MOD 3 - Pit 8 Extension

Coal activity is essential to the continued growth and support of the Mudgee community and its surrounds. We fully support proposed plans for extensions to Wilpinjong Coal Mine. We need this business activity in our region as do countless others.

Wilpinjong mine is a major employer of our towns workforce. Wilpinjong is a big supporter of community projects and over the years they have been in place have paid for a lot of community infrastructure and services.

I am supporting the project as Wilpinjong mine has been a good employer of local people and has good record of community support. I have been an employee at the mine for 14 years and have several family members also employed so would like to see the mine continue to operate

Wilpinjong has provided workload for my company employing 65 staff in the Mudgee and Newcastle areas. The work has been engineering based with the purpose of upholding high reliability for their equipment, and safe function to protect their people. The work is considered high skill and has been attractive to many people with a technical mindset. We are also able to engage with young people straight from school and give them safe exposure to the mining industry and to develop beneficial skillsets. Some of this work occurs in Newcastle as the equipment from Wilpinjong is sent there for repairs and overhaul. I consider the current management cohort at Wilpinjong to be responsible and capable in running the operation safely and profitably.
Extending the life of this operation to capture this valuable resource is a good decision for the local economy, and the national economy.

I have been working hear for almost ten years and have enjoyed it and want to continue working at Wilpinjong

It is important for the continued economic prosperity of the Mudgee region

I have family working at this mine. I fully support this project as it supplies employment for our community and supports our community with donations.

I support this project, not only has it provided a job for me in my early career, it has supported my own small business when I had it. My husband also has a career that has been supported by Wilpinjong coal mine for the past 20 years which allowed us to buy a house and raise a family in a small regional town.

If this proposal were to go ahead it would release over 25 MT of additional Greenhouse Gas emissions. It should be assessed as a new project as it has the potential to be just the first stage of a much bigger mine expansion .
The mining would reach to the boundary of Wollar Village and would disturb an additional 155ha.
It would involve the loss of Aboriginal cultural heritage and spiritual landscape for the Wiradjuri Nation and destroy yet more important habitat for the nationally threatened Large-eared Pied Bat, Eastern Cave Bat, Regent Honeyeater and Koala.
It would permanently alter and degrade alluvial groundwater sources and surface flows in the Wollar Creek catchment.
It would also result in increasing pollution through poorly assessed noise, dust, blasting, onsite coal ignition (spontaneous combustion), lighting and water contamination plus increasing social impacts, loss of amenity and ongoing disturbance of the rural way of life for many people.
It would slow down the transition to a clean energy future – competing with the Central West Renewable Energy Zone that starts at Wollar.
This project is not needed to provide regional jobs – there is a huge workforce shortage for renewable energy projects in the Central West and there is no economic justification, the increased climate change impacts will cost more than public income generated through royalties and taxes.

I very strongly support this application for the proposed modification at the mine. Both the direct and indirect employment supported by the mine should be allowed to continue into the future.
Wilpinjong is one of the lowest emitting coal mines in Australia measured by mining intensity.
As we continue to rely on coal for our energy needs in the foreseeable future, it makes sense to use coal that is more efficient and produces more energy with fewer emissions.
Wilpinjong provides approximately 25% of the coal used for electricity generation in NSW, making it a critical part of our energy infrastructure.

Coal mining is an industry we should be proudly supporting as the financial and community support it has supplied over the decades is immense. Approving a sustainable mining expansion such as Wilpinjong's is socially and economically practical in every sense of the word. It is about time we showed our mining community that we support them.

I strongly support the proposed modification for Wilpinjong Mine to enable continuation of operations until 2033, because of the economic benefits to the region, the state and the country.

Wilpinjong supports around 700 jobs directly, which means that 700 families relies on this operation to earn a living. In addition, a multitude of businesses which support the mining industry in the region, and Wilpinjong in particular in this case, adds another layer of secondary benefit to the community. The mine is a responsible operator, governed by strict compliance expectations which it has a proud history of upholding, supported by its inherent commitment to protect the environment as well as culturally significant sites and items.

