Coal transport approval raises questions

Wollongong Northern Leader
7 July 2009
Section: Opinion http://www.northernleader.com.au/article/coal_transport_approval_raises_questions

RE – Port Kembla Coal Terminal Major Projects consent, June 26, 2009:

The consent issued by NSW Planning Minister Keneally and announced on June 23, with its initial 50 per cent potential increase of the coal tonnages on road plus the lifting of a curfew going back to 1982, raises many questions.

The first is how the consent accords with the official 2006-2031 Illawarra Regional Strategy of the NSW Department of Planning to (p4) “maximise the efficiency of freight transport” [and] “increase the proportion of freight transported by rail”.

The Minister’s consent given to increasing road haulage of coal to the Port Kembla Coal Terminal from the present high levels of about 5 million tonnes a year to 7.5 million tonnes and an offer to later consider 10 million tonnes has the marked potential to reduce “the efficiency of freight transport” (from increased road congestion, increased road wear and tear and increased energy usage).

More coal on road would also reduce “the proportion of freight transported by rail”.

The second question is, what conditions of consent will uphold the former conditions required by Wollongong City Council in 1979 and agreed to by the NSW Government in 1982 with State Environmental Planning Policy 7 that requires coal from all western mines and Tahmoor Mine to be moved to Port Kembla by rail?

The third question is, why cannot a Maldon-Dombarton railway be used to move coal from a transfer point near the Appin Mine complex to Port Kembla?

Port Kembla is the only coal export terminal in Australia that receives coal by road (all coal for export from Queensland and Port Waratah at Newcastle arrives at the respective ports by rail).

The present 5 million tones a year on road is more than enough and cap of 6 million tonnes on road receival of coal by the PKCT would have been generous.

In addition, among the 121 submissions, plus a petition signed by 55 people, to the Dept of Planning objecting to plans to lift tonnages of coal on road, were requests for the retention of some form of curfew for certain coal trucks on Mt Ousley (to include final day of long weekends) and a code of coal truck standards (regarding the maximum age and noise levels of the trucks, and a requirement for tachographs) to complement a code of coal truck driver conduct.

Given problems in the assessment process, including significant deficiencies in the 2008 Environmental Assessment report and the December 2008 Submissions Report, a public hearing would have been appropriate. The consent stands in need of review.
– Dr Philip Laird
University of Wollongong

Maldon-Dombarton line chugs into next stage

The controversial railway line pictured from the air. The project was dumped by the Greiner Liberal government in 1988 and the Carr Labor government broke a promise to restart work (Wollondilly Advertiser 4/11/08)


Maldon-Dombarton line chugs into next stage
Illawarra Mercury 8 July 2009
BY BRETT COX

The Maldon-Dombarton railway line is today a step closer to being completed, with a pre-feasibility study showing there is a business case to progress the moth-balled link.
Treasurer Wayne Swan is expected to release the results of the $300,000 study into the line which began in January, before he speaks at a business lunch in Wollongong this afternoon.

The study - a pre-election promise by Illawarra Labor MPs Sharon Bird and Jennie George - was undertaken by consultants Connell Hatch and looked at present and future rail freight transport needs, the capacity of existing freight networks and construction requirements for the line's completion.
The Mercury understands the completed study shows a strong business case for progressing to a more comprehensive feasibility study, with the predicted cost of finishing the line in today's terms considerably more than previous estimates of $300 million.

The Government has previously indicated a feasibility study and engineers' reports would cost about $4 million and construction would take a further three years.
Completion of the 35km Maldon-Dombarton link has been identified as the region's infrastructure priority by business and community groups.

The project was initiated in 1983 by the Wran state government. About $30 million was spent before the Greiner government cancelled it in 1988.
About 30km of track, 4km of tunnel, a 500m bridge across the Nepean and Cordeaux rivers, an underpass under the F5 and a number of bridges over roads and rail tracks would still need to be built, but leftover infrastructure is in reasonable condition.

