Mangoola, Wybong and related News

22/7/10 The skungy roadwork on Yarraman Road near "Rockhall" is noted. There was an MSC budget forward projection for widening Yarraman Rd in 2011 some years ago eg 2006. If they bothered to ask the community the solution would be strategic permanent widening on corners, at crests, where sight distance is poor and maintaining cleared even edges.

14/7/10 Community Info Session 5pm - 7pm, Wybong Hall

Issues arising: Mod 4 - EA not yet available,

Brogheda Noise - Evalina Hendry publicly accepted and admitted that monitor readings from 98 Ridgelands Road are inapplicable to determining actual Noise when measured at Brogheda - refused to provide a mobile or fixed monitor on any timeframe - XTA monitor at 98 Ridgelands Road has recorded recently 36-39db(A) - accoustically direct, inversion amplified and geologically reflected noise at Brogheda far exceeds the Approved Year 2 Noise Maps in the EA.

Wybong Upland Management Strategy - not available

Mine sequencing - not available

Intersection - not resolved

5/7/10 Independent Road Safety Audit - Wybong Road Upgrade

1/7/10 Xstrata Invitation to a Community Information Session 14 July 2010 at Wybong Hall 5pm - 7pm

1/7/10 Interim response to MSC regarding Wybong Rd Upgrade.

12/6/10 The Agenda, Our Invitation and Your Welcome to Attend a Free, 17 June, 5pm, Community Briefing by Xstrata & Bengalla Mining Companies. A chance to hear their plans first hand. Est 1.5 hrs max

6/6/10 YouTube video showing the advanced clearing and construction completed at Anvil Hill Mine to February 2010 from Nov 2009.

8/5/10 - 28/6/10 Wybong Action Group could not be successful in altering the Mangoola'Early Works' Wybong Road Upgrade to include CHR intersections at Ridgelands and Castlerock Roads because of Councils Nov 9 2009 Expression of Satisfaction. The same Expression of Satisfaction that lead to the death of Dave Patten and the same pattern of decision making in favour of Mangoola at the expense of the residents of Wybong.

Council did however recently indicate a review of the Castlerock Road and Ridgelands Road Intersection Design.

Whilst the desired intersection outcome may not have been achieved on this occasion it is expected that Muswellbrook Shire Council will endorse construction of type CHR intersections at this location as Condition of Consent for any further Mangoola works applications.

An example of the contempt for road user safety. Imagine hitting this railing at 100km/hr (the speed rating for this road). The 2ft dia wooden cornerpost is clearly (and unnecessarily) left within the deflection zone of the barrier on this curve (and provides no safety from [likely] fatal contact with the post.

11/4/10 "Health Fears" FIVE residents around a single block in Singleton have been struck with brain tumours, prompting fears that a Cancer Cluster (see ABC 702 Report & hear Dr Chant) has erupted in the heavily polluted mining town.

9/4/10 "A Dirty Business" (Breaking Wind) 4 Corners 12/4/10 'the Government's putting the royalties it gets from power stations and coal mining ahead of the health of the people of the Upper Hunter'

8/4/10 "In NSW, the Hunter Valley and Lithgow regions are the state's most heavily polluted areas because of the number of coal-based activities."

- Graham Brown reports from a recent Air Quality Forum that "when Lance Batey asked the question whether the Hunter was the worst polluted area in Australia there was silence from the experts. And then perhaps embarrassed by their silence one of the experts said yes it was.

This was at a public forum where questioning was limited to one question each, such is the state of affairs in this, the Most Corrupt State, in the country.

The State regards 'Coal as more beneficial than peoples health.'

The time is near when the public will need to show displeasure in a big way on the streets. I think it is the way we the public can reclaim ownership of the state from this bunch of crooks and parasites that call themselves a government. - Graham Brown.

(My sentiment exactly Ed.)

7/4/10 Peter Higgins (Muswellbrook Council Roads Engineer) stated that Xstrata were constructing the road and that MSC had no authority to unilaterally amend the Xstrata plans. Same day Evalina Hendry (Xstrata) says that Xstrata are constructing the road "in conjunction with MSC". One or the other is correct.

It explains why neither Xstrata or MSC can locate the Intersection Analysis, Current and Projected (post modification 4) Traffic Count and plans for Wybong Road showing the Mangoola Road, Limvardy Road, Castlerock Road and Ridgelands Road intersection cross sections, SISD's and (6m) vehicle turning curves that were (Xstrata claim) "so widely distributed and consulted on" since 2006.

There is NO basis for the construction determined for the intersections of Ridgelands & Castlerock Roads and both Xstrata and MSC REFUSE to review the design based on the above unable to be found information.

3/4/10 Mangoola are continuing on their merry way and rushing in complete contempt to finish the Wybong Road Upgrade so they can lawfully commence mine construction (that is curently continuing unlawfully, in defiance of Consent Conditions 50 & 51.)

After 4 years of obfuscation, never once revealing the final or actual design for the internal intersections of Wybong Road residents of Wybong now understand why. While Xstrata in response to questions at several CIS clearly indicated (for example) that the Castlerock Road floodway would be razed, raised and replaced for safety following the initial school bus-stop roadwork this is not so,, also with the deceleration and turning lane at Castlerock and Ridgelands Rds. Yes. Yes. Yes. They say. But when it comes to the crunch Xstrata are all bullshit. Put simply, they lie.

Continuing the examle, there is no passing lane at Castlerock/Ridgelands and Castlerock Rd remains a death trap in the dip hidden behind the Xstrata roadwork amongst other glaring deficiencies. Xstrata are not interested. The purpose of the mandated Wybong Road Upgrade as far as they are concerned is for them to get in and out of their mine as quickly as possble and thats that.

Hence they treat themselves to an above spec 4 lane intersection while the majority of residents and school children of the area are forced to play Roulette at a busier, obscured, single lane, multiple entry intersection they constructed 300m back up the road. It shows us precisely the low safety priority accorded the Resident Wybong Community by Xstrata.

There is still no baseline dust, noise or air quality monitoring of the Wybong Valley in the vicinity of Brogheda-Manobalai.

Questions arise also concerning the longevity of certain materials used as road base in various parts of the construction (some gravel capacity to reduce to sand) and the Safety of the mine road for Residents (turning particularly at the Castlerock & Ridgelands Intersections) in the predicted confluence of afternoon peak 5:30-7:45pm and at Wybong PO Road.

Following the release of Mangoola Modification 4 & ETL Relocation EA WAG will publish a detailed Formal Response including an updated analysis of the Sustainable Alternate Transmission Line Route.