HVO South Open Cut Coal Continuation Project

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.

Please see attachment.

As one of the many workers at this mine that depend on the mine for work, I support this project.
This mine injects millions of dollars into the local community. If this mine does not get extended, countries will be forced to seek coal from other coal mines/countries that have dirtier/more harmful coal
thanks

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.

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.

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 object to approval of this project, (and the north 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. 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 emissions cuts is only growing more urgent.
I also object to the project as its expansion would lead to critically endangered ecological communities being destroyed, and have significant, negative consequences for the region's ground water resources.

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.

Working in the industry for pass 34 years which has supported my family, 25 of those years being at HVO , the extension will provide jobs for future employees.

The PCWP Native title party have not been consulted for this project. HVO stalled off our consultation for several months until were were told we were out side the consolation period. the project will impact to the section 10 ATSHIP boundary for the Glendale project.

The PCWP Native title party have not been consulted for this project. HVO stalled off our consultation for several months until were were told we were out side the consolation period. the project will impact to the section 10 ATSHIP boundary for the Glendale project.

HVO has been a great contributor to Hunter Valley’s economy over the last few years and keeping the economy going through employment of local residents and providing essential resources that benefits most countries around the world . My partner , who’s employed by HVO have been with the for over 10 years and remain loyal to the company , with the hope of staying with them until retirement. It continues to bring a lot of support to local communities and keeps families afloat , even on difficult times

I have been an employee with firstly Coal & Allied, then Rio Tinto Coal Australia and currently HVO JV with Glencore since 2008! So a while i have been there. I firmly believe this extension will maintain the jobs of my fellow workmates, contractors and outside contract companies that supply to our site for a long future. Myself i will be there until i retire. Has good people who care for their workmates and maintain an active part of our nearby towns of Singleton and Musselbrook. Many people depend on their livelihood to our mine with many new younger employees recently gaining full time jobs at HVO now and into the future. Our site has been part of the Hunter Valley since the 1960s, so a very long lived minesite. I reside very close so its very convenient for my work within 30mins from my home. I strongly believe coal will still play a part in the world for a considerable time yet and that included both thermal coal and metallurgical coal exports as an essential part of steel production for overseas markets, thus generating billions in export dollars. In fact, all through the Covid lockdowns we were considered essential industry and continued though the epidemic maintaining our exports of valuable coal boosting government coffers. Thankyou for taking the time to peruse my submission and thankyou for the opportunity.

The project continuation will provide for my family and generate jobs for the local community. It contributes millions of dollars each year to the state government in royalties and taxes.

The Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders Association objects to the HVO Open Cut Coal Continuation Project (North and South) for the reasons outlined in the attached submission.

Coolmore Australia Submission