Advocates for the completion of the line say it would provide a direct and efficient route for rail freight to and from Port Kembla, particularly for the expanding $70 billion-a-year western Sydney economy.
It could connect Port Kembla to large intermodal ports already established in suburbs like Minto and link in with the National Freight Network.

The State Government has continued to push responsibility of the project into the Federal Government's hands because of its freight implications.
Ms Bird, who was a member of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Transport and Regional Services when it recommended completion of the link in 2007, has previously argued for it because "Port Kembla is the only

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/maldondombarton-line-chugs-into-next-stage/1561467.aspx?storypage=0

Rail link no major impact on trucks

Illawarra Mercury

BY BRETT COX
25/06/2009 10:29:00 AM

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Trucks travel down Mt Ousley

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http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/rail-link-no-major-impact-on-trucks/1550139.aspx

Completion of the Maldon-Dombarton rail link would not have an impact on the higher number of trucks using Wollongong roads due to the lifting of the Port Kembla Coal Terminal curfew, MPs and coal companies have admitted.
Cunningham MP Sharon Bird, one of the main advocates for the line, said only coal coming from further away, such as the Western Coalfields near Lithgow, which now comes via the Moss Vale line, would benefit from Maldon-Dombarton.
Containers, cars, grain and other imports and exports could also be moved from truck to rail, she said.
The line would also open Port Kembla to large western Sydney businesses.
"It won't be economical for the majority of the coal that have the short runs to use the line," Ms Bird said.
The region's coal companies agreed. Most of the region's coalmines get their coal to Port Kembla via train already, but trucks still operate from Gujarat South Bulli and Illawarra Coal mines at West Cliff and Appin - too close to the port to benefit from Maldon-Dombarton. Illawarra Coal trucks travel via Appin Rd and Mt Ousley.
A pre-feasibility study into the rail link has been completed and the results will be released within weeks.
The Mercury's website was yesterday flooded with complaints about the State Planning Department's decision to approve an application by Port Kembla Coal Terminal to remove the curfew established in 1982, which restricted coal deliveries by road to between 7am and 6pm, Monday to Saturday. Trucks can now operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
NSW Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon, who has opposed the proposal, said an independent evaluation must now be completed after 12 months.
"This bankrupt decision reflects an empty consultation process, where key concerns from individuals, community groups, councils and government agencies were ignored," she said.
"Of the 131 submissions, 113 objected to the proposal and many remaining submissions raised strong concerns."
The coal terminal can now receive 7.5 million tonnes of coal per year, up from about 5.2 million tonnes, and there is scope for that to increase to 10 million. But the reforms will fit in with the terminal's around-the-clock operations and bring it into line with other industry at Port Kembla that don't face restrictions on truck movements.
Port Kembla Coal Terminal general manager Peter Green said the decision would have economic benefits for the region, mainly through the opportunity for more coal and bulk exports to leave the port.
"The approval conditions reflect the issues raised by the public ... and will result in additional environmental measures being put in place," he said.
State Planning Minister Kristina Keneally said the decision was about boosting investment and securing jobs.

Coal trucks granted 24/7 access to Wollongong roads

Illawarra Mercury

BY BRETT COX
24/06/2009 9:21:00 AM

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/coal-trucks-granted-247-access-to-wollongong-roads/1548864.aspx

