State Significant Development
Assessment
HVO North Open Cut Coal Continuation Project
Muswellbrook Shire
Current Status: More Information Required
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Continuation of mining at the HVO North open cut coal mining complex until 2050, including extension of approved mining areas, mining of deeper coal seams and realignment of Lemington Road.
Attachments & Resources
Notice of Exhibition (2)
Request for SEARs (1)
SEARs (3)
EIS (29)
Response to Submissions (16)
Agency Advice (32)
Amendments (8)
Additional Information (31)
Submissions
Showing 1 - 20 of 897 submissions
Name Withheld
Object
Name Withheld
Object
Better Planning Network Inc
Object
Better Planning Network Inc
Object
Singleton Council
Comment
Singleton Council
Comment
SINGLETON
,
New South Wales
Message
See attached preliminary advice.
Council is working towards providing a detailed submission following a briefing by the Proponent on 7th March 2023. Council reserves its right to provide Councillors with adequate time for review of the proposal and the staff submission. It should be noted that amendments to council’s submission, or a subsequent submission, may occur as a result of this process.
Council is working towards providing a detailed submission following a briefing by the Proponent on 7th March 2023. Council reserves its right to provide Councillors with adequate time for review of the proposal and the staff submission. It should be noted that amendments to council’s submission, or a subsequent submission, may occur as a result of this process.
Attachments
Ausgrid
Comment
Ausgrid
Comment
Muswellbrook Shire Council
Comment
Muswellbrook Shire Council
Comment
The Australia Institute
Object
The Australia Institute
Object
GRIFFITH
,
Australian Capital Territory
Message
Please see attachment
Attachments
Matt Holwell
Support
Matt Holwell
Support
EAST MAITLAND
,
New South Wales
Message
HVO is the jewel in the Hunter Valley with a track record of environmentally responsible operations that have overall benefited the local community and NSW economy for over 50 years. It was some of the first open cut coal mined in the Hunter Valley, and given the quality of the HVO coal, it should be the last coal mined in 2050.
Lock the Gate Alliance
Object
Lock the Gate Alliance
Object
SYDNEY
,
New South Wales
Message
Please see the attached submission for an explanation of Lock the Gate's OBJECTION to this Project.
Attachments
Nick OBrien
Support
Nick OBrien
Support
RUTHERFORD
,
New South Wales
Message
I believe this project is paramount in keeping and creating local jobs. Not only keeping employment up its beneficial to the local community as HVO run community projects and programs that benefit the public in so many ways.
Benjamin Schwede
Support
Benjamin Schwede
Support
HUNTERVIEW
,
New South Wales
Message
I’m 23 and I have started my traineeship here at HVO. I’ve finally found a job that I’m keen to jump out of bed and head to work for. I studied law at university straight out of school but decided I didn’t want to be stuck behind a desk and this job has been a dream of mine for many years, now I couldn’t imagine doing anything else and hope to do so for years to come. It provides unbelievable opportunities for me that My family and I appreciate greatly.
Hunter Valley Operations runs a safe and environmentally minded pit that provides resources that are increasingly more valuable as we come to realise that going green isn’t all its cracked up to be. Everyone’s happy to cry for the renewables until it’s time for their increased power bills and black outs from grid insufficiencies and this is before we even add in the load from electric vehicles.
End of the day we provide world class coal that is the cleanest burning and highest energy producing in the world. If we aren’t getting it out of the ground here and at least benefiting from it then other countries are just going to ramp up their demand and it will be sourced from places that prioritise profit margins over workers safety and the environmental impact that they have with inferior product. The toll it will have on the Australian economy/people will be extreme and will not do the overall planet any benefit as the same amount of resources will be consumed globally but it’s demand will just be filled by more reckless means. Australia will be missing out on one of its main exports keeping this country going. If renewables were as good as they are made out to be the value of coal would have plummeted due to being rendered useless, however this is not the case and is inevitable to be used in the future.
The ones speaking against projects such as these are the minority. The majority of the population understands the needs for resources. The team at HVO is comprised of many younger people such as myself who aren’t the typical “stuck in their old fossil fuelled ways” that many people portray the demographic of miners and the future it provides my generation is one that I hope to carry on with.
Hunter Valley Operations runs a safe and environmentally minded pit that provides resources that are increasingly more valuable as we come to realise that going green isn’t all its cracked up to be. Everyone’s happy to cry for the renewables until it’s time for their increased power bills and black outs from grid insufficiencies and this is before we even add in the load from electric vehicles.
