Dendrobium Mine Extension Project

Everyone should be supporting this project.

Everyone should be supporting approval of this project.

Great project that will keep many people employed for years to come.

Dendrobium mine is a critical part of the steel making process for bluescope steel, dendrobium and bluescope put food on the table and pay bills not only for local families but local businesses without them Illawarra will be devastated. Dendrobium mine extension MUST go ahead.

I support the Dendrobium Mine Extension Project.
The Bluescope Steelworks currently has access to some of the highest quality coking coal in the world right on its doorstep given Dendrobium's close proximity to Bluescope's operations in Port Kembla, New South Wales. This provides Bluescope and Australia with a competitive edge in the global steel market in terms of quality, given the high grade coking coal sourced from Dendrobium, and cost, given the lower cost of logistics to source the coal from Dendrobium because of it's close location to the Bluescope steelworks.
While the Dendrobium Mine Extension Project will provide employment for its existing workforce, it will also create additional jobs directly at its operation to assist with the extension and indirectly to the many small businesses and family businesses in the Illawarra that offer contractor and consulting services to the mine and ensure the job security of Bluescope's entire workforce at its Port Kembla operations.

Understandably, there is a push for Bluescope to produce 'green' steel through the use of hydrogen instead of coking coal in the steelmaking process to benefit the environment. Until hydrogen becomes an ECONOMIC alternative however, the Dendrobium Mine Extension Project is essential to ensure Bluescope remains active, relevant and maintains its competitiveness on a global scale and ensure security of the thousands of direct and indirect jobs of the local population.

The Independent Planning Commission refused permission because it would cause damage to our water so why is this extension being exhibited?

The Greater Sydney water catchment must be protected at all costs

Longwall mining damages reservoirs, cracks rock beds and increases the presence of heavy metals in our water.

No other country in the world allows longwall mining underneath their publicly owned water catchments.

The expansion will affect local biodiversity and threatened ecological communities, and cause irreversible damage to 58 identified Aboriginal cultural artefacts.

The local community has been fighting for jobs in green steel

This project must be rejected and our water security and biodiversity of the area protected

I believe the Dendrobium Mine Extension Project should be given approval for the following reasons. There is no doubt that the Project would provide a massive economic boost for the whole Illawarra region, in both direct jobs and total economic contribution to the area. The 60% reduction shown in the revised mine plan is a socially responsible move from South32, that should alleviate the majority of water catchment concerns. Metallurgical coal is a critical ingredient to steelmaking and helps support the Australian Steel Industry and its role in the transition to a low carbon economy. As the Dendrobium project involves Metallurgical coal, not thermal coal, this should be seen as a positive aspect of the project for those with environmental concerns about coal mines in general.

Jobs continuity for local area

I support the extension as it will both create and enable the continuation of many local jobs. I appreciate and acknowledge the vital role in which this project has in our future.

One lesson learned from the Covid-19 pandemic was the heavy dependence of Australia on goods manufactured and supplied from overseas. Presently steel is made in Port Kembla using the metallurgical coal mined from Dendrobium Mine. It is a matter of national security that Australia continue to be able to make steel, as imported products are not assured in times of need. At this time with Russia having invaded Ukraine we are facing the possibility of world war, it would be a madness to stop mining coal and making steel in the Illawarra.

This coal mining extension project has been previously considered by the Independent Planning Commission and was rejected by the independent body.
The current proposal, albeit slightly modified, is essentially the same project, involving coal extraction from the Dendrobium mine near Wollongong.
The NSW Government, in declaring this project as an SSI, is over riding an independent decision of the IPC. This act appears to be blatantly political, and erodes public confidence in the planning system and in the NSW Government. Planning and development decisions are expected to be made on merit, not political expediency.
The Independent Planning Commission found that any extension to the Dendrobium mine would result in increased risks to the integrity of Sydney Water Catchment Area, which is the source of water for the population of Sydney - 5.312 million people. I consider that the protection of Sydney’s water supply is of greater importance than any profit or royalty that might accrue to the proponent, or the government. The importance of protecting the water supply is escalated when climate uncertainty is also a consideration. I further object to this proposal because coal mining and use of coal is a key contributor to the production of greenhouse gases, causing climate change that is a threat to the entire planet. The extraction of this coal presents too many risks to people and to the environment. Bluescope Steel have submitted to the IPC, and have publicly stated on radio broadcasts, that the coal from Dendrobium is not essential for steel making operations at their Port Kembla plant. Therefore, the NSW Government is in error is stating that the project should be state significant development due to the need to supply steel making. Please send me a copy of this submission to my email address. I am making this submission from a caravan in the Northern Territory as I am holidaying there. I am a NSW resident. I would like a copy of my submission please. I am struggling to complete it as the website had advised me that I am going to be timed out in a couple of minutes.

This extension is very important to the Illawarra more so than most people will ever understand.

I have made comments on this so many times before and it is just so wrong in so many ways. My grandchildren like drinking good potable pleasant tasting water straight from the tap. Please ensure this is possible by refusing this application.

I support the Dendrobium Mine expansion as I would like to continue my employment at this mine.

I support the Dendrobium Mine Extension Project. The Project will create many new and ongoing job opportunities in construction and at the operation. This also has flow on effects to Bluescope steel and expenditure on small businesses both directly and indirectly.

Mining makes an important contribution to the Illawarra and their is so much legal requirements to ensure standards are upheld to protect our environment and the communities that they operate in.

I support this project as it provides work for people in the area.

I see this project a a necessity for the steel industry in the Illawarra region, and the continued prosperity of the region. I am an employee of South32 so I also benefit personally from the on-going profitability and success of Dendrobium mine.

A coal mine under Sydney’s water supply is stupid and ignorant . We need no new coal mines to prevent us further damaging the planet with fossil fuels causing temperatures to rise.

I unequivocally support this dendrobium mine extension project. This is not dirty coal, it is coal for steelmaking and therefore necessary to drive cars, scooters, motorbikes, build houses and make house renovations.
It provides a backbone of support for the local economy, provides money for state infrastructure, roads, bridges, schools, places to live and places to play for kids.
Also provides employment for many local industries, companies, contractors and families.
This project MUST go forwards especially in the wake of covid-19 and now the global conflicts causing runaway inflation therefore higher interest rates and costs of living. This project will provide econonomic security for our local communities as well as our region.

The Dendrobium continues to be a threat to Sydney's drinking water, and thus must not be approved.
The world needs less coal burnt, not more, thus the Dendrobium extension project must not be approved.
This project has already been denied once, it is beyond belief that ANYONE could consider approving this project.
This project must be shut down forever, and immediately at that.