Coal trucks will thunder through the streets of Wollongong 24 hours a day, seven days a week after the State Government lifted a curfew in place for more than a quarter of a century.
The decision was revealed yesterday and will take effect immediately.
The Planning Department has approved an application by the Port Kembla Coal Terminal to remove the curfew established in 1982, which restricted coal deliveries by road to between 7am and 6pm, Monday to Saturday.
The curfew was put in place mainly to limit noise on Mt Ousley and Springhill Rd, but Planning Minister Kristina Keneally said the infrastructure was now much improved.
"The new delivery hours and coal haulage amounts will bring the terminal in line with other nearby industries," she said.
"They are necessary for a forecast increase in regional coal production. The increased truck movements will be spread across a greater period, generally resulting in fewer trucks on the road at any one time, especially during the morning and afternoon peak periods."
The approval will initially allow the terminal to receive up to 7.5 million tonnes of coal a year by road, with scope for that to increase to 10 million tonnes if the terminal's environmental performance is deemed acceptable by the director-general of the Department of Planning.
At present the terminal accepts about 5.2 million tonnes.
The approval does not remove restrictions on coal delivered from the Gujarat NRE No 1 Colliery (formerly South Bulli).
Former planning minister Frank Sartor called the project in for assessment in December 2007.
Of the 122 submissions received, there were 113 objecting to the plan after its public exhibition last year.
In its submission, Wollongong City Council expressed concerns about the effect on its roads.
But terminal management cited the use of different routes, road upgrades and improvements to vehicles as justification for removal of the curfew.
The curfew had hampered the terminal's round-the-clock operation, it said.
Ms Keneally this year rejected a call from the NSW Greens for a public inquiry into the issue, saying although the proposal "remains controversial in some sections of the Wollongong community, it is not technically complex".
Wollongong MP Noreen Hay yesterday said amenity and safety were prime considerations in the decision.
"Amongst other things, the company will be required to implement a driver's code of conduct, including mandatory safety and noise mitigation training for all drivers, which is good news for the local community," she said.
"The code includes measures to manage speed limits, compression braking, load covering and queuing on local roads, and provides for incident management, reporting and compliance monitoring."
Ms Keneally said the approval would not result in changes to on-site infrastructure at the terminal.
She said the terminal would have to comply with other criteria on water waste and land management.
There was an obvious preference for coal and bulk products to go to the port by rail but not all mines were able to do this, the minister said.

Truck review coincides with anniversary of Mt Ousley crash

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/truck-review-coincides-with-anniversary-of-mt-ousley-crash/1521389.aspx

Illawarra Mercury

BY BRETT COX

Large trucks and their path through Wollongong became the burning community issue exactly 30 years ago after a string of deaths on Mt Ousley.

Fast forward from May 1979 to May 2009 and the same issue still sparks strong debate.

The State Government is only days away - at the most weeks - from determining a proposal to remove restrictions on road deliveries to the Port Kembla Coal Terminal.

Terminal management cites the use of different routes, road upgrades and improvements to vehicles as justification for removal of the curfew to allow coal trucks to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week - which would allow 10 million tonnes of coal to be delivered each year, up from 5.2 million tonnes.

Back in May 1979, the city was still talking about a coal truck that lost its brakes and hit four vehicles on Mt Ousley the month before.

Then on May 15, Paul Jones, of Thirroul, died after an accident involving a coal truck.

Later that week, on May 18, came an accident few people around at the time will ever forget: five members of the Moore family died - mum Dorothy and children Julianne, Lynette, Stephen and Gregory - on Mt Ousley after a runaway semi-trailer hit them and caused their car to roll down a gully.

It prompted the Mercury to label the mountain Death Road, and led to safety measures including the raised median strip and lower speed limits. Keiraville resident Keith Tognetti, who lived down the road from where the car rolled, was the first on the scene of the Moore accident. He still lives there.

"I was in my study and I heard this terrible sound, like a jet plane had landed on Mt Ousley," he told the Mercury.

"I raced up and I was first on the scene - there were cars all over the place.

"I glanced down at the gully and I saw the mother and kids in their car - they were all dead.

"It was a real nightmare thing."

Mr Tognetti and wife Irene are opponents of the present plan to extend the hours of coal trucks through the city.

There were 113 public submissions objecting to the plan after its public exhibition, of 122 submitted.

University of Wollongong academic Philip Laird, also an opponent, believes a public inquiry should be held into the proposal.

"It may be argued that history does not matter," he said.

"On the other hand, good regulators are duty bound to ensure that Wollongong residents and visitors to the city do not have to be subjected to excessive road safety risks, noise, air pollution and other loss of amenity that they've had in the past."

