Coal & Allied Community Newsletter Singleton edition November 2011

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2 From the GMs Noise attenuation trucks Coal & Allied recognises the impact noise from its operations can have on its neighbours. We are continually working to improve the way we manage noise. One initiative underway is progressively fitting noise attenuation equipment to our fleet to reduce the noise from mining equipment at our Mount Thorley Warkworth operation. Coal & Allied has been progressively introducing noise attenuation to equipment including trucks, dozers and an excavator this year. Currently close to 40 per cent of our trucks have been modified. Additional quieter trucks will be progressively introduced until the majority of our Mount Thorley Warkworth truck fleet is sound attenuated. This will help in the management of noise impacts on our neighbours. While this work is underway quieter trucks have been assigned to areas where mining activities have greater potential to cause noise impacts on the surrounding community. Tom Lukeman Hunter Valley Operations Welcome to the fourth and final edition of the Singleton community newsletter for 2011. We hope you have enjoyed reading our community newsletters throughout the year. We have been providing information to the community about our exploration work, and in this edition you can read more about the progress of Exploration Licence 5291 on page 3. On a safety front we have remained focused on reducing our incidents and injuries, with Coal & Allied again receiving the NovaSkill Safety Host Employer Award recently. You can read more about the awards we received this year on page 4. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate two HVO apprentices, Lincoln Mills and Clint Mungoven who have both been recognised for their outstanding efforts. Lincoln is the 2011 NovaSkill Safety Awareness Apprentice of the Year and Clint is the 2011 Automotive Training Board NSW Heavy Industry Apprentice of the Year. This is the second time Clint has been recognised by industry, after he received the NovaSkill Mechanical Trades Apprentice of the Year award last year. Congratulations to you both. Congratulations also to our HVO Emergency Response team who placed second overall and received three individual exercise awards at the recent Hunter Valley Open Cut Mines Rescue Competition. 2011 has brought some great results as we make strides towards increasing our production to ramp up to a rate of 14 million tonnes per year. Thank you to everyone for your commitment to working together safely towards our production goal. It’s not too late to send your feedback. Simply fill in and return the feedback form attached to this newsletter and choose an organisation from the list to receive a $10 donation. Cam Halfpenny Mount Thorley Warkworth It was great to take some time out at the Mount Thorley Warkworth Family and Neighbour Day on November 12 and see so many of our neighbours, employees, contractors and families. As the warmer weather and school holidays approach and many of us head for the water to keep cool, it is important that we focus on safety in and around the water. As such, we are proud to announce our sponsorship of the Singleton Swimming Club, a community organisation teaching young people water safety. As Tom mentioned, Coal & Allied was awarded a number of prizes at the recent regional NovaSkill Awards. Congratulations to MTW second year apprentice Electrician Thomas House who won the Indigenous Apprentice of the Year award, where his great attitude to safety was acknowledged. We’ve also seen several important developments in our proposed Warkworth Extension project with the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure publishing its Assessment Report recommending approval of the project. This report is the Department’s assessment of the Environmental Assessment and other extensive material provided by Coal & Allied over the past two years, along with submissions made by the community during the public exhibition period. An extension update is on page 3. The Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) is now responsible for making a determination and has held a public meeting. I attended the meeting to listen to feedback from the community, and I am committed to working with people to address their concerns. This project is vital to the ongoing employment of our workforce and for the economic benefits we provide to the local community. Freecall 1800 727 745 | 127 John Street Singleton | 19 Bridge Street Muswellbrook | www.coalandallied.com.au
3 Project update – Warkworth Extension The Warkworth Extension is a proposal to extend operations at Warkworth Mine near Singleton, from 2021 to 2032. The extension area is within the footprint of existing mining tenements and on land owned by Mount Thorley Warkworth mine. An approval for this extension is important to the future of our operations at Mount Thorley Warkworth. It will create 150 new jobs and provide ongoing employment for our existing workforce of more than 1300 people. However, we recognise community members have concerns about the extension and we are committed to working with them to minimise our impacts. In October, the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure published its Assessment Report recommending approval of the Warkworth Extension Project. This report is the Department’s assessment of the Environmental Assessment and other project material provided by Coal & Allied, together with the public submissions made by the community during the project exhibition period. The Department has recommended a range of conditions to manage and mitigate the impacts of the extension, including a substantial community enhancement contribution by Coal & Allied of around $10 million for works to benefit Bulga and the surrounding areas. The contribution can be made through a trust fund or, alternatively, Coal & Allied has already proposed a Voluntary Planning Agreement worth around $11 million to Singleton Council. Our proposal also includes a significant biodiversity conservation package which will deliver the long term protection or rehabilitation of an area more than eight times the size of the land that would be disturbed through the Warkworth Extension. The project has now been referred to the Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) for a final determination. Coal & Allied attended a public meeting held by the PAC in Singleton in November and we will continue to work closely with community members who raised concerns. If you would like more information drop into our community shopfront at 127 John Street in Singleton, call our freecall community information line on 1800 727 745 or visit our website at www. coalandallied. com. au Community Development Fund recommitted in Hunter Valley Coal & Allied has thanked its 150 community partners and announced a further $4.5 million in support will be available through its Community Development Fund over the next three years, for projects to help build a more sustainable future for the Hunter Valley. It is the fifth time Coal & Allied has re-committed to the Community Development Fund since it was established in 1999. Funding will increase by 50 per cent for the first time, reflecting the growing quality and diversity of the programmes put forward by local community organisations. Pictured: Community partners gather at the Coal & Allied Community Development Fund annual event held at the Scone Racecourse in November. Mount Thorley Warkworth Family and Neighbour Day success It was great to see so many neighbours, employees and role replacement contractors of Mount Thorley Warkworth (MTW) and their families at the MTW Family and Neighbour Day on Saturday 12 November. Between 9am and 3pm more than 2000 people dropped in to enjoy the performances, displays, demonstrations, live music, refreshments and entertainment The mine site bus tour proved to be popular, and the demonstration from the MTW Emergency Response team gathered quite a crowd. Thank you to everyone who took the time to attend and we look forward to seeing you all again at the next Family and Neighbour Day. Exploration studies Coal & Allied is about to commence studies including drilling and environmental and cultural heritage surveys on Exploration Licence 5291, an area to the east of the Hunter Valley Operations site. Coal & Allied is committed to a long term future in the Hunter Valley and, like many other coal producers, holds exploration licences outside of its existing operations. To satisfy the conditions of this exploration licence, Coal & Allied is required to undertake studies to better understand the coal resource in this area for longer term planning. These studies will take place over the next six months, on properties where we have reached agreements with landholders. If you would like more information drop into our community shopfront at 127 John Street in Singleton, call our freecall community information line on 1800 727 745 or visit our website at www. coalandallied. com. au Freecall 1800 727 745 | 127 John Street Singleton | 19 Bridge Street Muswellbrook | www.coalandallied.com.au
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Coal & Allied Community Newsletter Singleton edition November 2011

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