There is more energy reaching the earth surface from the Sun in two minutes than all the energy produced by the worlds toxic coal plants in one year. In twenty years Posco coal will produce tons of toxic coal tailing waste this waste will impact on surface and aquifer waters In the Southern Highlands. In August 2009 Sydney Water and the CSIRO funded The Australian Symposium Water Management Committee and the International Association of Hydrologists to conduct a water Research Study into the availability of Sydney's future drinking water. The Symposium drilled the Hawkesbury Sandstone Membrane protecting the southern region Aquifers to a depth of 70 to a 150 metres to test the Viability, Viscosity And Resistivity to accessing the water aquifers. In 2011 the study determined. That the Southern Highlands Hawkesbury sandstone membrane aquifers are accessible to provide Sydney's future drinking water. Fifteen renowned hydrology scientists made Up the Symposium committee To mention a few Dr Wendy Timms UNNSW research laboratory, Dr William Milne UNI of Technology Engineering Sydney Dr Jersy Jankowski International association of Hydrologist The Australian symposium using resistivity imaging and drilling targets Identified the Hawkesbury Sandstone Membrane has multiple Fractures in its Geophysical Structure. These Fractures exist in all parts of the membrane. Numerous holes drilled in Berrima, Bundanoon and Kangaloon show existing Fractures and Macropores in the Sandstone Membrane have significant Porosity And Interconnection to surface and aquifer water. Southern highlands aquifers are located in the upper region of the Sydney basin and at 600 metres above sea level are ideal for moving mega quantities of water to Sydney. Posco/Hume coal will mine 3.5 million tons of coal for 20 years below the water aquifers. Consensus Science DATA tells us that For every one ton of coal mined 3% of its mass is toxic tailing waste. This totals 2.2 million tons of Deadly chemicals...... Pirates, Cadmium, Methane gas Sulphuric acid, Tin, Lead, Mercury, Methyl Mercury, Nitrates, Vanadium, Thorium and Strontium They are used in Nuclear manufacture. A mass of 2.2 million tons of toxic tailing waste and megatons of methane gas will be released and housed in 1000 empty coal voids spread in a grid-like design over 46 square kilometres underground. This toxic waste is at a depth of 50 to 100 meters Adjacent to pristine water aquifers. And under the economic zone of the Hume Highway connecting Sydney to Melbourne. This toxic waste and Methane gas impacting existing Sandstone Fractures will place them under extreme pressure. Should a Methane gas explosion occur within a ""Firedamp"" in one coal void, Toxic waste will move at an accelerated rate to other coal voids hence more explosions . Should this occur Sydney drinking water catchment will be poisoned. Water should be our life source not our death source. Water Risk Assessment for Posco coal is critically high There are no guarantees that Bulkheads covering coal voids will not split under toxic pressure, Discharging toxic coal waste into surface and aquifer water. To poison, Sydney's pristine water with toxic coal waste and Methane gas is a grave concern for us all. Posco's EIS states that underground water will deplete by 2 metres and will reduce water to 118 subterranean land bores. Independent Hydrology studies from Pells Consultancy do not agree with Posco. They show water will deplete to 120 metres and over an area of 200 square kilometres reducing water to many more bores than just 118. The NSW Water Aquifer Interference Act Acknowledges groundwater assessment impacts for Posco coal are fundamentally uncertain. The Water Management Act of 2007 does not support the workings of the Posco mine Posco's Mitigation and Prevention options have no scientific data on Toxic waste impacts or Evaporation rates on water. Please take note That if 100 % of licenced water has 40 % losses to Evaporaion where does the extra 40 % of water come from ? There are 363 bores within 9 kilometres of the Posco coal mine, and some are just 50 meters from the coal seam. Reducing and poisoning underground and surface water will have toxic Environmental and Economic impacts on Landowners, Agriculture, Business and Urban residents. We must note the Warragamba /Nepean water catchment is subject to failure in time of drought. Evaporation rates exceed rainfall rates — The 2018 drought was the most damaging in Australian history. Economic revenue losses for the State Government and the community far outweigh Any revenue received from a Posco coal mine . Water levels are currently at 50 %. Botany Bays desalination plant cannot provide Sydney's future water; its capacity is only 15 %. In 2019 Sydney's population is nearing 5 million people and with continued immigration andnurban movement can reach 6 million in five years. Toxic Coal waste destroys water and Land in NSW. In 2017 Dr Ian Wright found enormous toxic discharges from the Clarence Colliery Coal mine destroying the Land, Water and Animal Habitats in the Blue Mountains National park this is home to the Famous AUSTRALIAN Jurrasic Wollemi Pine found nowhere else in the world. In 2018 Dr Wright found evidence of enormous Coal toxic discharge and land surface fracturing in the Medway Catchment river bed in the Southern Highlands. The surface fractures of this ancient stone riverbed can never be repaired Its loss is permanent. In 2018 