Thursday 13 June 2013

MOOLARBEN EXPANSION

The coal industry is addicted to profits at the expense of our future. And it is our moral duty to resist their efforts to expand.

There is a proposal on the table to extend the already vast Moolarben Mine on the edge of the Goulburn River National Park near Mudgee. The expannded operations over 5 years would extract 30 million more tonnes of coal which, when burned, would contribute unacceptable levels of CO2 into a global atmosphere already overburdened with carbon.

Submissions on this ludicrous proposal are due this Friday so please take a moment to read this guide and add your voice in opposition.


Submission of Objection
Title:      Moolarben Mine Stage 1 Modificiation 9 (Part3AMod)
Due date: Friday 21 June 2013 (preferable if you can get a short objection in by this Fri 14 June)
Include your name and contact details (identify if you want these kept private)
Points for submission of objection:
1.     This proposed ‘modification’ is a major extension to the current approved Moolarben Mine.
2.     Proposal to extend existing mine footprint by 25% will disturb an additional 178 ha and create a super pit covering 886 ha
3.     Proposal to extend life of mine by 5 years to 2033 to extract additional 6 million tonnes per year will cause continued unsustainable environmental disruption through increased greenhouse gas emissions
4.     The extension will remove vegetated sandstone ridgeline habitat  100m, 60m and 30m high while increasing dust and noise impacts
5.     Clearing will destroy 171.4 ha of woodland including vegetation communities listed for protection under state and federal law. This is additional to the removal of 416.8 ha native vegetation in the current approval for Moolarben Stage 1.
6.     The extensive surface disturbance, open cut pits and overburden emplacement in close proximity to Moolarben Creek represents a significant threat to downstream water quality from sediment and salinity discharge into the headwaters of the Goulburn River.
7.     The proposed Water Management Plan requires the protection of water quality to be suspended on a regular basis
8.     The increased mine size will intercept additional overland and base flows to the Goulburn River
9.     ‘The Drip’ must be protected within Goulburn River National Park
More detail if you have the time:
Ecological Impacts:
Expanding the footprint of the 3 open cuts will result in the clearing of an additional 178 hectares of land, comprising 171ha of native forest and woodland, including 17.2ha of the White Box Yellow Box Blakely’s Red Gum Woodland, listed as endangered ecological community under the TSC Act (containing 16.5ha of the White Box Yellow Box Blakely's Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived Native Grassland which is listed as a critically endangered ecological community under the EPBC Act), 154.2ha of other non-threatened native vegetation communities and 6.6ha of cleared land or exotic pasture.
Two threatened species recorded - the Eastern Cave Bat and a Brown treecreeper.
Moolarben history:  The mine has demonstrated inability to manage pollution incidents and has been fined a number of times for breaching existing conditions of approval. 
Increased traffic and trains, loss of more community in region, threat to Ulan School

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