Cobbora Holding Company has announced that coal from the Cobbora Coal project will no longer be transported to the Mt Piper and Wallerawang power stations through Mudgee, Rylstone and Kandos.

Instead, the coal will go east by rail through Gulgong to supply power stations in the Hunter Valley and on the Central Coast.

In its response to the Director-General’s Requirements (DGR) on the amended proposal, council has sought an audit of existing rail crossings, taking into account the current road traffic.

Council has also called for barriers on all levels crossings, especially the Barney’s Reef Road and the road to Ulan village off Ulan Road, and overhead passes where the proposed rail line crosses Station/Cope Road and the proposed spur line crosses the Castlereagh Highway.

The assessment should also look at the impacts of proposed temporary workers’ accommodation on Cope Road north of Gulgong, council said.

Council has also requested consultation with groups including local doctors and emergency services, Cudgegong Valley Water Users Group, Mudgee Regional Tourism Inc, Mudgee Business Association, Gulgong Chamber of Commerce, Cudgegong Business Association, Western Health Network, NSW Farmers and council committees and departments, including a public meeting to explain the results of the environmental assessment.

The council’s submission will also call for:

- Detailed investigation of the impact of the mine’s water use on agriculture and tourism;

- The affect of the mine on health services and housing in Gulgong and Mudgee to be considered in the social impact statement;

- The location of potential temporary construction camps to be identified;

- The impact on rural communities such as the decline in population and ability to maintain services such as the Rural Fire Service to be investigated;

- An assessment of the ability of the existing road network to cope with additional traffic;

- Air quality monitoring, including fine particle emissions.

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