Community React to Dartbrook Plans

MORE than 150 people attended the Independent Planning Commission meeting in Muswellbrook today to hear submissions on the proposed modifications at Dartbrook Mine.

John Robertson, chief executive officer of Australian Pacific Coal the operators of Dartbrook mine was the first to address the meeting and said they were pleased the NSW Department of Planning had recommended approval of their modifications.

Mr Robertson said APC had received 500 positive submissions for the modifications, stressed the current modifications did not include an open cut proposal and the modifications would mean the mine could resume operations and provide valuable employment to the area.

Cr Kiwa Fisher, Upper Hunter Shire Council was next to address the meeting and said the Upper Hunter Shire Council opposed the modifications and any further development of the mine.

Cr Fisher said the opposition to coal mining by the Shire dated back to when Barry Rose was Mayor.

Editorial note: Mayor Barry Rose maintained a position that the Upper Hunter Shire would oppose all open cut mining operations, but supported underground operations.

Cr Fisher said Council had been calling for a cumulative impacts assessment since 1997, which was yet to be done and said it was the sixth PAC at which he had called for it to be done.

He further said the communities of Aberdeen and Kayuga would not be properly compensated and air quality had already been exceeded 50 times in Aberdeen during the first quarter of this year.

“We’ve drawn a line in the sane and we ask that you respect it,” Cr Kiwa Fisher said.

Mike Kelly, president of the Muswellbrook Chamber of Commerce and Industry spoke in support of the mine modifications and the employment benefits.

Mr Kelly said the mine has current legal approval and should be allowed to make the modifications to continue operations.

“The Department considered the air quality can be appropriately managed and would not significantly change,” Mr Kelly said.

Butch Smith, a dairy farmer who neighbours the mine also spoke in support of the modifications.

“From a practical point of view we haven’t seen any issues that haven’t been dealt with,” said Mr Smith.

“…we surround the mine…we could have walked away if there was an issue, but we haven’t and it shows that mining and agriculture can exist together,” Butch Smith said.

Please note: an error was made in this original article. Grantly Blake was the farmer from Denman and Len Kelman supported the modifications.

Grantly Blake, a farmer near Denman said he opposed the modifications.

Mr Blake said there used to be 40 dairy farms between Muswellbrook and Denman, of which he was number 32, but now there is only one farm because BHP now owned much of the land and had effectively sterilised the area.

In terms of the claims that the mine will employ local people, Mr Blake scoffed, “locals now come from Narrabri and Newcastle – nothing to do with local employment.”

“And dealing with coal mines – you try it – it’s impossible!”

“The EPA are useless! Ring them up and tell them you can’t see on the Denman Road and they don’t know because they’re in Newcastle,” Mr Blake said.

Len Kelman was in support of the modifications and the jobs created when the mine reopens.

There were many concerns about health, air pollution and water quality in the river raised due to mining impacts in the area and concerns if the mine recommences underground operation that it was a matter of time before the mine would become an open cut operation.

It is anticipated the IPC will make a determination in the next month.

The community can make written submission to IPC for seven days after the meeting: Have Your Say.

• PAC Assessing Dartbrook – April 8, 2019;
• Dartbrook Mine Overview – April 8, 2019;
• Last Chance for Dartbrook Submissions  – April 8, 2019;
• Dartbrook Delayed – February 9, 2017;
• Next Steps in Dartbrook Acquisition – October 10, 2016;
• Final Steps of Dartbrook Acquisition – June 8, 2016;
• Dartbrook Estimates $1.2 Billion Tonnes – May 25, 2016;
• Preparing to Operate Dartbrook – April 6, 2016;
• Dartbook Development – February 3, 2016;
• Dartbrook Mine – Jan 11, 2016.