HVO North Open Cut Coal Continuation Project

i OBJECT TO HVO North Open Cut Coal Continuation Project
The recent decision by the NSW Court of Appeal on the Mt Pleasant coal mine expansion found that the full contribution of downstream emissions (Scope 3) to climate change from a coal mine must be assessed, even if the fuel is burnt overseas.
They found that the full environmental, social and economic impacts of climate change on a locality must be considered in making a decision on a project. This should include costs like rising insurance premiums and increasing costs of repairing roads and infrastructure after extreme weather.
But the Hunter Valley Operations revised assessment specifically EXCLUDES consideration of downstream emissions in its economic assessment, and as a result it drastically underestimates the negative economic impacts of the project.
The revised assessment should be withdrawn and the full assessment required by the Court of Appeal must be undertaken for the project - and it should then be placed back on public exhibition.

Scale of project, greenhouse gas emissions and climate targets

This is the biggest coal mine project ever considered in NSW. In total it proposed to mine 429 million tonnes of coal and extend the operation of this huge mining complex to 2045.
Overall, this coal mine expansion would add 803 million tonnes of lifecycle greenhouse gas pollution to the atmosphere between now and 2045. That equates to 7 times the total annual emissions from all sources in New South Wales.
Even the direct emissions from the project, caused by releasing methane from the coal seam and from diesel used in operating the mine, will make a huge contribution to NSW emissions and make it even more difficult for NSW to meet climate targets.
The NSW Large Emitters Guide states that coal mines should be on the same emissions reduction trajectory as NSW - to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030 and 70% by 2035.
But this expansion does the direct opposite - it will result in massive increases in direct emissions by expanding the project. The expansion will actually double methane emissions compared to the existing mine (as at FY24) and then they will remain at elevated levels until 2042.

Impacts to land and water

The proposed mine expansion will have devastating impacts on land and water in the Hunter Valley.
The HVO mine complex straddles the Hunter River and the expansion intends to mine directly into strategic agricultural land and the River’s alluvial aquifer.
Mining for the Continuation Project will worsen groundwater drawdown already affecting the Hunter River’s alluvial aquifer by half a metre.
Cumulative drawdown of Wollombi Brook alluvium will be up to 2 metres and this impact will extend long after mining ceases.
Recent monitoring has identified that groundwater in the alluvium and other affected areas is exceeding water quality triggers in the HVO area. A large tailings storage dam adjacent to the river was found six years ago to be seeping into groundwater.
Instead of expanding the mine, Glencore and Yancoal should be cleaning up the huge HVO site and investing in long-term environmental remediation of it.
The climate change costs are not properly considered, and legal precedent is ignored.

I object strongly to the HVO North Coal Project. For the sake of our children we need to urgently reduce our CO2 submissions. Successive governments have known this for a long time, but are continuing along the same old strategies - approve more fossil fuels. For anyone who has children or grandchildren - for their sake, reject further fossil fuel developments. Ask our clever scientists to come up with efficient alternatives - and solar and wind are useful alternatives.
Already our icecaps, so important to our climate, are melting, and shrinking. They are important as they reflect a significant portion of the sun's rays back into space. If they melt, it will affect the Gulf Stream -also important to our climate. We already have videos of baby penguins standing in meltwater, shivering, thanks to our global hero Mr Attenborough.We are dumping refuse into our oceans, also important to us, as most of the oxygen we so like to breathe is produced in those oceans. There is no planet B...

The proposed continuation of this coal mining operation for another 20 years flies in the face of all the science and the wishes of the majority of the population. The environmental damage from coal mining is well documented. Time and again these huge mining corporations have flaunted the rules with minimal punishment. The continued mining and burning of coal for decades will be a significant contributor to climate change on state, national and global levels. The revised assessment off this operation does not take into consideration downstream emissions.
It beggars belief that with all we now know, a proposal such as this is even being considered as a possibility. I would ask on behalf of this and future generations that the proposal be denied.

This project approval will secure many families future in the region and lead to ongoing investment and support in the local communities while providing royalties and tax to the government to continue ongoing health, education and infrastructure projects.

