Dendrobium Mine Extension Project

To whom it may concern,
I support the Dendrobium Mine Extension Project.
The project will continue a rich history of coal mining in the Illawarra region and positive support to local community, for both residents and local businesses.
Regards, Sam

The new mine plan allows for mining and the environment to cohessively work together. The benefit to the local and state communities far out weighs the minimal effect on the local environment.

The project is required for the local economy. I have family and friends that will be directly impacted if the project does not go ahead. I

Without metallurgical the human race will struggle to survive!

Production of Metallurgical Coal for steel industries
Employment Opportunities
Local business opportunities
Supports students passing out from universities
Supports blue Scope steels

Good to keep jobs in Illawarra

I am a 63 year old woman who has lived in NSW all my life. I strongly object to the continued mining of coal in NSW based on the research of scientists and advice of the head of the UN Antonio Guterres who is calling for the end of fossil fuels saying "Fossil fuels are a dead end environmentally and economically" see https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/raising-ambition/renewable-energy-transition
That the NSW government is considering a proposal to extend the Dendrobium mine (whose previous proposals to extend have already been rejected by the NSW Governments IPC) is an outrage to Australians who rely on political leadership to consult the science and advice of those who have the insight to know that our environment must be protected for our kids and grandchildren.
In the recent federal election Australians have made their views known. We want more action to prevent further climate disasters that we have created - fires, floods, mass extinctions, starvation and poverty. Climate change is caused primarily by the mining and use of fossil fuels and we know it must end. We have the resources and knowledge to replace the use of fossil fuel in Australia and there is no excuse in my mind or those a growing number of Australians for its continued use. Support change and our future by rejecting this mine. Please show leadership and insight that goes beyond the short term deadly profits of continued use of fossil fuels and reject this proposal.

Coal is an important part of steel making and there is no alternative at this point in time for the process.
Australia should retain its capability for mining and producing steel and other essential products.
The proposal for Dendrobium mine is a responsible approach to extract this resource for Australia and contributes significantly to the economy.

I strongly object to any expansion of the Dendrobium longwall mine. This proposal threatens:
- catchment water quality and quantity
- Aboriginal cultural heritage
- koala populations
- swamp ecosystems
Jobs in mining are time limited. The future for employment lies in the renewable energy sector, not mine expansion.
The Independent Planning Commission has already found against this proposal. That the State can have special powers to go against this finding is outrageous.
This mine has a limited future and this expansion must be stopped. We must not endanger the very water we drink and the ecosystems that support its existence and supply.

I strongly object to the Underground Expansion Project for South 32 Dendrobium as it will result in further ecosystem degradation and contamination of water our most precious resource.
The Project will result in:
- losses to Sydney and the Illawarra’s drinking water catchment
- a tripling of direct GHG emissions (Scope 1)
- potentially 'irreversible' damage to 16 endangered swamps
- a continuation of longwall mining, which is much more damaging to drinking water and endangered swamps than non-caving ‘bord and pillar’ mining
- South32's own assessment shows there would be more jobs in bord and pillar mining.

Further damage to the drinking water catchment has been justified by claims that this Project is important to Port Kembla steelworks, however, South32 has conceded that “BlueScope may be able to source alternate supplies of metallurgical coal locally”.

Based on the average Scope 1 emissions (assuming flaring) of 789,551 tonnes CO2-e per annum, the Dendrobium Extension could become the 4th highest emitting coal mine in NSW.

Pressure on Bluescope to transition to low carbon steel raises questions about future demand for Dendrobium’s coal for steel making at Port Kembla:
- BlueScope are currently investigating the use of sustainably sourced biochar and coke oven gas (which contains 60% hydrogen) as replacements for pulverised coal
- Bluescope has signed an MoU with Rio Tinto to explore using renewable hydrogen to replace coking coal to directly reduce iron ore.
- The newly elected Labor government’s ‘Powering Australia Plan’ states that “[e]normous opportunities exist to develop green steel manufacturing hubs across Australia using abundant and low cost renewable energy resources, and green hydrogen.” The Plan refers to Hydrogen Breakthrough Ironmaking Technology as an opportunity to transition from traditional blast furnaces (like the one currently in use at Port Kembla).

I request that the NSW Minister for Planning Anthony Roberts should exercise his power under S. 2.9 (1) (c) of the EP&A Act to task the NSW IPC with reviewing independent reports being commissioned by NSW DPE (including security of coal supply for Bluescope).

I object to the project because there is a significant risk to the health of people in the area from pullution from the proposed mine expansion.

I currently work at dendrobium it’s a great workplace that I would love to spend the rest of my career

It will help support my family and children through a higher education and there life

South32 shows so much support throughout the Illawarra region

Provides employment directly and indirectly for the region. Creates so much employment it’s great for the region

Dear Minister Roberts,

I oppose the Dendrobium mine expansion proposed in project SSI-33143123.

I oppose this project for a number of reasons.

More than 30 sites of significant Aboriginal heritage were found in or near Area 5, the area proposed for undermining in this expansion. Further to this, many Registered Aboriginal Parties stated their opposition to the expansion project in the Cultural Heritage Assessment, expressing the feeling that the importance of the cultural landscape has been ignored by South32 and reduced to a question of economics. In a time when Australia as a nation should be addressing it's violent and destructive history since colonisation and the continuing devastating impacts on First Nations communities of this history, this project (which threatens significant sites and has direct opposition from local First Nations communities) cannot be allowed to proceed. This is particularly clear when considering the destruction of sacred and important sites by the mining industry in recent years (for example at Jukkan Gorge by Rio Tinto) and the associated impacts on First Nations communities. Therefore I oppose this project as it will further damage the First Nations cultural landscape of the Illawarra.

