| Environmental Setting | WNP Wharekirauponga Underground Mine - Assessment of Effects of Discharges to Air | 4397169-66885702-23 | | 21 3.2 Sensitive Receptors 3.2.1 Human receptors (dwellings) There are several dwellings in the vicinity of the boundary of the Willows Road site. Figure 2-1 shows the key project surface features such as the Willows Portal, WRS, collection pond, retention ponds, access roads, noise bunds, topsoil storage, effluent disposal field and the locations of the nearest dwellings. Construction of these features will involve land disturbance (topsoil removal), earthworks, or storage of material during construction, which could produce dust under dry, windy weather conditions. The nearest dwelling to the site is owned by OGNZL and is located immediately to the east of the proposed carpark across Willows Road. Several privately owned dwellings are located on Willows Road relatively close to the topsoil storage area and noise bunds. The dwelling at 122 Willows Road is approximately 109m to the east of the closest noise bund and 234m to the northeast of the topsoil stockpile at their closest points. The dwelling at 111 Willows Road is approximately 145m to the east of the topsoil stockpile area at its closest point. The WRS and mine access road will be located approximately 600 m to the northwest of the nearest privately owned dwelling on Willows Road at their closest points. The Willows runoff collection pond will lie approximately 400m northwest of the nearest privately owned dwelling on Willows Road at its closest point. The tunnel portal is located at least 600 m to the northwest of the closest privately owned dwelling on Willows Road. There is also a group of dwellings located to the southwest on Highland Road. The explosives magazine access road is the closest site surface development to Highland Road lying at least 350 m to the northeast of dwellings at its closest point. 3.2.2 Ecological receptors Construction of the tunnel ventilation system will occur within areas of native forest located on road reserve within the Coromandel Forest Park. Native vegetation and other species will be treated as sensitive to dust and exposure to excessive dust minimised as far as practicable. The general area of the proposed tunnel vent raises (vents) includes habitat for an endangered Archey’s frog (Leiopelma archeyi) There are likely to be many frogs near to the proposed vent stacks. Frogs are very vulnerable to absorbing emissions in the air through their skin. The emissions will be vented 24 hours per day – i.e. including at night when frogs are active on the ground. A report has been prepared by Consultants Tonkin and Taylor5 on the effects of mine vent quality to inform an assessment of the effects on Archey’s frog. (see Appendix A). This assessment was then used as the basis for the ecological report on the effects of the vent discharges on frogs prepared by RMA Ecology Ltd6 Tonkin and Taylor Ltd (2021) Assessment of mine vent air quality impacts to inform an assessment of ecological effects of Archeys frog; report prepared for OceanaGold (NZ) Ltd 6 RMA Ecology Ltd (2022) Memorandum to Stephanie Hayton OGNZL from Graham Ussher OGNZL Wharekirauponga frogs: Potential adverse ecological effects
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