End of the day we provide world class coal that is the cleanest burning and highest energy producing in the world. If we aren’t getting it out of the ground here and at least benefiting from it then other countries are just going to ramp up their demand and it will be sourced from places that prioritise profit margins over workers safety and the environmental impact that they have with inferior product. The toll it will have on the Australian economy/people will be extreme and will not do the overall planet any benefit as the same amount of resources will be consumed globally but it’s demand will just be filled by more reckless means. Australia will be missing out on one of its main exports keeping this country going. If renewables were as good as they are made out to be the value of coal would have plummeted due to being rendered useless, however this is not the case and is inevitable to be used in the future.
The ones speaking against projects such as these are the minority. The majority of the population understands the needs for resources. The team at HVO is comprised of many younger people such as myself who aren’t the typical “stuck in their old fossil fuelled ways” that many people portray the demographic of miners and the future it provides my generation is one that I hope to carry on with.
Margaret Lannen
Support
Margaret Lannen
Support
LIDDELL
,
New South Wales
Message
I have lived in the Hunter Valley all my life and recently started working at HVO after working for Mining, Exploration and Geoscience within the Department of Regional NSW for 10 years. This has given me a lot of exposure to the industry well before I became an employee within it. I have always supported mining within the Hunter Valley for the primary reason that it maintains jobs and supports individuals raising their families, putting them through school and maintaining a home. My main support goes to the families that will be adversely affected and the flow-on effect to personal health and community, namely mental health, financial stability and personal and family breakdown. HVO maintains up to 1500 local jobs and provides support for local businesses through sustaining local goods and services.
I now also see firsthand HVO's commitment to the local community through local charity and community support through our Workplace Giving, sponsorship and community grants program.
HVO is just one of many that pay significant taxes and mining royalties that support schools, hospitals and roads as well as pay for teachers, nurses and Police within NSW and it is concerning to know where this money will come from and what will happen at a State and local level if the decision is made to take this away.
HVO is not a new mine. It has been mining here for 70 years and the impact of this project will result in minimal change.
There’ll be little change to the scale or intensity of mining and no increase to approved annual production rates. I mean it sincerely when I say my support for the project does not come from self-interest, I think mostly of the lives that could be seriously impacted and changed over something that is very little change to the mine and its footprint.
I now also see firsthand HVO's commitment to the local community through local charity and community support through our Workplace Giving, sponsorship and community grants program.
HVO is just one of many that pay significant taxes and mining royalties that support schools, hospitals and roads as well as pay for teachers, nurses and Police within NSW and it is concerning to know where this money will come from and what will happen at a State and local level if the decision is made to take this away.
HVO is not a new mine. It has been mining here for 70 years and the impact of this project will result in minimal change.
There’ll be little change to the scale or intensity of mining and no increase to approved annual production rates. I mean it sincerely when I say my support for the project does not come from self-interest, I think mostly of the lives that could be seriously impacted and changed over something that is very little change to the mine and its footprint.
KCE Pty Ltd
Support
KCE Pty Ltd
Support
BELMONT NORTH
,
New South Wales
Message
I am an owner of a civil construction company based in the Hunter Valley, and I strongly support the HVO North Open Cut Coal Continuation Project. Our direct workforce consists of 220 full time employees, and in addition we directly engage a significant number of local subcontract companies to assist in the delivery of civil construction projects. With a large portion of our work force engaged on civil projects in the mining sector, we are heavily reliant on the continued success of the mining sector including projects within HVO. Not only do we rely on the various construction phases of these projects, but also the supply contracts servicing operational mines. In addition to my own business and also the subcontractors that are reliant on my engagement, we strongly believe the approval of this specific project will not only continue to provide significant long-term benefit to the regional towns within the Hunter Valley, but the NSW community will benefit as well.
Name Withheld
Object
Name Withheld
Object
PETERSHAM
,
New South Wales
Message
I object to approval of this project (and the south open cut coal continuation project), due to the enormous quantities of greenhouse gas emissions that it would contribute in scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions over its projected life. I understand that the mine (both north and south open cut coal continuation projects) would contribute 1.26 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent each year in scope 1 and 2 emissions, and about 1.1 billion tonnes in scope 3 emissions from 2023 to 2050. These are extraordinary figures, particularly as the need to make deep GHG emissions cuts is only growing more urgent.