Climate change costs not properly considered, legal precedent ignored

The recent decision by the NSW Court of Appeal on the Mt Pleasant coal mine expansion found that the full contribution of downstream emissions (Scope 3) to climate change from a coal mine must be assessed, even if the fuel is burnt overseas.
They found that the full environmental, social and economic impacts of climate change on a locality must be considered in making a decision on a project. This should include costs like rising insurance premiums and increasing costs of repairing roads and infrastructure after extreme weather.
But the Hunter Valley Operations revised assessment specifically EXCLUDES consideration of downstream emissions in its economic assessment, and as a result it drastically underestimates the negative economic impacts of the project.
The revised assessment should be withdrawn and the full assessment required by the Court of Appeal must be undertaken for the project - and it should then be placed back on public exhibition.

Scale of project, greenhouse gas emissions and climate targets

This is the biggest coal mine project ever considered in NSW. In total it proposed to mine 429 million tonnes of coal and extend the operation of this huge mining complex to 2045.
Overall, this coal mine expansion would add 803 million tonnes of lifecycle greenhouse gas pollution to the atmosphere between now and 2045. That equates to 7 times the total annual emissions from all sources in New South Wales.
Even the direct emissions from the project, caused by releasing methane from the coal seam and from diesel used in operating the mine, will make a huge contribution to NSW emissions and make it even more difficult for NSW to meet climate targets.
The NSW Large Emitters Guide states that coal mines should be on the same emissions reduction trajectory as NSW - to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030 and 70% by 2035.
But this expansion does the direct opposite - it will result in massive increases in direct emissions by expanding the project. The expansion will actually double methane emissions compared to the existing mine (as at FY24) and then they will remain at elevated levels until 2042.

Impacts to land and water

The proposed mine expansion will have devastating impacts on land and water in the Hunter Valley.
The HVO mine complex straddles the Hunter River and the expansion intends to mine directly into strategic agricultural land and the River’s alluvial aquifer.
Mining for the Continuation Project will worsen groundwater drawdown already affecting the Hunter River’s alluvial aquifer by half a metre.
Cumulative drawdown of Wollombi Brook alluvium will be up to 2 metres and this impact will extend long after mining ceases.
Recent monitoring has identified that groundwater in the alluvium and other affected areas is exceeding water quality triggers in the HVO area. A large tailings storage dam adjacent to the river was found six years ago to be seeping into groundwater.
Instead of expanding the mine, Glencore and Yancoal should be cleaning up the huge HVO site and investing in long-term environmental remediation of it.

When will coal mines be held accountable for the environmental destruction they cause, why are they so heavily funded by the government (public money), when will old mines be rehabilitated properly and returned to nature - it is disgusting how Australia treats it's own country for blood money.

The new proposal still allows mining for 20 years until 2045, and it is still the largest coal project ever proposed in NSW.
Importantly, the revised assessment for the mine has ignored the recent Court of Appeal decision on the Mt Pleasant coal mine.
That judgement said it is mandatory for developments like this to provide a full, up-to-date assessment of climate impacts and engage in meaningful consultation with affected communities on those impacts.
But it hasn’t been done. This is unacceptable

The continuation of HVO would be the best outcome for my family and I

I am a NSW resident and strongly oppose this proposal.

Climate change costs have not been properly considered in the application and legal precedent has been ignored. The expansion should not proceed.
The recent decision by the NSW Court of Appeal on the Mt Pleasant coal mine expansion found that the full contribution of downstream emissions (Scope 3) to climate change from a coal mine must be assessed, even if the fuel is burnt overseas.
It found that the full environmental, social and economic impacts of climate change on a locality must be considered in making a decision on a project. This should include costs like rising insurance premiums and increasing costs of repairing roads and infrastructure after extreme weather.
But the Hunter Valley Operations revised assessment specifically excludes consideration of downstream emissions in its economic assessment, and as a result it drastically underestimates the negative economic impacts of the project.
The revised assessment should be withdrawn and the full assessment required by the NSW Court of Appeal must be undertaken for the project - and it should then be placed back on public exhibition.
This is the biggest coal mine project ever considered in the state. In total it proposed to mine 429 million tonnes of coal and extend the operation of this huge mining complex to 2045.
Overall, this coal mine expansion would add 803 million tonnes of lifecycle greenhouse gas pollution to the atmosphere between now and 2045. That equates to seven times the total annual emissions from all sources in New South Wales.
Even the direct emissions from the project, caused by releasing methane from the coal seam and from diesel used in operating the mine, will make a huge contribution to NSW emissions and make it even more difficult for NSW to meet climate targets.
The NSW Large Emitters Guide states that coal mines should be on the same emissions reduction trajectory as NSW - to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030 and 70% by 2035.
But this expansion does the direct opposite - it will result in massive increases in direct emissions by expanding the project. The expansion will actually double methane emissions compared to the existing mine (as at FY24) and then they will remain at elevated levels until 2042.