Coal terminal spokespeople argue the removal of the curfew - it can only receive coal by road between 7am and 6pm, Monday to Saturday - will result in a more constant spread of coal trucks on the region's roads, with minimal noise and pollution impacts.

Keith Tognetti and wife Irene at the Mt Pleasant Rd overpass on Mt Ousley Rd. Picture: KEN ROBERTSON

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	Exactly 30 years ago, an out-of-control truck struck the Moore family's car on Mt Ousley Rd.

The 73-year-old man who survived the crash.

Grain Trucks now heading for Port Kembla

At a time when grain trucks are now heading for Port Kembla, 
Wollongong Transport Coalition members hope that Minister Keneally 
will take on board requests made on her visit to Wollongong on 18 
March with Premier Rees.

This is to potentially double the number of coal trucks on Wollongong Roads and to lift a long standing curfew on certain coal truck movements.

Cowra Community News 4 April 2009:
NSW, Noonbinna villagers rail against GrainCorp’s contract road warriors:
http://www.cowracommunitynews.com/viewnews.php?newsid=2634&id=45

Kristina Keneally quashes roads inquiry

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/kristina-keneally-quashes-roads-inquiry/1496497.aspx

By BRETT COX
Illawarra Mercury 27/04/2009

The State Government has denied a request for a public inquiry into the proposal to remove restrictions on road deliveries to the Port Kembla Coal Terminal.The NSW Greens had made the request, citing concerns about extra truck movements.But Planning Minister Kristina Keneally dismissed it, explaining the public had been given plenty of opportunity to put forward their views."Although the proposal remains controversial in some sections of the Wollongong community it is not technically complex and consequently there would be limited benefit in seeking independent expert advice," Ms Keneally said.

But Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon says the concerns have not been properly addressed and a public hearing, similar to the one which occurred for the Metropolitan Coal Project application recently, should be held."Residents, community groups, the council and even some government agencies are concerned about noise that will come from an increase in the number of heavily laden coal trucks rolling through Wollongong streets," she said."They also hold fears about road safety and impacts on air quality and climate change."The coal terminal operates 24 hours a day, but under state planning laws established in 1982 it is only able to receive coal by road between 7am and 6pm, Monday to Saturday.Terminal management cites the use of different routes, road upgrades and improvements to vehicles as justification for removal of the curfew to allow coal trucks to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.It argues the removal will result in a more constant spread of coal trucks on the region's roads and the noise and pollution impacts will be minimal.Present restrictions mean the terminal can receive a maximum 5.2 million tonnes by road per annum. Under the proposal the terminal would be able to receive up to 10 million tonnes.

The project is now in the final stage of assessment by the Planning Department and the Mercury has been told a final decision is likely within weeks.There were 113 public submissions objecting to the plan after its public exhibition, of 122 submitted.Wollongong City Council has expressed its concerns about the effect on roads.In its report, the coal terminal acknowledged the key issues included noise from trucks, traffic and road safety, dust or air pollution and the prospect of rail being an alternative to road transportation."Currently there are three mines out of a total of 12 which deliver coal to (the coal terminal) via road transportation, which represents 25 per cent of the mines," the report says.

Illawarra Mercury - letter 11 February 2009

Fair go on roal road haulage bid.
With photo and caption Plea: The coal terminal. Truck plans bring a call for transparency.

The Port Kembla Coal Terminal Major Proposal application currently before the NSW Department of Planning, calling as it does for additional coal haulage on the Mt. Ousley Road, is seriously flawed.

Much more consultation with the community by both PKCT and the Department of Planning is needed. Submissions were invited for just a month, which happened to include the October school holidays and the required Submissions Report greatly played down community concerns.

In addition, this report was quietly placed on a website at the start of the Christmas holiday period. Many people who wrote submissions have not been informed that this report had been released.

When I visited the NSW Dept. of Planning Wollongong office, there was no printed copy of this Report. The process lacks transparency.

Of consultation, PKCT claims that 2400 copies of a community newsletter were distributed in April 2008. I, for one, have not seen this newsletter and I live very close to the corridor.
It is misleading to say that only residents living near the corridor will be affected by this major haulage of the projected 10 million tonnes per annum of coal.

