NSW Minerals Council CEO Dr Nikki Williams said the industry acknowledged the findings and had established three working groups as a first step to addressing priorities from the survey.

“While individual companies are managing environmental impacts and working with their local communities, the feedback in this survey shows that we have much more to do,” she said.

“The results tell us that there is a high level of concern that we need to understand.

“We are listening and we realise being part of the region’s future will mean doing things differently.

“It won’t be easy but we are open to change.”

A Upper Hunter Mining Dialogue Steering Committee has been set up with senior members from all the region’s coal producers to oversee and drive the industry’s efforts to work more effectively together.

The steering group will oversee the Environmental Working Group – aimed to look at ways to better address dust, air quality and water issues; Rehabilitation and Land Management Group - to find ways of working more strategically on rehabilitation planning and land management; and Community Working Group – to bring together the mining industry and community groups to share research and resources on issues such as social infrastructure and other social issues.

Members will be environment and community practitioners with relevant specialist skills.

The next step of the Upper Hunter Mining Dialogue is a community outreach program to further explore the issues and to begin to develop solutions to the problems.

Over the next six months the Upper Hunter Mining Dialogue will offer opportunities for the broader community to be involved.

A copy of the report can be found online at www.nswmin.com.au/uhmd/aspx and a hard copy is available at Singleton Library.

To receive updates on the progress of the dialogue email alerts are available by emailing miningdialogue@nswmin.com.au or contacting Chrissie Clarke on (02) 9274 1423.

Feedback on the survey and dialogue can also be sent to this email.