Welcome to the Chain Valley Coal Project Community Consultation

Following adequacy review of the Chain Valley Mine Part B Continuation of Mining, Preliminary Environmental Assessment, the Department of Planning require further information prior to the EA going to Public Exhibition.

The studies will be completed in the New Year and it is expected the EA will be on Public Exhibition in late February 2011. A Stakeholder Reference Group meeting will be scheduled prior to this date.

The Department of Planning have taken action to extend the transitional period during which existing mines are exempt from requiring a major project approval under Part 3A of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979 till 31 December 2011, providing that the Department's Director – General has (on or before 16 December 2010) notified environmental assessment requirements under the Act.

The full text of the amendment is available at: http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/maintop/view/force/subordleg+557+2000+cd+0+N

LakeCoal has made a commitment to assist the local community, by paying a levy on each tonne of coal produced at the Chain Valley Mine. The levy will form part of the Part 3a (Part B) development application.

Two cents per tonne produced will go directly to Wyong Shire Council which will prioritise the funds for the benefit of the Summerland Point, Gwandalan, Chain Valley and Mannering Park communities.

An additional one and a half cents per tonne produced will go into the ‘Chain Valley Community Fund’. Although details of the Fund need to be finalised, it is envisioned that a

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LakeCoal has received notification from the Department of Planning that its application for continuation of mining at Chain Valley mine will need to be processed as two separate application.

This will ensure the Department of Planning can be process part one (named Part B) of the application by 16 December 2010. It is a requirement that all Coal Mines operating under existing use agreements have contemporary environmental approvals in place by this date.

The Part B application includes a selected area of the lease, where there are current Subsidence Management Plan approvals and will ensure continuation of operations. It is expected Part

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LakeCoal Pty Ltd (a wholly owned subsidiary of LDO Coal Pty Ltd) has submitted an application to consolidate and replace existing approvals for the Chain Valley Coal Mine, effectively securing employment for the operation’s 120 employees.

The application has been made under Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and would extend the life of the mine by 21 years to 2030.

The Chain Valley Coal Project will enable the continuation of underground mining operations at the Chain Valley Mine within the area covered by existing mining leases. The planned mining areas are located in the Swansea-North Entrance Mine

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An Environmental Assessment of the possible impacts of the project will be prepared in accordance with specific requirements set down by the Director-General of the Department of Planning. Once issued, these requirements will be available on the Department’s website at http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/page/project-sectors/mining--petroleum---extractive-industries/mining/?action=view_job&job_id=3387

It is anticipated that one of these requirements will be community consultation. Consultation with the community will ensure that all factors of importance to the community will be considered in the Environment Assessment.

Once the Environmental Assessment is completed it will be submitted to the Department of Planning and placed on exhibition for community comment. Submissions can be made to the Department of Planning during this period.

All submissions will be considered and the Department will prepare a report for determination of the application by the Minister for Planning under Part 3A of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act.