The many people who live in Wollongong and work in or near Campbelltown or Sydney will be affected. So also will people who commute to Wollongong to work, and people travelling between the South Coast and parts of Sydney.

If the proposal is approved and proceeds, it will cause major upheaval on our roads and develop into a nightmare for road user.

The Wran Government in 1979 promised that road haulage of coal would not exceed two million tonnes per annum. When the present coal loader was opened in 1982, Wollongong people were asked to accept four million tonnes but by way of compensation were given a curfew of road haulage of coal to the loader. Now they are being asked to not only have "24/7" coal trucking with no curfew, but a huge increase in coal on road.

In order to get a more transparent assessment process a public enquiry must be held.

Irene Tognetti,
Keiraville

Senate Inquiry into the investment of Commonwealth and State funds in public passenger transport infrastructure and services

Terms of reference

On 4 December 2008 the Senate referred the following matter to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee for inquiry and report by 18 June 2009:

The investment of Commonwealth and State funds in public passenger transport infrastructure and services, with reference to the August 2005 report of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Environment and Heritage, Sustainable Cities, and the February 2007 report of the Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee, Australia's future oil supply and alternative transport fuels, including:

an audit of the state of public passenger transport in Australia;

current and historical levels of public investment in private vehicle and public passenger transport services and infrastructure;

an assessment of the benefits of public passenger transport, including integration with bicycle and pedestrian initiatives;

measures by which the Commonwealth Government could facilitate improvement in public passenger transport services and infrastructure;

the role of Commonwealth Government legislation, taxation, subsidies, policies and other mechanisms that either discourage or encourage public passenger transport; and

best practice international examples of public passenger transport services and infrastructure.

The inquiry will be advertised in the Australian on 17 December 2008 and the committee has invited submissions by Friday 27 February 2009. No dates for hearings have been set as yet.

The Secretary
Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

The Committee prefers to receive submissions electronically as an attached document - email: rrat.sen@aph.gov.au

Submissions become Committee documents and are made public only after a decision by the Committee. Once submissions are authorised for publication by the committee, they are posted on the committee's website and become public documents. Please ensure that any submissions or attachments you wish to remain confidential are clearly marked as such and contact the secretariat if you require further advice.

Persons making submissions must not release them without the approval of the Committee. Submissions are covered by parliamentary privilege but the unauthorised release of them is not.

Following consideration of submissions, the Committee is proposing to hold a public hearings. The Committee will consider all submissions and may invite individuals and organisations to give evidence at the public hearings.

Inquiries from hearing and speech impaired people should be directed to the Parliament House TTY number (02) 6277 7799. Adobe also provides tools for the blind and visually impaired to access PDF documents. These tools are available at: http://access.adobe.com/. If you require any special arrangements in order to enable you to participate in a committee inquiry, please contact the committee secretary.

For further information, contact:

Committee Secretary
Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee
Department of the Senate
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
AustraliaPhone: +61 2 6277 3511
Fax: +61 2 6277 5811
Email: rrat.sen@aph.gov.au

