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Appendix C - Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment - Peabody Energy

Appendix C - Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment - Peabody Energy

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<strong>Cultural</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Impact</strong> <strong>Assessment</strong><br />

North Wambo Underground Mine Modification<br />

While impacts to archaeological and cultural heritage within the MA are predicted to be negligible to low<br />

(MSEC 2012), it is recommended that, if required, Wambo Coal seek an AHIP under Section 90 of the NSW<br />

National Parks and Wildlife Act, 1974 (NPW Act) to allow for the salvage of registered and unregistered sites<br />

(should they be uncovered) in consultation with the relevant registered Aboriginal parties. If salvage is<br />

required it is recommended that artefacts be transferred to the temporary keeping place under the existing<br />

Care and Control Permit (#3130) in consultation with the relevant registered Aboriginal parties.<br />

Subsidence estimates for the project area (including specific predictions for Aboriginal sites) have been<br />

provided by MSEC (2012). Much of the surrounding area has also been previously undermined (Wollemi<br />

and Homestead workings in the Whybrow Seam), or approved to be undermined, including North Wambo<br />

Underground Mine in the Wambo Seam, the Arrowfield and the Bowfield Seams.<br />

The NWUMM longwall area will be subject to a Subsidence Management Plan or Extraction Plan which will<br />

be implemented prior to the proposed works being undertaken.<br />

MSEC (2012:58-60) calculated the maximum predicted total conventional subsidence parameters for the<br />

archaeological sites in the MA for approved mining of the Wambo, Arrowfield and Bowfield Seams (Approved<br />

Layout) and compared them to the predicted values for the proposed NWUMM (Modified Layout). The<br />

predicted maximum incremental changes in subsidence resulting from the proposed modification at any<br />

Aboriginal site ranged from 0 millimetres (mm) to 2400mm; in tilt ranged from 0mm/m to 35 mm/m; in<br />

hogging curvature ranged from 0.0 km -1 to 1.50 km -1 ; and in sagging curvature ranged from 0.0 km -1 to<br />

1.90 km -1 MSEC (2012:58-60, Table D01). Further MSEC (2012: Table D01) predicted that although the<br />

maximum subsidence effects in the vicinity of known Aboriginal sites resulting from subsidence relating to<br />

the Modified Layout could vary between 350 mm and 6400 mm (35 centimetres (cm) and 640 cm) the actual<br />

incremental change between the Modified Layout and the previously Approved Layout varied between 0 mm<br />

and 2400 mm (0 cm and 240 cm). This increment would be an even smaller proportion of approved<br />

subsidence impacts if the historic workings (Whybrow Seam) were also included in the subsidence model.<br />

As such, MSEC (2012) predicted that the subsidence effects in the vicinity of known Aboriginal sites would<br />

not exceed 2400 mm and was significantly lower for the majority of Aboriginal sites ranging from 0 mm to<br />

2400 mm (0 cm to 240 cm). MSEC (2012:59) considered that the artefact sites in the Modification Area<br />

could potentially be affected by cracking of the surface soils. It is unlikely that the Aboriginal objects at these<br />

sites would be destroyed by the surface cracking but could be impacted on or harmed by downward<br />

movement due to vertical subsidence (whereby the land surface moves downwards as a whole). However,<br />

compared to the existing and approved mining in this area, the NWUMM would not increase the risk of<br />

impacts to these sites.<br />

The Wollemi National Park escarpment cliff lines and steep talus slopes are more than one kilometre from<br />

the NWUMM area and are outside of the predicted subsidence impact area (MSEC 2012). As such, the<br />

proposed modification will not impact on the Wollemi National Park or the associated escarpment. Wollombi<br />

Brook lies approximately 500 metres to the east of the project area and one kilometre from any Aboriginal<br />

sites within the NWUMM area. Wollombi Brook will not be impacted by the proposed NWUMM (MSEC,<br />

2012).<br />

Proposed mitigation measures are outlined in Section 8 of this report and management recommendations<br />

are in Section 9 of this report and are shown below.<br />

The following management recommendations have been formulated with consideration of the significance of<br />

Aboriginal heritage, as well as potential impacts, and have been prepared in accordance with the relevant<br />

legislation.<br />

108453-2; October 2012 ES- 3

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