Issue 97 of Wyong Regional Chronicle

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August 2, 2016

Your independent community newspaper - Ph: 4325 7369

Issue 97

Wallarah 2 coal mine decision now only a few weeks away he Australian Coal Alliance is organising a public meeting to inform the northern Central Coast community about the latest developments in their long-running campaign to stop the Wallarah 2 coal mine.

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Director of the alliance’s Water Not Coal campaign, Mr Alan Hayes, said the meeting would be held at Wyong RSL on August 10. The Korean mining company KORES has lodged an amended development proposal that includes plans to build a conveyor belt and alter the route of the rail spur to avoid having to reach an agreement with the Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council. Plans have been modified relating to the rail loop, rail spur line and train load out facility. The project has been modified to realign the sewer connection. The State Significant Development was recently lodged with the Planning Assessment Commission and is on public exhibition (but not advertised in this newspaper) for six weeks, with a closing date of September 6. According to Mr Hayes, the Planning Assessment Commission did not approve the coal mine in 2014, but stated that there may be justification to approve the mine if all the commission’s

The latest plans include a relocated rail loop (shown in purple)

other concerns could be addressed. Those concerns included the mine’s impact on the Central Coast’s water supply, subsidence and the health effects of coal dust. The Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council took the matter to the Land and Environment Court, which ruled that the mine could not go ahead without permission to utilise Darkinjung land. The new proposal does not include Darkinjung land. CEO of the Darkinjung LALC, Mr Sean Gordon, declined to comment on the impact the latest Wallarah II proposal may have on the Darkinjung land and development

plans. Mr Hayes said the new development proposal would see the conveyor belt transporting coal 200 metres from the southwestern boundary of the Blue Haven residential area and as far north as Wyee. “Tooheys Rd would disappear because that road does not have a wide verge on either side and KORES doesn’t own any land in that area, so they would be wanting the conveyor to run along the carriage way,” Mr Hayes said. The Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council already has approval for a 500 lot residential sub-division that would be impacted because Tooheys Rd is

the main access to the development. Mr Hayes said that in 2014, Dr Peter Lewis, the clinical director of the Central Coast integrated care program, said the expected mortality rate for coal dust related to the Wallarah 2 mine could be one on 100,000. “Wyong CBD is five kilometres from the proposed coal handling facilities, Blue Haven and Lake Haven are even closer, and there are schools, hospitals and aged care facilities,” Mr Hayes said. “The Planning Assessment Commission has rejected four coal mines already this year because of their proximity to residential areas,” he said.

The Greens NSW mining spokesperson, Mr Jeremy Buckingham, has called on NSW premier, Mr Mike Baird, to intervene to stop the Wallarah 2 underground coal mine project. “The Coalition made a solemn promise not to allow the Wallarah 2 coal mine to go ahead,” Mr Buckingham said. “Former premier, Mr Barry O’Farrell, told a crowd that the mine would not go ahead ‘no ifs, no buts, a guarantee’. “Yet years later, the NSW Coalition Government has failed to implement this promise,” Mr Buckingham said. “This coal mine is a risk not only to the water catchment of the Central Coast, but to the credibility of the Liberal Party when it makes commitments to the electorate. “It should fulfil those commitments and reject the mine. “The Korean Government has announced a restructure of its state owned resource companies that will see them withdraw from international resource projects, so it is unclear why the government should approve a mine plan for a company likely to leave the market. “There is no need to build this coal mine. “The community are bitterly opposed. “The company doesn’t want to build it, it just wants an approval to sell. “It’s a dud mine, with

no future, that Mike Baird should knock on the head. “The proposed coal conveyor belt and coal loading area are unacceptably close to the existing residential neighbourhood of Blue Haven and may impact on plans by the Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council for residential development in the area.” Central Coast Council concerns about the effect on the drinking water catchment, environment and residential areas, will be central to its review of modified plans for the Wallarah 2 Coal Project. The former Wyong Shire Council opposed the mine in February 2014 due to the potential impacts on the drinking water catchment areas. The former Gosford City Council also opposed the project in March 2014. Council has stated it intends to closely review the revised plans with a view to lodging a submission. Council has also encouraged community members to take this opportunity to have their voice heard. Information regarding the project is available from NSW Planning’s major projects website. Media release, Jul 26, 2016 Central Coast Council media Media release, Jul 26, 2016 Max Phillips, office of Jeremy Buckingham Interview, Jul 29, 2017 Alan Hayes, Australian Coal Alliance Jackie Pearson, journalist

Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Fax: 4321 0940 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net


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