Illawarra Mercury - article 19 January 2009

Concerns over Port Kembla truck plan
BY ALEX ARNOLD
19/01/2009 4:00:00 AM
The NSW Greens have called for a public inquiry into the Port Kembla Coal Terminal's proposal to lift restrictions on road delivery to its terminal.
The PKCT wants to run coal trucks outside the 7am to 6pm curfew window and is seeking approval to allow it to receive coal by road 24 hours, seven days a week up to a maximum of 10 million tonnes per year.
Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said her concerns had been heightened after the submissions report prepared for the PKCT was "quietly placed on the NSW Department of Planning website at the end of last year". Individuals who made submission had not been notified, she said.
Ms Rhiannon said the 115-page report responding to submissions minimised legitimate concerns.
She said the Government had a responsibility to find a balance between the profits of companies and people's health.
"This doesn't get it right," she said.
"The proponent rejects the Ministry of Transport's sensible proposal to maintain the existing proportion of coal going via rail and road," she said. "The cumulative impact of additional coal and car freight from an expanded Port Kembla has also been downplayed."
A public inquiry was needed as a result of the Government's close links to coal companies, she said.
During the exhibition period in September and October last year 122 public submissions were received, including a 55-signature petition counted as one - of which 113 were objections. Of those 43 per cent came from residents of Mt Ousley and 27 per cent from Bellambi.
In its response the terminal provides scope for a PKCT Driver's Code of Conduct, which will include designated haulage routes and noise minimisation controls.
But Ms Rhiannon said "an inordinate amount of faith" had been vested in the development of the code of conduct.
In its response the PKCT pointed to an IRIS Research telephone survey of 330 households, undertaken in early 2008 in which 59 per cent of respondents indicated medium levels of support for the changes.
"It is noted that 93 per cent of residents had not noticed any change in truck movements in the recent weeks during the trial period," the report states.
With Parliament not set to sit until March, Ms Rhiannon called on Minister for Illawarra David Campbell and his fellow Illawarra MPs to support a comprehensive public inquiry before any final decision was made.
Source: http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/concerns-over-port-kembla-truck-plan/1409931.aspx#

Wollongong Transport Coalition Response to The Submissions Report

Port Kembla Coal Terminal proposal MP 08_00009

to lift the curfew and double the amount of coal on our roads.

Wollongong people have received an unexpected and in many cases unwelcome Christmas present in the form of the quiet release of the “Response to Submissions Report”. This is a response to widespread community concern about proposals by the Port Kembla Coal Terminal (PKCT) to lift the curfew on coal truck deliveries to the coal terminal, and, to double the amount of coal received by coal from 5 to 10 million tonnes per annum.

Good policy would allow for public accessibility and a written response to be sent to those people who took the time to make a submission, responding to the questions asked or issues raised in their submission instead of ignoring them. Rather, the 50 plus page report is hidden away at the Department of Planning's website: http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=2238

After dealing with the limited range of concerns of other Government Departments and Wollongong City Council, the report proceeds to dismiss most of the concerns of the 112 persons who took the trouble to lodge objections with the Department of Planning. A petition signed by 55 persons also objects to the proposals.

Among concerns raised was engine exhaust noise but it seems that the PKCT regards loud noise as an essential element of coal trucking, and that only the most minor concessions can be made, stating "Engine brakes are an essential method of truck control on steep haulage routes such as Mt Ousley.

The second major concern was road safety, and this also gets a limited response. Although it is claimed that "The removal of delivery restrictions will allow less interaction with commuter traffic, as trucks will be able to deliver more efficiently during night time hours outside of peak commuter times", this could be offset by a doubling of the number of coal trucks.

The third major community concern was that of dust and air pollution of trucks. Strangely this was not picked by any Government Departments or Wollongong City Council, and the concerns are dismissed in two short paragraphs.

More use of rail is raised in the submissions report which to its credit mentions the option of the Maldon Dombarton rail link. Other community concerns treated very lightly in the submission reports are those of the costs of maintaining and improving roads used by coal trucks, and the fact that "Many respondents noted concerns with their property values diminishing as a result of this application."

Submissions were received from people further afield than those living close to the road. Those concerns related to the safety and health of the community citing air pollution, the access to and from Wollongong (what happens when the road fails or accidents block the road?) The capacity of the road to cope with additional loads of other heavy vehicles emanating from the Port carrying cars, agricultural machinery, heavy lifts and everything else that used to be delivered to Sydney. The cumulative effect of all these additional heavy vehicles going back up Mt Ousley Road appears to have been ignored.

The Wollongong Transport Coalition suggests that the PKCT should substantially modify its proposals to reflect public concern. A public hearing/inquiry is required. There should also be more consultation by the Department of Planning out of school holidays and this should extend to public hearings. The Coalition does not agree with Submissions report where it states the PKCT''s view that "adequate and appropriate communication and consultation was carried out with the public for the project".