Wollar NSW 2850 SUBMISSION Planning Assessment Commission Review Hearing Moolarben Coal Project Stage 2 Wednesday 26 February 2014 Central West Environment Council (CWEC) is an umbrella organization representing conservation groups and individuals in central west NSW working to protect the local environment for future generations. CWEC appreciates the opportunity to make a submission to the Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) on issues relating to the proposed Stage 2 of the Moolarben mining complex. This presentation will be focusing on the biodiversity impacts of the proposal as specified in the terms of reference for this review hearing. The Moolarben Stage 2 proposal (‘the proposal’) has a very large disturbance footprint in an area of recognised high conservation value native vegetation with regional significance. The proposal requires the removal of 1,534ha of native vegetation including 902 ha high conservation value woodland containing 123ha of critically endangered ecological community and 632ha of native grassland. The Murragamba valley is directly adjacent to the Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve with the native vegetation forming an important corridor link with the Goulburn River National Park. The cumulative loss of high conservation woodland habitat from the valley floor between these two reserves has not been adequately identified or assessed in the Director General’s Environmental Assessment Report (‘the report’). The approved offsets for the loss of significant woodland biodiversity values for the Wilpinjong, Moolarben Stage 1and Ulan projects are inadequate and mostly based on long term habitat restoration programs.
Wollar NSW 2850 SUBMISSION Planning Assessment Commission Review Hearing Moolarben Coal Project Stage 2 Wednesday 26 February 2014 Central West Environment Council (CWEC) is an umbrella organization representing conservation groups and individuals in central west NSW working to protect the local environment for future generations. CWEC appreciates the opportunity to make a submission to the Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) on issues relating to the proposed Stage 2 of the Moolarben mining complex. This presentation will be focusing on the biodiversity impacts of the proposal as specified in the terms of reference for this review hearing. The Moolarben Stage 2 proposal (‘the proposal’) has a very large disturbance footprint in an area of recognised high conservation value native vegetation with regional significance. The proposal requires the removal of 1,534ha of native vegetation including 902 ha high conservation value woodland containing 123ha of critically endangered ecological community and 632ha of native grassland. The Murragamba valley is directly adjacent to the Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve with the native vegetation forming an important corridor link with the Goulburn River National Park. The cumulative loss of high conservation woodland habitat from the valley floor between these two reserves has not been adequately identified or assessed in the Director General’s Environmental Assessment Report (‘the report’). The approved offsets for the loss of significant woodland biodiversity values for the Wilpinjong, Moolarben Stage 1and Ulan projects are inadequate and mostly based on long term habitat restoration programs.