Centennial Coal is currently nearing the extent of its current operational approvals at Springvale and is seeking an extension.

This will be the focus of the PAC public hearing in Lithgow tomorrow.

Lithgow Council has endorsed the application but environmental groups have mounted a campaign of opposition.

It was a similar situation last year that led to the rejection by the PAC of the Coalpac mining operation at Cullen Bullen, which had a flow on impact on the operation of the Mt Piper power station.

A spokesperson for the PAC told the Lithgow Mercury yesterday that 900 written submissions had been received.

This was similar to the situation with the Coalpac project when there was a letter writing campaign from around Australia.

But 38 people had also registered to speak at the hearing when registrations closed on Friday.

The registrations are a mix of representatives of local government, the mining industry and associated industries, local business people, the general public and environmental lobbyists.

Individuals will be allowed five minutes to speak, registered groups 15 minutes.

One of those registered to speak is respected local industrialist and pastoralist Dick Austen.

Mr Austen released details of his submission yesterday.

In his submission he makes the point that the production of coal has been the basis for the economy of Lithgow and of its surrounding towns and villages since 1869.

He says coal underpinned and made possible a whole series of industries — firsts for Australia that in time helped our country develop and become self-reliant in many ways.

At the beginning of 2014 coal and power generation accounted for approximately a quarter of all local employment.

Another quarter of the workforce related to the private sector and the remaining 50 per cent were employed by one or other levels of government.

Although Wallerawang Power Station has since ceased operation the district is still heavily reliant upon these two core industries.

He agreed that such a situation obviously lacks balance and has been the subject of concern for a long time.

Lithgow Council has as its principal plank of the betterment of the local community and the implementation of policies to broaden the area’s employment opportunities.

“This is an enormous task, but it has begun with vigour,” he said.

Meantime the inevitable and lengthy community discussions that surround employment initiatives struggle for balance.

“One can surely be forgiven for coming to the conclusion that there exists in the wider community people that show little regard for balance, balanced input, balanced evaluation or balanced outcomes in many important community situations,” he said.

“It is obvious that many negative submissions will and have been made to this inquiry without regard to the disastrous situation that would befall the area if this project was not able to continue and to continue without unnecessary restraint.”

As an aside one might make the important point that in the case of coal and the Lithgow area there are relatively few enduring scars arising from more than 160 years of heavy industrial activity.

Almost all of those remaining could be remedied if it were not for their perceived tourist and historical value.

Mr Austen said no thought appears to have been given to reserves for the mining industry during the rush to establish National Parks in the 1970s.

“The continued exploitation of the Springvale-Angus Place coal is of enormous importance to this region,” he said.

“One particular concern is that Mt Piper Power Station may lose its position as a base load station in turn resulting in a significant reduction in manpower both at the station and in the district mines.

“Local support industries would also be affected.

“Such a situation would be a very serious blow to Lithgow which even now is struggling to maintain its critical mass.”