I also object to the project as it would lead to critically endangered ecological communities being cleared, and have significant, negative consequences for the region's ground water resources.
I also object to the project as it would lead to critically endangered ecological communities being cleared, and have significant, negative consequences for the region's ground water resources.
Justin Collins
Support
Justin Collins
Support
MUSWELLBROOK
,
New South Wales
Message
As renewables are not yet up to a scale to take over the electrical production needs as they are other parts of the world, I believe that this proposal should be approved especially as this is not a new mine site but an existing mine with no change to infrastructure. Local employment and local communities will also benefit from a lease extension.
Name Withheld
Support
Name Withheld
Support
HUNTERVIEW
,
New South Wales
Message
As a local to the Singleton community, l strongly support the approval of Hunter Valley Operations continuation project. Given that HVO has operated for over 70 years, it should be treated as that, not a new mine.
Hunter Valley Operations is a massive local employer, with over 1500 direct jobs, let alone local business who are supported through the goods and services that HVO buy and utilise.
If not approved, HVO will close in 2 years' time, impacting thousands of people directly, and many times more indirectly, as HVO is a major contributor to coal royalties that pay for schools, hospitals and roads, along with many other vital services that support our state. Further, HVO is a great supportor of local charities and provides many community grants.
Finally, when being assessed, it should be noted that HVO has demonstrated a strong commitment to the environment and community in its submission for continuation by re-designing its pit shell and forgoing already approved mine areas and infrastructure in order to reduce and remove impact on the environment, sacred sites and the broader community.
Hunter Valley Operations is a massive local employer, with over 1500 direct jobs, let alone local business who are supported through the goods and services that HVO buy and utilise.
If not approved, HVO will close in 2 years' time, impacting thousands of people directly, and many times more indirectly, as HVO is a major contributor to coal royalties that pay for schools, hospitals and roads, along with many other vital services that support our state. Further, HVO is a great supportor of local charities and provides many community grants.
Finally, when being assessed, it should be noted that HVO has demonstrated a strong commitment to the environment and community in its submission for continuation by re-designing its pit shell and forgoing already approved mine areas and infrastructure in order to reduce and remove impact on the environment, sacred sites and the broader community.
Name Withheld
Support
Name Withheld
Support
ABERMAIN
,
New South Wales
Message
My partner works here as well as other close friends and family, the continuation of this project is imperative to our families livelihood.
Name Withheld
Support
Name Withheld
Support
ABERMAIN
,
New South Wales
Message
This project will support my family financially and our livelihood for the duration of the continuation
Pat Farrell
Support
Pat Farrell
Support
LORN
,
New South Wales
Message
Having worked in the Hunter Valley for retail sales, through providing other professional services I have witnessed first hand the benefits that a strong local economy brings for all towns in the valley . We have already seen the fallout of 100s of people losing their jobs through approvals not being approved. Given the current economic stress families are going through with inflation we need all the help we can get. I understand the environmental conditions that mines undertake and the constant checks and balances that the EPA undertake . Everyone loses , do it but do it properly.
Kylee Sinclair
Support
Kylee Sinclair
Support
HUNTERVIEW
,
New South Wales
Message
This mine supports myself and my three children and is a great place to work with a lot of opportunities for myself and my children in the future.
Meron Wilson
Object
Meron Wilson
Object
LEICHHARDT
,
New South Wales
Message
If the NSW Government accepts that we are in the throes of a climate disaster brought on by the excessive burning of fossil fuels, and that we as a global community need to reduce future extraction and burning of fossil fuels, then this and other similar projects cannot be permitted to proceed. Research shows 90% of coal and 60% of oil and gas reserves must stay in the ground if we’re to have half a chance of limiting global warming to 1.5℃ this century. Allowing fossil fuel extraction to expand is a dangerous move that does not support Australia’s long-term energy future.
This needs to be the beginning point. Time is critical. It is necessary to veto all fossil fuel extraction proposals, and concentrate investment in sustainable technologies where the financial returns would be at least comparable, but without the huge environmental and social cost.
This needs to be the beginning point. Time is critical. It is necessary to veto all fossil fuel extraction proposals, and concentrate investment in sustainable technologies where the financial returns would be at least comparable, but without the huge environmental and social cost.
Pagination
Project Details
Application Number
SSD-11826681
Assessment Type
State Significant Development
Development Type
Coal Mining
Local Government Areas
Muswellbrook Shire
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