Scientist Dr Pfaush UNSYD Found water levels in the Western Australian Pilbara region had dropped by 19 metres due to the Shenhua Coalmine and is impacting 4,084 hectares of vegetation subject to acid mine rot. This is now listed as a Critically Endangered Ecological Community Classified under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity of Act 2007. In February 2019 Judge Preston in the Land and environment court NSW ruled Against the Rocky Hill coal mine in Gloucester The ruling was based on Climate change and the harmful chemical impacts on community and landscape. """The Australian Symposium identified the Hawkesbury Sandstone Aquifer as Sydney's most SIGNIFICANT Aquifer for future drinking water.""" Methane gas the invisable Killer . CH4 the most Potent of all Green house Gases. It is a cause of climate change , droughts , bush fires , floods poisoned water ways Menindee lakes NSW and the darling River with millions of fish dying no Oxygen. Posco coal voids holding Methane Gas will reduce Oxygen in water by 90% once this enters The Sandstone Fractures in the membrane The aquifers will be poisoned killing Life . In 2017 The Scientific Committee of Medical Doctors for the Australian Environment said A poisoned water aquifer is unsuitable for human and animal comsumption and vegetation and has a significant impact on food security. It will not protect future intergenerational equity for us and our indigenous The Australian Symposium of scientists said " To ensure the future supply of Sydney's water is to allow recharging of the aquifer NATURALLY. "with this process ALONE can we assure adequate protection of human health and water Our Platypus is an endangered species Toxic Coal Waste and Methane gas from a Posco coal mine Can Eradicate this species forever. The Independent Planning Commission has a constitutional responsibility to ensure our Platypus and water is protected. Thank you. 10minutes. Social and economic impacts are a real severe factor. The Moss Vale Economic Corridor includes all southern highland townships, villages and Economic centres. Our centres of Bowral will suffer labour shortages, and revenue losses in business trade as Tourism, Hospitality, Food industries and Agriculture demonstrate they cannot co-exist with a Posco/Hume Coal Mine. Thirty thousand signatories on petitions delivered by the Battle for Berrima and Coal-Free Southern Highlands presented to our State minister Pru Goward, verifies that the Public interest says Posco/Hume Coal cannot co-exist with our lives. Job losses are occurring in agricultural production, hospitality, tourism, the local business of trade property, products and land equipment are impacted, this will far outweigh jobs a coal mine will bring. Over the past eight years, for State Government processes to consider the Posco Coal mining proposal impacts on employment and business growth occurred. Analytical employment data and business revenue data is available in the highlands. No decision on planning creates social and economic uncertainty. Robert Stokes our Planning minister, a legal politician in 2015, said Quote in the Sydney morning herald that he could not understand our planning laws they are too complicated. The Economic and Social betterment of our society comes with confident Planning by the State and Federal government. Our State Government and Planning department is in favour of stopping the Posco/Hume coal mine. They recommend it does not proceed. We congratulate the state government on this decision. Posco Coal mine impacts will cause domestic health issues to the care of children. Issues that are socially a concern for the Government. Noise levels, vibration levels and coal dust levels at the Robertson Primary school adjacent to the rail line, only 20 meters away, will impact on teacher's health, on children health and education in their classrooms. Coal Rail transport presents a significant issue for the Robertson primary school children and the region. Rail freight crossings are not suitable for the 24/7 freight of coal to Port Kembla. There are no safety barriers for pedestrians and school children and poor safety traffic lights at rail crossings. The Sheepwash road Avoca rail crossing the main artery into Bowral has no rail barriers and poor single head lighting a safety issue for walking pedestrians and vehicle traffic. The Robertson Illawarra highway-rail crossing has no road marking no road signals no barriers or rail guards for school children and parents crossing the rail line. School children pass this rail line twice daily. Old Kangaloon road crossing is not safe for school children travelling to and from school not safe for residents and the Public with no lights, no signals, no barriers or rail guards across the rail line. The northern Robertson rail crossing has no road markings for pedestrian crossings, no street lights, no barriers or rail guards preventing school children crossing. Tourists visit the Cheese factory in this area daily. Posco/coal will haul Heavy 60 carriage coal freighters with two locomotives 24/7 daily across these rail crossings it will also disrupt government services of the ambulance, Rural fire brigade, Bus services, pedestrian-vehicle services over 67 days per year will be lost to coal freight crossing roads stopping traffic. The full length of the Moss Vale Unanderra rail line of 70 kilometres is not suitable for heavy coal rail freight. The department of transport