As well, the proposed mine expansion will have devastating impacts on land and water in the Hunter Valley.
The HVO mine complex straddles the Hunter River and the expansion intends to mine directly into strategic agricultural land and the River’s alluvial aquifer.
Mining for the Continuation Project will worsen groundwater drawdown already affecting the Hunter River’s alluvial aquifer by half a metre.
Cumulative drawdown of Wollombi Brook alluvium will be up to two metres and this impact will extend long after mining ceases.
Recent monitoring has identified that groundwater in the alluvium and other affected areas is exceeding water quality triggers in the HVO area. A large tailings storage dam adjacent to the river was found six years ago to be seeping into groundwater.
Instead of expanding the mine, Glencore and Yancoal should be cleaning up the huge HVO site and investing in long-term environmental remediation of it.

I object to the Hunter Valley Operations coal expansion plan for the following reasons -

Climate change costs not properly considered, legal precedent ignored:
- The recent decision by the NSW Court of Appeal on the Mt Pleasant coal mine expansion found that the full contribution of downstream emissions (Scope 3) to climate change from a coal mine must be assessed, even if the fuel is burnt overseas.
- They found that the full environmental, social and economic impacts of climate change on a locality must be considered in making a decision on a project. This should include costs like rising insurance premiums and increasing costs of repairing roads and infrastructure after extreme weather.
- But the Hunter Valley Operations revised assessment specifically EXCLUDES consideration of downstream emissions in its economic assessment, and as a result it drastically underestimates the negative economic impacts of the project.
- The revised assessment should be withdrawn and the full assessment required by the Court of Appeal must be undertaken for the project - and it should then be placed back on public exhibition.

Scale of project, greenhouse gas emissions and climate targets:
- This is the biggest coal mine project ever considered in NSW. In total it proposed to mine 429 million tonnes of coal and extend the operation of this huge mining complex to 2045.
- Overall, this coal mine expansion would add 803 million tonnes of lifecycle greenhouse gas pollution to the atmosphere between now and 2045. That equates to 7 times the total annual emissions from all sources in New South Wales.
- Even the direct emissions from the project, caused by releasing methane from the coal seam and from diesel used in operating the mine, will make a huge contribution to NSW emissions and make it even more difficult for NSW to meet climate targets.
- The NSW Large Emitters Guide states that coal mines should be on the same emissions reduction trajectory as NSW - to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030 and 70% by 2035.
- But this expansion does the direct opposite - it will result in massive increases in direct emissions by expanding the project. The expansion will actually double methane emissions compared to the existing mine (as at FY24) and then they will remain at elevated levels until 2042.

Impacts to land and water:
- The proposed mine expansion will have devastating impacts on land and water in the Hunter Valley.
- The HVO mine complex straddles the Hunter River and the expansion intends to mine directly into strategic agricultural land and the River’s alluvial aquifer.
- Mining for the Continuation Project will worsen groundwater drawdown already affecting the Hunter River’s alluvial aquifer by half a metre.
- Cumulative drawdown of Wollombi Brook alluvium will be up to 2 metres and this impact will extend long after mining ceases.
- Recent monitoring has identified that groundwater in the alluvium and other affected areas is exceeding water quality triggers in the HVO area. A large tailings storage dam adjacent to the river was found six years ago to be seeping into groundwater.
- Instead of expanding the mine, Glencore and Yancoal should be cleaning up the huge HVO site and investing in long-term environmental remediation of it.

I support the proposal for HVO north continuation, as it brings so many jobs, opportunities, support and economics in the hunter valley.

This project supports my family and the local community

i fully support the continuation project. it needs to go ahead,

it is very important to keep hvo going, it provides so many benefits

i support this project because of the 1500+ jobs it creates plus the families and communities it supports

I support the extension of the HVO project as it provides strong economic benefits to the region and plays a vital role in sustaining our local economy and livelihoods.

I support the project and the continued local employment and community support that HVO provides.

I support project

I support project

I currently work at Hvo and strongly support the continuation project

I support the project