"People who want this mine don't live here, they don't love here, they just see dollars and cents," said seventh generation Hunter Valley resident Jason Chesworth.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mr Chesworth was one of many speakers at an Independent Planning Commission (IPC) meeting, held in Muswellbrook on Tuesday, who were strongly opposed to the reopening of the Dartbrook underground coal mine near Aberdeen.
The IPC is reviewing Australian Pacific Coal's Dartbrook Modification 7 plans that would see the mine which has been in care and maintenance since 2006 return to production using bord and pillar extraction methods to produce 1.5 tonnes/year. The NSW Department of Planning said in its assessment the modification should be approved.
But Mr Chesworth called on the IPC not to give into one industry but ensure there was balance and diversity in the Upper Hunter.
"The mono-culture of resource harvesting has to stop, we need diversity, so we have a future for our children and grandchildren," he told the IPC Commissioners in a passionate speech where he said generations of his family relied on the health of the Hunter River to operate their dairyfarms.
Although they are no longer dairyfarmers his family remain very much connected to the industry through their ownership of a boutique dairy processing company Hunter Belle based in Scone with a retail outlet in Muswellbrook. Selling fresh milk, cheese and other dairy products under the Hunter Belle label the Chesworths employ 30 full time staff.
As Friends of the Upper Hunter, a group formed to oppose this mine reopening, said just three business like Hunter Belle would employ more people than Dartbrook and unlike the mine pose no risk to the environment and the health of the people in the region.
Speaking on behalf of the proponent was Australian Pacific Coal's chief executive officer John Robinson Jr who gave perhaps one of the shortest ever sales pitches for a coal mine in the history of independent mine reviews.
In just a few words he said the mine would provide jobs and economic benefits for the community. He left the meeting soon afterwards and unfortunately did not hear submissions that included one from former mine manager Michael White, on behalf of the Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders Association (HBTA), debunking the economic viability of the proposal.
Mr White who used to manage one of the country's largest open cut mines Mount Arthur near Muswellbrook and who still lives locally said the modification plans under review stated the company would need $45 million to restart the mine but he estimated that figure would be closer to $162m.
He questioned the pricing for their coal as it contains a high ash content that could only be overcome by washing the coal which was not included in their plans and would cost the company $10m to have an operational washery plus $4.32m/year to wash the coal and there were no plans for dumping the washery rejects.
One theme raised throughout the meeting was the impact from another coal mine on an already pollution laden air shed.
On the morning of the meeting Muswellbrook recorded an air quality alert for PM10 levels exceeding national standards as did three monitors in Singleton LGA.
James Whelan, researcher, Environmental Justice Australia, told the IPC that PM10 levels have trebled in the region during the last decade and already, so far this year, there have been more exceedences for PM10 levels that allowable under the annual quota.
Singleton GP, Bob Vickers displayed a photograph he took on the morning of the meeting to show the Commissions the air pollution that he sees each day.
"Locally we have double the level of asthma rates compared to people living in Sydney," he said.
"That's why so many mineworkers no longer live in Singleton and Muswellbrook. In Singleton we have 9000 miners drive-in each day to work - who wants to live in town with such poor air quality."
Scone veterinarian Catherine Chicken, who is a member of the Upper Hunter Air Quality Advisory Committee, said we are good at monitoring air quality but not good at improving air quality.
She agreed with Dr Vickers that mine workers did not want to live locally.
"That means Upper Hunter residents are left with the degradation of this environment. We need a transition plan now for the betterment o us all," she said.
Given the history of the mine, formerly owned by Anglo American, who could not overcome the challenges of Dartbrook's gas and water issues, forcing a tier one mining giant to close the mine many speakers raised concerns about how would Australian Pacific Coal who have no mining experience whatsoever operate such a complex and dangerous underground mine.
Farmers were critical of the company's proposal to transport coal using 192 B-double truck daily travelling across the company's prime Hunter River alluvial soils rather than using an existing coal haulage tunnel.
"This will destroy prime agricultural land and that is a crime," said Katherine Brook, a founding member of Friends of the Upper Hunter.
The use of the trucks would also increase air and noise pollution from the mine various speakers pointed out.