Wambo Coal AEMR 2011-2012 - Peabody Energy

2011-2012 AEMR
1.3.3 Environmental Protection
Licence
WCPL operates under Environmental Protection
Licence 529 (EPL 529), issued by the NSW Office
of Environment & Heritage (OEH), formerly the
Department of Environment, Climate Change and
Water (DECCW), under the authority of the
Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997.
EPL 529 also covers WCPL’s activities at the mine
and rail spur.
During the reporting period, the OEH varied EPL
529 on several occasions to incorporate an
additional Pollution Reduction Program (PRP). The
new PRP involves providing the OEH with a report
by the 29 June 2012 that documents WCPL’s Best
Management Practice (BMP) to identify the most
practicable means to reduce particle emissions. For
more information about the BMP report please see
Section 3.2.2.
1.3.4 NPW Act Approvals
WCPL holds a permit under the National Parks and
Wildlife Act 1974 (NPW Act), for the salvage and
impact on Aboriginal heritage sites prior to ground
disturbance. Consent number #2222 was issued
under Section 87 and Section 90 of the NPW Act on
the 20 June 2005. In consultation with the OEH and
local Aboriginal groups, the OEH granted approval
to extend the permit for an additional 5 years,
expiring on the 19 June 2015.
Consent number #2085 was issued under Section
90 of the NPW Act on 14 December 2004 for the
salvage of Aboriginal artefacts along the Wambo
Rail Development. Salvage works for the Wambo
Rail Development were completed and reported in
the 2005-2006 reporting period. There have been
no further salvage works under consent number
#2085. Consent #2085 expired in January 2007.
For further information regarding Aboriginal Heritage
and salvage works undertaken during this reporting
period, please refer to Section 3.13.1.
For further details regarding Permit #3130 for Care
and Control of Aboriginal Objects, previously
salvaged under Section 87/90 permits, please refer
to Section 3.13. 1.
1.3.5 Water Licences
Details of the current water licenses for WCPL are
presented in Table 1.3. The location of these
licensed facilities is shown in Figure 1.3.
1.3.6 Mining Operations Plan
In accordance with the Mining Act 1992, WCPL
have prepared and submitted two Mining
Operations Plans (MOP’s) for the open cut and
underground operations.
All open cut mining activities were carried out
generally in accordance with the approved Open
Cut MOP. All underground mining activities at North
Wambo Underground (Underground) were carried
out generally in accordance with the approved
Underground MOP.
The Open Cut MOP was approved by the DTIRIS,
formerly the Industry & Investment NSW (I&I NSW)
on the 29 June 2010. The Open Cut MOP was
prepared in accordance with the DTIRIS Guidelines
and Format for Preparation of Mining Operations
Plan Version 3, January 2006. WCPL consulted with
the DTIRIS and provided information to the
community through WCPL’s Community
Consultation Committee (CCC) throughout the
development of the Open Cut MOP. The MOP
covers all aspects of the Open Cut operation
including mining, rehabilitation and tailings
management, until June 2016.
WCPL sought an interim modification to the Open
Cut MOP to raise a larger area of the Wombat dump
to RL160. The request to raise dump levels is
consistent with commitments made in the 2003 EIS.
The DTIRIS approved the modification on the 20
December 2010. WCPL are planning to seek a
modification to the Open Cut MOP during the next
reporting period, to address proposed operational
changes.
The MOP for the Underground was approved by the
DTIRIS in November 2005 for the period November
2005 to November 2012. The Underground MOP
applies to all underground mining operations and
refers to the Open Cut MOP where applicable. No
modifications to the Underground MOP were sought
by WCPL during the reporting period. WCPL are
currently preparing a new MOP for the
Underground. The new Underground MOP will be
submitted to DRE for approval in the next reporting
period.
WCPL currently holds water licences for a number
of bores, wells and pumps located across the mine
site. There were four new water licenses and one
renewal licensed issued by the NSW Office of Water
(NOW) during the reporting period.
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