We know that local weather and climatologies will become more unpredictable in a changing climate. Therefore now more than ever we cannot threaten our drinking water supplies. The fact that any mining occurs under the water catchments of the Greater Sydney water catchment is problematic. This position of WaterNSW is that no mining should occur in Special Protected Areas reserved for water catchments. It is clear that the expansion of the Dendrobium mine will worsen the condition of the catchment and cause losses of drinking water from reservoirs within it. Therefore I oppose this project on water security grounds.

I oppose this project on the grounds that it is not State Significant Infrastructure and therefore should be assessed in an alternative way. This project was granted State Significant Infrastructure status as 'the expansion of Dendrobium Mine is essential for the operation of the Port Kembla steelworks.' However, only 25% of the coal from this mine expansion will be used at Port Kembla. Also, Bluescope Steel have begun making arrangements to source and transport coal from other coal mines and have secured large investments to explore the making of low-carbon or zero-carbon steel at the Port Kembla site. Therefore I challenge the notion that this expansion is 'essential' for the operation of the Port Kembla Steelworks.

Thank you for your consideration - I urge you to consider the future of the Illawarra in making this decision. Coal mining jobs make up a small fraction of employment here. If you continue allowing the fossil fuel industry to put our water and climate at risk, you are irreparably damaging the future of generations of Australians to come.

Regards,
Jack Simmons
Woonona, NSW

The project proposes to mine 5.2 million tonnes per annum for the next 19 years. It claims that this will be essential for the Port Kembla steelworks. However Bluescope Steel advise that they are working towards developing new technology to produce low emissions steel. There are a number of pilot plants and projects in the pipeline around the globe which are working towards clean, low emissions steel. It seems more than likely that this low emissions technology will become commercially viable within the next few years. Thus the project could very likely become a stranded asset.
The 305m wide proposed longwalls over Sydney's Water Catchments are expected by the proponents to result in over 2 metres of surface subsidence. This is almost certain to result in permanent damage to environmentally sensitive upland swamps, as well as damage to the waterways flowing into Greater Sydney's water storages.
There is a risk of irreversible consequences to our water, by loss of quantity and quality.
The Carbon Dioxide emissions from the burning of the coal from this project will be massive, whether in Australia or overseas (the gases don't recognise national boundaries!). Methane from fugitive emissions and from flaring of the gas will also substantially contribute to our Greenhouse Gas emissions.
The proposal is inconsistent with Australia's Emissions Reduction targets. It is also at odds with global Emission Reduction requirements.
For all of the above reasons I strongly object to this Proposal.
Yours sincerely
Peter Lamb

I object for these reasons:
1) Switching to SSI pathway is wrong.
The justification for being an SSI is flawed. Bluescope has alternative sources of metallurgical coal, and they are exploring “Green steel” making in the long run which will not need coal. Switching to SSI sets a bad precedent where the IPC rejects a proposal the IPC can be by-passed by the Minister. It makes a mockery of the “independence” of the IPC.

2) Damage to the water catchment
Bluescope admits the proposed longwall panels will cause subsidence of over 2m. This will damage water courses and swamps resulting in loss of precious drinking water.

3) Poor water quality
Mining induced subsidence will cause dangerous metals to leach into the water.

4) Loss of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Illawarra Aboriginal Lands Council opposes the extension.

5) Increased Greenhouse gas emissions
Scope 1 and 2 emissions are estimated to use up to 15.5 million tonnes of CO2-e from the NSW carbon budget. The NSW government should be reducing emissions, not increasing them. There are no best practice mitigation or abatement methods.

I urge the Minister to reject this proposal.

RDA Illawarra supports the proposal as it is economically imperative to the Illawarra region, NSW and the nation. Our reasons are provided in the attached submission.

I am opposed to the extension of the Dendrobium mine for the following reasons:
There are two major negative impacts of the extension of this longwall mine:
A. Water loss
1. destructive longwall mining in the water catchment for Wollongong, Macarthur will threaten the supply of water to these areas. Even the NSW Government’s Independent Advisory Panel for Underground Mining is concerned about this.
2. There will be an increase in bush fire risk due to the de-watering of the area.
3. There should be no mining in the Special Areas of Greater Sydney Water Catchment;
this is the stated position of WaterNSW and the legislated purpose of Special Area
protection.
B. Worsening climate change
1. Climate change is the most important issue facing the planet and we need to cease, not increase, coal mining.
2. We need to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions to address global warming.  One
of the obvious ways to decarbonise industry is to start with steel. Port Kembla has been identified as
having good prospects for moving from existing fossil fuel-based steel-making to making
low-emissions steel.  This transition would not only retain jobs in the Illawarra, it would
position Australia well in the emerging low-carbon future.
C. Coal mining causes poor health outcomes
1.Burning coal causes significant air pollution and has negative impacts on the health of the population - human and animal in a wide area.
2. Coal miners have a high risk of respiratory illnesses.
The proposed extension of the mine poses a serious risk to the local environment and global climate.
I beg you to reject this proposal.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Tracie Hendriks

Coal is one of Australia’s and NSW’s most important and valuable exports.
Coking coal from coal mines in the southern coalfield, such as Dendrobium Colliery, has ideal qualities for steel production and it has fewer impurities, such as sulphur, than coal from other countries.
The project will support 500 full-time employees at Dendrobium Colliery. An additional 200
people will be employed during the development and construction phase.
The federal government’s tables of multiplier effects shows that more than three times as many indirect jobs are created for every person employed in a coal mine.
This project will generate a $2.8 billion net economic benefit to NSW, of which $1.1 billion will benefit the local Illawarra region.

I am in full support of this project.
As a worker of South32, I have an insight of how hard the Company tries to do sustainable business.
It's committed to the environment and to the community.
I also provides us and our families with good and stable jobs.