T4
• Reject the PWCS proposal to build a fourth coal terminal in Newcastle on the following grounds:– negative health consequences for the residents of Newcastle due to coal dust
– contribution to catastrophic climate change – international legal requirements to protect Ramsarlisted wetlands
– national & State requirements to protect threatened Golden Bell Frog and Migratory Bird Habitat and no proven off‐sets for endangered species
• Should you still consider approving T4 you must include the following recommendations:– Covered coal stockpiles– Coal trains going onsite must be covered– Reduced reliance on Newcastle potable water supplies
– No discharge of polluted water from the site into the Hunter River
• An additional 70Mt of coal exported will mean roughly 19,000 additional train trips between the Hunter mines and the port and back again, the capacity to export coal from an additional 8 to 10 mega mines and four new 1.5km coal stockpiles will substantially add to PM10 emissions in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley
• Community in Tighes Hill, Carrington Waratah, Mayfield to CBD (& along the rail corridor) already suffer from existing coal dust levels
• Covering coal stockpiles will– Reduce coal dust levels through protection from wind
– Reduce water consumption due to new covered coal stockpiles using temperature detection systems & reduced evaporation rate of water
– Reduce the accumulation of toxic water through protection of coal piles from rainwater
• Stipulate that coal trains that are to enter the T4 site must be covered
• People living along the rail corridor are sick of the dust that comes from the coal trains. The rail corridors are black with coal dust that comes coal wagons
• PWCS use 400ML/year an estimated additional 43ML/year from T4
• The use of our freshwater supplies to wash coal is a complete misuse of what is becoming a scarce resource
• Covering coal stockpiles reduces water use
• PWCS has a history of licence breaches regarding release of toxic water from site
• water that escaped from the other PWCS coal terminals was contaminated with coal sediments containing heavy metals such as aluminium, barium, chromium, lead, copper and zinc
• Covering coal stockpiles will stop the accumulation of contaminated water