Extension of Warkworth Coal Mine environmental impact statement impact environmental Extension of Warkworth Coal Mine environmental impact statement 1 August 2002 Extension of Warkworth Coal Mine Prepared by Environmental Resources Management Australia Pty Ltd Building C, 33 Saunders Street, Pyrmont Environmental Impact Statement New South Wales 2009 Australia for Locked Bag 24 Broadway New South Wales 2007 Australia Coal & Allied on behalf of Warkworth Mining Limited Telephone 02 8584 8888 Facsimile 02 8584 8800 Web www.erm.com August 2002 ISBN 1-875673-03-2 1 Prepared by: Karl Rosen Extension of Warkworth Coal Mine Position: Project Coordinator Signed: Date: 30 August, 2002 Coal & Allied on Behalf of Warkworth Mining Limited Prepared by: Brett McLennan Position: Project Manager Signed: August 2002 Date: 30 August, 2002 Approved by: David Snashall Position: Project Director Signed: Date: 30 August, 2002 Environmental Resources Management Australia Pty Ltd Quality System 8020044RP1 This report was prepared in accordance with the scope of services set out in the contract between Environmental Resources Management Australia Pty Ltd ABN 12 002 773 248 (ERM) and the Client. To the best of our knowledge, the proposal presented herein accurately reflects the Client’s intentions when the report was printed. However, the application of conditions of approval or impacts of unanticipated future events could modify the outcomes described in this document. In preparing the report, ERM used data, surveys, analyses, designs, plans and other information provided by the individuals and organisations referenced herein. While checks were undertaken to ensure that such materials were the correct and current versions of the materials provided, except as otherwise stated, ERM did not independently verify the accuracy or completeness of these information sources CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 BACKGROUND 1 1.2 APPROVALS REQUIRED 2 1.3 THE SITE AND SURROUNDS 4 1.4 HISTORY OF WARKWORTH MINE 5 1.5 COMPANY PROFILE 5 1.6 OBJECTIVES OF THE PROPOSAL 7 1.6.1 PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES 7 1.6.2 ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES 8 1.6.3 SOCIOECONOMIC OBJECTIVES 8 1.7 EIS STRUCTURE 9 2 EXISTING OPERATIONS 11 2.1 MINING OPERATIONS AND FACILITIES 11 2.1.1 EXISTING OPERATIONS 11 2.1.2 SITE INFRASTRUCTURE 12 2.1.3 COAL PREPARATION AND HANDLING 12 2.1.4 SITE SERVICES 15 2.1.5 EMPLOYMENT STATUS AND OPERATING HOURS 16 2.1.6 ACCESS 16 2.2 WATER MANAGEMENT 16 2.2.1 OVERVIEW 16 2.2.2 WATER SUPPLY AND USE 17 2.2.3 MINE WATER MANAGEMENT 19 2.3 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING 20 2.3.1 OVERVIEW OF EMS 20 2.3.2 METEOROLOGICAL MONITORING 20 2.3.3 SURFACE AND GROUNDWATER 20 2.3.4 EROSION AND SEDIMENT MANAGEMENT 21 2.3.5 AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT 21 2.3.6 NOISE MANAGEMENT 22 2.3.7 VIBRATION AND AIRBLAST 22 2.3.8 COMMUNITY RELATIONS 22 2.3.9 REPORTING PROCEDURES 23 3 PROPOSAL DESCRIPTION 25 3.1 OVERVIEW OF PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS TO MINING OPERATIONS 25 3.2 MINING PLANNING 25 3.2.1 MINE DESIGN 25 3.2.2 MINING METHOD 27 CONTENTS 3.3 SCHEDULE AND QUANTITIES 30 3.4 MINING EQUIPMENT 30 3.5 MINE INFRASTRUCTURE 32 3.5.1 GENERAL 32 3.5.2 BRIDGES OVER THE PUTTY ROAD 32 3.5.3 BY-PASS ROAD 33 3.5.4 CONVEYOR 34 3.5.5 UPGRADE OF OFFICE AND MAINTENANCE FACILITIES 34 3.6 COAL PREPARATION, HANDLING AND REJECTS DISPOSAL 35 3.7 WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM 35 3.8 WORKFORCE AND OPERATING HOURS 37 3.9 REHABILITATION 38 3.9.1 REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS 38 3.9.2 REHABILITATION PLANNING 39 3.9.3 LANDFORM DESIGN 40 3.9.4 REVEGETATION 40 3.9.5 REHABILITATION TECHNIQUES 41 3.9.6 FINAL LAND USE 43 3.10 GREEN OFFSET STRATEGY 43 3.10.1 NON DISTURBANCE AREAS 44 3.10.2 HABITAT MANAGEMENT AREAS 45 3.10.3 MANAGEMENT MEASURES 45 3.11 CONTRIBUTION TO RESEARCH 46 3.12 MONITORING AND REPORTING 46 3.12.1 NON DISTURBANCE AREAS 47 3.12.2 HABITAT MANAGEMENT AREAS 47 3.13 EXTINGUISHMENT OF EXISTING CONSENT 47 4 PLANNING AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK 49 4.1 GENERAL 49 4.2 COMMONWEALTH LEGISLATION 49 4.3 NEW SOUTH WALES LEGISLATION 50 4.3.1 GENERAL 50 4.3.2 REQUIREMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT CONSENT 50 4.3.3 STATE SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT 50 4.3.4 DESIGNATED DEVELOPMENT 51 4.3.5 REQUIREMENT TO PREPARE AN EIS 52 4.3.6 REQUIREMENT TO PREPARE A SIS 52 4.3.7 INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT 53 4.4 HERITAGE ACT, 1977 55 4.5 PLANNING INSTRUMENTS 56 4.5.1 GENERAL 56 4.5.2 SINGLETON LEP 56 4.5.3 HUNTER REP 57 4.5.4 HUNTER HERITAGE REP 62 4.5.5 SEPP 11 – TRAFFIC GENERATING DEVELOPMENTS 62 CONTENTS 4.5.6 SEPP 26 – LITTORAL RAINFORESTS 63 4.5.7 SEPP 34 – MAJOR EMPLOYMENT-GENERATING INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT 63 4.5.8 SEPP 44 – KOALA HABITAT PROTECTION 64 4.5.9 UPPER HUNTER CUMULATIVE IMPACT STUDY 64 5 ISSUES IDENTIFICATION 65 5.1 ISSUES IDENTIFICATION PROCESS 65 5.2 GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION 65 5.2.1 GENERAL 65 5.2.2 PLANNING FOCUS MEETING 65 5.2.3 STATE GOVERNMENT AGENCY CONSULTATION 66 5.2.4 ABORIGINAL GROUPS 67 5.2.5 SINGLETON SHIRE COUNCIL 70 5.2.6 COMMONWEALTH LIAISON 70 5.3 COMMUNITY CONSULTATION 71 5.3.1 OVERVIEW OF STRATEGY 71 5.3.2 WARKWORTH MINE EMPLOYEES 72 5.3.3 NEAREST NEIGHBOURS 72 5.3.4 NEWSLETTERS 72 5.3.5 INFORMATION DAYS 73 5.3.6 WARKWORTH COMMUNITY CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE 74 5.3.7 CONSULTATION WITH SURROUNDING MINES 74 5.3.8 KEY COMMUNITY ISSUES 74 5.4 EIS EXHIBITION 74 5.4.1 GUIDELINES FOR MAKING A SUBMISSION 76 5.5 ISSUES SUMMARY 77 6 SOCIOECONOMICS 79 6.1 INTRODUCTION 79 6.2 METHODOLOGY 80 6.3 SOCIOECONOMIC PROFILE 81 6.3.1 HUNTER VALLEY REGION 81 6.3.2 SINGLETON LGA 82 6.4 VALUE OF THE COAL INDUSTRY 85 6.5 CONTRIBUTION OF CNA AND WARKWORTH MINE TO SINGLETON LGA AND THE HUNTER REGION 86 6.5.1 CNA CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMUNITY 86 6.5.2 CONTRIBUTION TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY 87 6.5.3 ASSISTING WARKWORTH MINE EMPLOYEES 88 6.5.4 COMPLAINT HANDLING PROCEDURES 88 6.6 POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENT 88 6.6.1 OUTCOME 189 6.6.2 OUTCOME 292 6.6.3 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS 96 CONTENTS 6.7 MITIGATION 97 6.8 CONCLUSION 98 7 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT 101 7.1 GEOLOGY AND COAL RESOURCE 101 7.1.1 REGIONAL GEOLOGY 101 7.1.2 GEOLOGY OF CCL 753 AND MINING LEASE 1412 101 7.1.3 STRUCTURE 103 7.1.4 RESOURCES AND RESERVES 103 7.2 TOPOGRAPHY 104 7.2.1 REGIONAL TOPOGRAPHY 104 7.2.2 LOCAL TOPOGRAPHY 105 7.3 LAND USE 105 7.3.1 REGIONAL LAND USE PATTERNS 105 7.3.2 LOCAL SETTING 105 7.3.3 LAND OWNERSHIP AND LOCAL SETTING 106 7.4 SOILS AND LAND CAPABILITY 108 7.4.1 INTRODUCTION 108 7.4.2 SURVEY AND