| Potential Effects on the Environment of WNP | Waihi North Project Air Discharge Assessment - Waihi Surface Facilities | 4396626-1331619777-99 | 16/06/2022 | 59 moderate the sensitivity of these areas to dust and odour during these periods. Waihi’s main commercial areas are located more than 1.2 km from the WNP and are therefore highly unlikely to be impacted by any discharges to air from the project. Open recreational areas are classified by the GPG Dust as having a moderate to high sensitivity. However, the closest recreation area to the WNP is Blackhill Motocross Track located. Given the nature of the land use, the sensitivity of the motocross track to dust nuisance effects is low. The Ngati Koi Reserve also incorporates walking tracks. However, the occupancy of these track would generally be low and used only during the day. Therefore, these walking tracks are considered to have a low to moderate sensitivity. Gilmour Reserve and Morgan Park are considered to have a higher sensitivity than Ngati Koi Reserve. However, both recreation areas are located more than 480 m from the GOP pit and therefore are unlikely to be adversely impacted by emissions from the proposed development. Most the land which surrounds the WNP is rural in character. Rural areas generally have lower sensitivity to dust nuisance compared to residential areas due to the lower population density of these areas. Agricultural fields and forestry areas can be expected to have a low occupancy, particularly at night. However, a higher level of air quality amenity would be expected at rural dwellings. The GPG Dust classifies rural dwellings as having a moderate to high sensitivity to dust nuisance effects. The closest rural dwellings are located approximately 310 m from the GOP, 90-100 m from the NRS, and 250 m from the TSF3. Overall, the nearby residential areas and rural dwellings are considered to have a high sensitivity to nuisance dust effects which would potentially be most impacted by the proposed WNP. 7.4 Potential Nuisance Effects of Deposited and Suspended Dust 7.4.1 Gladstone Open Pit (GOP) The closest sensitive receptors to the proposed GOP are located at least 310 m from the boundaries of the proposed development (dwelling R15 in Figure 2-2). There are no houses downwind of the proposed pit in the prevailing westerly wind directions, but there are a group of houses on Heath Road to the southwest of the pits, which will be downwind during secondary winds. All these properties are located approximately 400 m from the proposed works. Winds from the northeast quarter that exceed 5 m/s, the critical wind speed for the generation of dust from undisturbed surfaces, occur for less than 3% of time, which is infrequent. Based on the monitored effects of the mining operation at the Martha Pit, the distance between the closest sensitive receptors, the likely concentration of dust that may impact on these properties and the frequency of winds which may blow dust towards them, the risk of dust generated from the proposed Gladstone development creating offensive or objectionable effects on the closest sensitive receptors is low (providing OGNZL continues to use the current dust control methods). 7.4.2 Tailings Storage Facility (TSF3) The proposed TSF3 facility will be located east of the existing TSF1A as shown in Figure 2-4. The land is used currently for agricultural purposes, as is the majority of the surrounding land. There are bush clad hills to the north of the proposed TSF3, which are predominantly owned by OGNZL. Overall, the surrounding area has a low sensitivity to potential dust nuisance effects. There is one rural residence located on Trig Road North, which is approximately 250 m south of the proposed topsoil stockpile that will be constructed to the southeast of TSF3 (dwelling R19 in Figure 5-9.). This dwelling will be downwind of the proposed stockpile for approximately 2.2% of the time, and for 0.4% of the time when wind speeds are greater than 5m/s. Once the stockpiles are completed and the sides of the
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