HVO South Open Cut Coal Continuation Project

The new continuation plan will help support our community and create new jobs in the Hunter Valley

I support the continuation project

I support the proposed project

This project will support jobs and family and give thousands of jobs to the community.

Providing jobs and infrastructure for our local community is paramount to our guture and longevity of the community. Thisbneeds to go ahead for our families and futures.

Continue

I support jobs for the future

Giving this project the green light will keep hundreds of people in work helping them support their families and also the community.

Currently employed here and would love to see this project continue for myself, family, the community and generations of the future

I am an employee of hvo, I hope we get the extension to secure my work which should see me out to retirement. The money we earn goes straight back into the community and the closure would hurt the local businesses

I strongly support the HVO continuation project

I support the project

I moved to the Hunter Valley region and have worked at Hunter Valley Operations for the past 20 years. I have raised a family who has been schooled in the local community and have supported local sports clubs and businesses. The continuation project is vital for Hunter families and community members to provide economic and social benefits that support everyone in the region.

Support for jobs for the future

I support this project

The Hunter region will benefit from HVO's continuation project by keeping people in work.

Negative Impacts to land and water-We need to protect the land for future generations.
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.

Submission in Objection to the Hunter Valley Operations Continuation Project
I write to formally object to the proposed Hunter Valley Operations (HVO) Continuation Project. The revised assessment is fundamentally flawed, fails to comply with legal requirements, and would cause unacceptable climate, environmental and economic damage.
1. Failure to Properly Consider Climate Change Costs and Legal Precedent
The recent NSW Court of Appeal decision regarding the Mt Pleasant coal mine expansion established that:
• The full contribution of downstream (Scope 3) emissions to climate change must be assessed, regardless of where the coal is ultimately burned.
• The environmental, social and economic costs of climate change must be considered, including impacts such as rising insurance premiums and escalating costs of repairing roads and infrastructure after extreme weather events.
The revised assessment for the HVO project explicitly excludes downstream emissions. As a result, it grossly underestimates the economic and environmental harm associated with this project. This exclusion is inconsistent with binding legal precedent. The assessment should therefore be withdrawn, and a new assessment conducted in compliance with the Court of Appeal ruling. That assessment must then be placed back on public exhibition.
2. Scale of the Project and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
This proposal is unprecedented in scale. It seeks to mine 429 million tonnes of coal and extend operations until 2045. The resulting 803 million tonnes of lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions are equivalent to more than seven times the total annual emissions from all sources in New South Wales.
Direct emissions from the project are also unacceptably high. Methane released from the coal seam and diesel use in operations will significantly worsen the state’s emissions profile. According to the NSW Large Emitters Guide, coal mines should follow the state’s emissions reduction trajectory: 50% by 2030 and 70% by 2035. This project does the opposite. It would double methane emissions compared with current levels and keep them elevated until 2042, undermining NSW’s legislated climate targets.
3. Impacts on Land and Water
The expansion will exacerbate serious, long-standing impacts on land and water in the Hunter Valley:
• The HVO mine complex straddles the Hunter River, and the expansion would directly affect strategic agricultural land and the river’s alluvial aquifer.
• Groundwater drawdown would increase by half a metre in the Hunter River alluvium, with cumulative impacts on the Wollombi Brook alluvium of up to 2 metres. These impacts will persist long after mining ceases.
• Recent monitoring has already identified exceedances of water quality triggers in groundwater across the HVO area. A large tailings dam near the river has been seeping into groundwater for at least six years, yet this has not been properly addressed.
The Hunter Valley’s agricultural productivity and water security cannot be further compromised by an expansion of this scale.
4. The Need for Rehabilitation and Transition
Instead of pursuing further expansion, Glencore and Yancoal should be required to prioritise rehabilitation of the existing HVO site. Investment in large-scale remediation would create local employment, reduce ongoing environmental risks, and contribute to a just transition for the Hunter Valley.
Conclusion
The HVO Continuation Project is inconsistent with legal precedent, undermines NSW’s climate targets, and poses severe risks to land, water and local communities.
I therefore urge the NSW Government to reject the current proposal, require a full assessment of downstream emissions in line with the Court of Appeal ruling, and ensure that efforts are directed towards rehabilitation and transition rather than expansion.

This project supports community and supplies locals with employment

As someone that is employed at HVO, I support the extension of operations, as it secures jobs, enabling us to provide for our families with stability and confidence. It fosters economic growth in our community and reflects trust in our team’s expertise, ensuring we can continue delivering quality resources responsibly while supporting our loved ones.