In this time of rising energy insecurity, the role that Wilpinjong plays as a major contributor to fuel cheap, reliable base load energy cannot be overemphasized.

Coal mining remains one of the highest value export industries for Australia, and approval of the extension will ensure ongoing benefit to all involved, from the personal to the national level.

The proposed mine expansion should not be assessed as a modification because it differs substantially from the current approved mine. Its purpose is to facilitate a much larger expansion in the near future that surrounds Wollar village. This ‘modification’ proposal should be assessed as a new project. Wollar community is preparing to rejuvenate and rebuild including a return of Aboriginal people through successful land claims. The Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (CWOREZ) starts at Wollar being the first approved REZ in NSW. Wollar is the starting point for the transition to clean energy. There should be no more expansion of coal mining.
Key points of my objection are as follows:

1. Releasing over 25 MT of additional Greenhouse Gas emissions
2. First stage of a bigger mine expansion and should be assessed as a new project
3. Mining to the boundary of Wollar Village
4. Disturbing an additional 155 ha: • loss of Aboriginal cultural heritage and spiritual landscape for Wiradjuri Nation • destroying more important habitat for the nationally threatened Large-eared Pied Bat, Eastern Cave Bat, Regent Honeyeater and Koala
5. Permanently altering and degrading alluvial groundwater sources and surface flows in the Wollar Creek catchment.
6. Increasing pollution through poorly assessed noise, dust, blasting, onsite coal ignition (spontaneous combustion), lighting and water contamination
7. Increasing social impacts, loss of amenity and ongoing disturbance of rural way of life
8. Slowing the transition to clean energy future – competing with the Central West Renewable Energy Zone that starts at Wollar
9. This project is not needed to provide regional jobs – there is a huge workforce shortage for renewable energy projects in the Central West
10. There is no economic justification, the increased climate change impacts will cost more than public income generated through royalties and taxes
I would urge you to reject this proposal.
Thank you for your consideration.
Simon Wright (Dr)

This extension will provide benefits not only to the organization but to all the employees, contractors, suppliers and consultants that benefit from working at Wilpinjong or provide a service or conduct business with the Mine. Mining is one of the most regulated industries in Australia and Peabody Wilpingjong uphold those values and comply with the requirements.

Wilpinjong Mine is an key part of the local community. Some of the contributions to the community include

•Supporting a 605 strong local Wilpinjong workforce
with an additional 100 roles for contractors.
Injecting over $500 million directly into the NSW economy in 2024.
• Contributing a $400m annual spend with 1260+
suppliers
• Spending $96 million in wages annually.
• Have invested over $1.2 million to 160 community
organisations over the past 10 years.
• Helped develop a skilled regional workforce with 30
apprenticeships and trainees onsite last year.
• Paid $90 million in royalties to the government
last year.
• Jointly funding the Doctors 4 Mudgee Region
program and providing a GP to the Gulgong
community.
This modification with allow Wilpinjong to continue to provide for the local community until late 2033. Part of this work will include 6 months rehabilitation.
As one of Australia's lowest emitting coal mines that has strong environmental commitments and provides 25% of NSW coal generated power supply it is important for this mine to continue.
Whilst I do not live in the area I have family that live in NSW that benefits from the low cost electricity that is generated by the clean coal produced by Wilpinjong. This keeps the overall cost of living down.
As someone who has lived in small communities for countless years I understand the importance of the contributions that a large company makes to these communities. Sometimes there is only one large business, but this business will help keep that community thriving. This is such a case for this community.

Thank you for considering my submission.

