in part or in full to air pollution. Many people who suffer from respiratory illnesses locate themselves in regions such as the Central Coast in order to be away from the worst of air pollution around major cities and areas where large scale mining operations take place. These people could be adversely affected by this proposed coal conveyer through no fault of their own.

It should also be noted that the current regional plan designates the northern part of the Central Coast for housing development and that there is a major hospital within 5 kilometres of the proposed conveyor.

It is for each of these reasons that I believe this proposed development is not suitable for the area, given it's current and future land use.

Development application in full

As I have expressed many times before, I am absolutely opposed to the Wallarah 2 Coal Project in it's entirety. The project proposal is completely unsuited to the area and poses an unacceptable risk to the environment, specifically through air pollution, subsidence and potential contamination of the water table.

Mine subsidence is a significant risk as a result of this proposal. Around 245 homes, outbuildings and agricultural properties are under the threat of mine subsidence. Mine subsidence causes significant and often irreparable damage to buildings and can greatly decrease land value. It can be dangerous and adversely affect water supplies.
Stream morphology and erosion can be interrupted or altered by mine subsidence. This is of particular concern as it would affect the Central Coast's water catchment.
The issue of subsidence is made more prevalent when considering that the proposed mine would operate directly under water supply streams and the water supply aquifer. This aquifer provides approximately 68% of the water recharge to the Jilliby Jilliby Creek and the Wyong Creek.

This poses a significant threat to the local environment and to unregulated water sources for agriculture and in some cases, domestic water. It also poses significant risks to local flora and fauna, as well as to the agricultural output of the area such as to local turf farms.
While water and air quality are the main concerns of myself and of residents in my electorate, there are several others that I would like to note that have been raised in submissions by the Darkinjung Land Council and the Australian Coal Alliance. I fully support the submissions they have made.
The concerns they raised include.
* Increased flood risk due to subsidence.
* Noise and Vibration.
* Soil and land capability.
* Impacts of water pollution on Tuggerah Lakes.

Principal among my many concerns is the simple fact that there is no social licence for this project. The community has overwhelmingly rejected this proposal and has been fighting this proposal in all it's forms for many years.

For this project to go ahead would be a to hold the community with such contempt that it would invariably take away from not only their health, their environment but the very reason they love living in our beautiful corner of the world.
I have always and will always oppose this project.

Yours Sincerely


DAVID HARRIS MP
Member for Wyong
Shadow Minister for the Central Coast
Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
Shadow Minister for Regional Development

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Refer to response in attachment 1

PLEASE DO NOT PUBLISH EMAIL ADDRESS OR PERSONAL NAME

The Communities surrounding this development are depending on you and your team to make the right decision.

Many supporters look to live outside the areas surrounding the mine (and are likely to travel here for work and leave to go home).

Whilst we may not necessarily get our points across eloquently, or have the same technical expertise, we do have a vested interest in the area - many of us have lived here for decades (so we have long-term analysis on the area and likely impacts), and should also be considered as important contributors to the debate like the experts are.

Thank you for facilitating this.

Our responses may seem hysterical / alarmist in some cases, but this decision will impact our way of life, health and livelihood. Noise and dust are major concerns for us and our small children.

If, hand on your heart, after reviewing all the documentation and submissions (including personal letters - not just the clinical tables), YOU would happily move yourself, your children, your extended family / parents into the area (near the railway line / mine site) following the approval of this mine - then we will have to live with your decision.

If however you would not move here, then I PLEASE ask you to reject it. Not just for my family, but for others in the Community who have chosen to live in this currently wonderful area.

Come and visit with us and see for yourself.

Thank you for your time.

Attached are previous 2010 submissions - many of the points remain.

We are unsure of what impact the new train spur / loader will have as we have only just heard about it, but it is now much closer to our home, and coal trains will travel through Wyee impacting many homes in the area - and many more along the rail corridor to Newcastle.

We live in Wyee and were again unaware this was up for review - someone in Wyong told us. We have received no information from the proponents. Again highlighting the lack of communication and inclusion of Wyee residents in consultation. What is the reason for this??

What YOU decide will determine what kind of future my family, and other residents in surrounding localities are likely to have.

Please see attached PDF.

I support the Wallarah 2 Coal Project for reasons that include the following:
* The Wallarah 2 Coal Project will create numerous direct and indirect job opportunities for people in the Central Coast, Lake Macquarie and Hunter, during both construction and operations, in a region where there has been declining employment in the mining sector, and higher than average unemployment across the board.

* In addition to providing direct employment, the Wallarah 2 Coal Project will stimulate the local economy across a number of sectors. The expansion of industry will provide a greater need for service industries, transport, manufacturing and suppliers that will also provide for the existing population's needs. Direct and indirect regional business turnover could reach $593 million per annum.

* Local mining would contribute greatly to the economy of the Hunter, Lake Macquarie and Central Coast regions, particularly following the demise of other locals industries. Without industry, such as coal mining the local businesses will have no one to support and the community will become unsustainable.

* The project will produce net benefits at both the local and state level to the value of $485 million over a period of nearly 30 years, leading to greater funding and ultimately better services and facilities for the region and state.

* The clearly defined positive economic and social benefits to the region significantly outweigh any environmental impacts. Furthermore, the amendments to the project have further reduced the negative environmental and cultural impacts, leading to a low risk and sustainable proposal.

* The NSW economy relies on continued growth of industry and government needs to ensure that NSW remains an attractive place for investment. Projects such as the Wallarah 2 Coal Project that are scientifically, economically and socially robust, need to be supported by government and not adversely influenced by a vocal minority with a certain agenda.

The application should be rejected for the reasons outlined in this submission.

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