METHODOLOGY 108 7.4.3 SITE SOILS 109 7.4.4 SOIL SUITABILITY FOR REHABILITATION 111 7.4.5 LAND CAPABILITY 111 7.5 CLIMATE 112 7.5.1 GENERAL 112 7.5.2 TEMPERATURE 112 7.5.3 RAINFALL 112 7.5.4 WIND 113 7.6 LAND MANAGEMENT 114 7.6.1 WEED CONTROL 114 7.6.2 FERAL ANIMAL CONTROL 114 7.6.3 BUSHFIRE MANAGEMENT 114 8 ECOLOGY 115 8.1 INTRODUCTION 115 8.2 BACKGROUND 115 8.3 METHODOLOGY 116 8.4 RESULTS 117 8.4.1 THE LOCALITY, STUDY AREA AND SUBJECT SITE 117 8.4.2 VEGETATION COMMUNITIES 118 8.4.3 FAUNA 121 8.4.4 REGIONALLY SIGNIFICANT FLORA AND FAUNA 122 8.4.5 SEPP 44 122 8.4.6 MATTERS OF NES 123 8.4.7 THREATENED SPECIES 123 8.5 IMPACTS 124 CONTENTS 8.5.1 GENERAL 124 8.5.2 VEGETATION CLEARANCE AND HABITAT LOSS 125 8.5.3 HABITAT FRAGMENTATION AND REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY 125 8.5.4 REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY 126 8.5.5 OTHER INDIRECT IMPACTS 126 8.5.6 KEY THREATENING PROCESSES 127 8.5.7 REGIONALLY SIGNIFICANT FLORA AND FAUNA 128 8.5.8 THREATENED SPECIES 128 8.6 GREEN OFFSETS AND AMELIORATION MEASURES 131 8.7 CONCLUSIONS 134 9 WATER RESOURCES 137 9.1 INTRODUCTION 137 9.2 SURFACE WATER HYDROLOGY 137 9.3 GROUNDWATER HYDROLOGY 138 9.3.1 INTRODUCTION 138 9.3.2 EXISTING BORES AND WELLS 139 9.3.3 OBSERVATION PIEZOMETERS 139 9.3.4 REGIONAL PIEZOMETRIC SURFACE 140 9.3.5 COAL MEASURES HYDRAULIC PROPERTIES 140 9.3.6 COAL MEASURES WATER QUALITY 141 9.4 GROUNDWATER IMPACTS 142 9.4.1 GENERAL 142 9.4.2 OPEN CUT DEPRESSURISATION 142 9.4.3 RECOVERY OF AQUIFER PRESSURES POST MINING 143 9.4.4 FINAL VOID GROUNDWATER QUALITY 143 9.5 MINE WATER MANAGEMENT 144 9.5.1 INTRODUCTION 144 9.6 MINE SITE WATER BALANCE 145 9.6.1 GENERAL 145 9.7 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS 147 9.7.1 INTRODUCTION 147 9.7.2 LOSS OF COAL MEASURE AQUIFER PRESSURES 147 9.7.3 CHANGE IN GROUNDWATER QUALITY 148 9.7.4 LEAKAGE FROM THE ALLUVIAL LANDS 148 9.7.5 LOSS OF CATCHMENT RUNOFF 148 9.7.6 CHANGE IN RUNOFF WATER QUALITY 149 9.7.7 FINAL VOID 149 9.8 CONCLUSION 149 10 AIR QUALITY 151 10.1 INTRODUCTION 151 10.2 AIR QUALITY ASSESSMENT CRITERIA AND METHODS 151 10.3 DISPERSION METEOROLOGY 152 10.4 EXISTING AIR QUALITY 153 CONTENTS 10.4.1 MONITORING NETWORKS 153 10.4.2 CONCENTRATION 153 10.4.3 DEPOSITION 154 10.4.4 ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 154 10.5 ESTIMATED EMISSIONS 154 10.5.1 PRE-AMBLE 154 10.5.2 CONTROLS 155 10.5.3 ESTIMATED EMISSIONS FROM WARKWORTH MINE 156 10.5.4 ESTIMATED EMISSIONS FROM OTHER LOCAL MINES 156 10.6 ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS DUE TO DUST EMISSION 157 10.6.1 PREAMBLE 157 10.6.2 WORST-CASE 24 HOUR PM10 CONCENTRATIONS (EPISODIC DUST) 157 10.7 GREENHOUSE ISSUES 158 10.8 MITIGATION MEASURES 160 10.9 CONCLUSION 161 11 NOISE AND VIBRATION 163 11.1 INTRODUCTION 163 11.2 EXISTING BACKGROUND NOISE 163 11.3 NOISE CRITERIA 164 11.3.1 OPERATIONAL NOISE 164 11.3.2 CUMULATIVE NOISE 165 11.3.3 SLEEP DISTURBANCE 165 11.3.4 BLASTING 166 11.4 OPERATIONAL NOISE MODELLING 166 11.4.1 CALCULATION PROCEDURES 166 11.4.2 NOISE SOURCES 167 11.4.3 NOISE MODEL VALIDATION 167 11.4.4 ASSESSABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS 167 11.4.5 MITIGATION 168 11.4.6 RESULTS 168 11.5 BLASTING NOISE AND VIBRATION 172 11.6 OTHER NOISE EMISSIONS 173 11.6.1 CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES 173 11.6.2 ROAD TRAFFIC NOISE 174 11.6.3 RAIL TRAFFIC NOISE 174 11.7 NOISE MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT 174 11.8 CONCLUSION