and Mr David Kitto director of infrastructure and works NSW planning department both note the defects of the rail infrastructure. Potholes exist in the rail line, and there is still 80-year-old fractured timber sleepers in parts and the rail line it is not fully electrified. The Moss vale rail station still holds the original 1932 timber sleepers and rail line couplings. Gladys Berejiklian recently visited the rail line and noted upgrades are needed. A 1 in 35-degree incline down the eastern slope is classified too steep and unsafe in its structure for heavy Coal loads of 60 carriages and two locomotives at 24/7 per day. Should a derailment occur, the Water catchment and Morton National park escarpment will be harmed. The Rail line has outdated rail signalling and lightening with poor visibility for rail Drivers. Rail accidents have happened as a result of this poor signalling on the Unanderra rail line in 2014 and are with the NSW Transport Department. Inadequate and outdated lightening for rail freight drivers makes their driving role unsafe it increases anxiety levels, and there is no sufficient rail legislation to have two-person rail crews driving freight trains. Two rail drivers is a mandatory requirement in other countries of the world. The State government requires further safety regulations, and Quality assurance procedures need to be brought up to world standard. The 70 kilometres of the rail line to port Kembla needs updated attention not just the construction of a Posco /Hume coal rail loop at the coal site. Coal rail freight will affect the primary School at Roberston which is only 20 metres from the rail line. 24 /7 coal rail freight with high noise and coal dust in the air will result in the education and health of junior school children suffering impacts while in their formative years. Quality Education for these children by their teachers will suffer the impact of rail vibration, noise and coal dust in classrooms. A letter dated 17 July 2015 by Mr David Kitto, the director of Major Works, Mining, Planning and infrastructure from his office in 33 bridge street Sydney. The letter States the following. The right honourable Gladys Berijiklian, Gabrielle Upton and Pru Goward must ensure in their evaluation process that Public safety is the first essential requirement before any consent is given to the Posco/Hume proposal. Here is what needs to be done before the State government can approve any proposal. 1 A full infrastructure assessment of the rail safety lightening and signalling to Port Kembla terminal arrival and departure and rail pedestrian crossings. 2. The upgrade of the Berrima branch line 3.The Construction of the railway bridge over Berrima road 4.The construction of a new railway line between the railway bridge and Berrima branch line 5. The Construction, of a new rail connection into the Berrima cement, works, including a new Berrima road crossing 6. All repairs and necessary upgrades at the intersection of the Berrima branch line and the Unanderra line, the southern rail line 70-kilometres in the distance to Port Kembla This work is not complete. The suitability for the Posco coal site is not appropriate due to these rail facts, social and economic facts and water facts. The site location is within 100 metres of a National Park. This is designated development under Environmental State Protection. Water worldwide is a State significant protected resource. The Southern Highlands aquifer will be poisoned by toxic chemical waste and underground water depletion. Water drawdowns by Posco coal are too severe, and Methane gas increases the toxicity. Water depletion impacts are too dangerous for the future security of drinking water for six million people in Sydney and its surrounding regions. 15 Symposium Consortium Scientists determined this in 2009. and Dr Ian Wright in 2017 and 2018 ( Sydney's Western University) All 15 Hydrology Scientists tell us that The Southern highlands aquifer has existing fractures in the Sandstone membrane due to its geological formation. The reality is that these fractures will fill with 2.2 million tons of toxin tailing chemical waste and Methane gas stored in 1000 empty coal seam voids under the sandstone membrane and water aquifer. When these toxins and gas enter the fractures, the aquifer will be poisoned. Finally, there are no hydrology statistics for evaporation rates in the Posco EIS for its coal mine. If 30 % of the 100% of licenced water usage is lost to evaporation, where will this extra 30 % of water come from to make up the shortfall? Evaporation rates in Australia are very significant and exceed precipitation/rainfall rates. Hence our worst drought in 60 years in 2018. The IPCC world scientists on climate change say we will see further severe droughts in years to come as Co2 levels are increasing. The Paris international agreement confirms this initiative. Bushfires, Droughts and Precipitation change rates are vulnerable to Climate changes. Posco will exceed their water licences like most mines in Australia increases in evaporation rates reduces water storage. So, then where will the extra 30 % of Posco water usage come from? We must listen to the 15 eminent qualified Hydrologists of the Sydney water symposium. Will we place a coal mine before the preservation of our pristine Sydney/ Southern highlands water aquifer that will serve the six million people of Sydney and country regions. I am thanking you all for listening.