Great for the community! A lot of financial aide goes back into the community including health services.
A lot better than solar farms or wind turbines as the land on a coal mine is rehabilitated back to nature! Trees planted to aide future growth of native wildlife

The Peabody Energy Wilpinjong Coal Mine has approval to mine 16 MT/year to end of 2033. It is a
wholly open cut operation disturbing over 30km2 of farmland and high biodiversity values
between Goulburn River National Park and Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve.
The proposed mine expansion should not be assessed as a modification because it differs
substantially from the current approved mine. Its purpose is to facilitate a much larger
expansion in the near future that surrounds Wollar village.
This ‘modification’ proposal should be assessed as a new project.
Wollar community is preparing to rejuvenate and rebuild including a return of Aboriginal people
through successful land claims. The Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (CWOREZ)
starts at Wollar being the first approved REZ in NSW. Wollar is the starting point for the transition
to clean energy. There should be no more expansion of coal mining.
Key points of objection:
1. Releasing over 25 MT of additional Greenhouse Gas emissions
2. First stage of a bigger mine expansion and should be assessed as a new project
3. Mining to the boundary of Wollar Village
4. Disturbing an additional 155 ha:
• loss of Aboriginal cultural heritage and spiritual landscape for Wiradjuri Nation
• destroying more important habitat for the nationally threatened Large-eared
Pied Bat, Eastern Cave Bat, Regent Honeyeater and Koala
5. Permanently altering and degrading alluvial groundwater sources and surface flows in
the Wollar Creek catchment.
6. Increasing pollution through poorly assessed noise, dust, blasting, onsite coal ignition
(spontaneous combustion), lighting and water contamination
7. Increasing social impacts, loss of amenity and ongoing disturbance of rural way of life
8. Slowing the transition to clean energy future – competing with the Central West
Renewable Energy Zone that starts at Wollar
9. This project is not needed to provide regional jobs – there is a huge workforce shortage
for renewable energy projects in the Central West
10. There is no economic justification, the increased climate change impacts will cost more
than public income generated through royalties and taxes.

This operation supports local jobs, and businesses

I am writing to object to the proposed Pit 8 Extension on numerous grounds.
There is no economic justification for this project. The increased climate change impacts will cost more than public income generated through royalties and taxes. These impacts include ;
*permanently alterring and degrading alluvial groundwater sources and surface flows in the Wollar creek catchment.
*the loss of Aboriginal cultural heritage and spiritual landscape for the Wiradjurri Nation
*destroying more important habitat for the Nationally threatened large-eared Pied Bat, Eastern Cave Bat, Regent Honeyeater and Koala.
*Increasing pollution through noise, dust,blasting, onsite coal ignition lighting and water contamination.
* This project will release over 25MT of additional Greenhouse Gas emmissions.
This project is NOT needed to provide regional jobs- it is directly in competition with the Central West Renewable Energy Zone that starts at Wollar where there is a huge workforce shortage.
There is no justification for this "extension" which should be assessed as a new expanding project.
Surely priority should be given to renewable industries that preserve social cohesion and environmental preservation not destructive proposals like this which are greatly socially and environmentally unacceptable.

I support this project and Peabody being an employee who feels the work we do is valuable for our communities, locally and globally.

Key points of objection:
1. Releasing over 25 MT of additional Greenhouse Gas emissions
2. First stage of a bigger mine expansion and should be assessed as a new project
3. Mining to the boundary of Wollar Village
4. Disturbing an additional 155 ha:
• loss of Aboriginal cultural heritage and spiritual landscape for Wiradjuri Nation
• destroying more important habitat for the nationally threatened Large-eared
Pied Bat, Eastern Cave Bat, Regent Honeyeater and Koala
5. Permanently altering and degrading alluvial groundwater sources and surface flows in
the Wollar Creek catchment.
6. Increasing pollution through poorly assessed noise, dust, blasting, onsite coal ignition
(spontaneous combustion), lighting and water contamination
7. Increasing social impacts, loss of amenity and ongoing disturbance of rural way of life
8. Slowing the transition to clean energy future – competing with the Central West
Renewable Energy Zone that starts at Wollar
9. This project is not needed to provide regional jobs – there is a huge workforce shortage
for renewable energy projects in the Central West
10. There is no economic justification, the increased climate change impacts will cost more
than public income generated through royalties and taxes