MOD 3 - Pit 8 Extension

I support the Wilpinjong extension project. My father works at the mine and the mine does well sponsoring various sporting groups and otherwise within the Mudgee and surrounding community.

My objections are in the attached file.

A submission from the Orange Field Naturalist and Conservation Society is attached.

I strongly support this project, as the mine supports over 700 jobs and also contributes massive funding to the community’s of Mudgee and Gulgong. Without the mine both of there’s community’s would struggle.

Please see the attached document

Please find my submission of objection attached.

The so-called extension of Pit 8 of Wilpinjong Coal has many grounds for objection – the following are a selection of the social and socio-political issues as I see them.
• Having declared the local region to be a REZ there needs to be a recognition that there are shortages of appropriately qualified workers. This proposal exacerbates this situation by competing for workers in the same pool of talent.
• Wollar and surrounds show evidence of being a community in recovery after years of decline due to neighbouring mine and buy back policies of the company. Any new mining projects will be a major setback to this recovery process.
• Approving fossil fuel projects directly contradicts and undermines any claims that the state and federal governments might make about being serious about managing climate change.
• Power generation trends at the international and national level increase the probability that this project will end up being a stranded asset at public expense. While Peabody is not Adani – we can see similarities in the pitch made by both companies. Both claim that royalties and job will flow to the state and/or local communities. Just a few years in, and the Carmichael project has needed to be given a seven-year royalty holiday due lack of profitability; and the increase in employment has not met projections. Coal companies appear to be making projections using models from an earlier era that are no longer fit for purpose.

This planned expansion of the Peabody Energy Wilpinjong Coal Mine will have severely negative social and ecological impacts on the local Wollar region in addition to broader environmental consequences stemming from increased greenhouse gas emissions. These impacts are unjustifiable when balanced against the limited evidence available of any public benefit.

On a local scale, the Wollar community has already been negatively affected by ongoing mining operations, with pollution causing significant health and well-being issues. This proposal proposes to take open-cut mining operations right to Wollar’s doorstep, causing further damage to community welfare. Any promise of providing jobs or economic development to the area is an antiquated dog whistle in direct opposition to the NSW Government’s supposed prioritisation to transitioning away from coal mining to support investment in other industries such as construction and renewable energy that are short on skilled labour. The proposal also shows little consideration for 15 Aboriginal cultural heritage sites that would be destroyed by the Mod 3 expansion.

This expansion also threatens already endangered ecological communities, including the breeding habitats of the regent honeyeater and two species of microbat, and will impact the connectivity of koala habitat, limiting their movement between protected areas in the landscape. There has been inadequate assessment of the groundwater-dependent box gum woodland of the region will be impacted by drawdown and of how water quality overall in the Wollar Creek catchment will be affected.

More broadly, approving the expansion of any coal mine comes with increasing the amount of greenhouse gases emitted, accelerating the rate of human-induced climate change while focus should instead be on transitioning from coal power to the renewable energy industry. The social and economic impacts of climate change will greatly outweigh any short-term benefit that a coal mine expansion could provide.

Finally, any expansion of this magnitude that vastly differs from the current mining lease should not be considered as a modification. Numerous aspects of the proposal require reassessment by appropriately independent parties to fully determine the impact of any further expansion of the Wilpingjong Coal Mine.

Please see attached submission

I object to the project because it will destroy important habitat for the nationally threatened Large-eared Pied Bat, Eastern Cave Bat, Regent Honeyeater and Koala. It will destroy an additional 155 ha of Wiradjuri Nation Aboriginal cultural heritage and spiritual landscape. It will destroy the amenity of the Wollar Village with mining to the boundary of the town and cause physical and mental health problems for the residents with pollution through poorly assessed noise, dust, blasting, onsite coal ignition (spontaneous combustion), lighting and water contamination. It will permanently alter and degrade alluvial groundwater sources and surface flows in the Wollar Creek catchment. It will release over 25 MT of additional Greenhouse Gas emissions. The first stage of a big mine expansion should be assessed as a new project. It is slowing the transition to a clean energy future, competing with the Central West Renewable Energy Zone that starts at Wollar. There is no economic justification, the increased climate change impacts will cost more than public income generated through royalties and taxes.

I wish to make a submission to support the MOD 3 Pit 8 Extension at the Wilpinjong Mine. The continuation of mining at Wilpinjong Mine will provide future employment opportunities in the Mid-Western Region. The Wilpinjong Mine also provides valuable contributions to a variety of community groups in the Mudgee Region.

Central West Environment Council objects to the expansion of thermal coal production

Approval of this extension will allow the mine to continue its operations, optimise resource recovery, and sustain jobs for the current workforce, while contributing additional revenue to the local, state and federal governments.
As the authorised Caterpillar dealer for NSW and the ACT, WesTrac employs over 1300 individuals in NSW, with approximately 1150 working outside Sydney. Our workforce comprises professionals, tradespeople, and support staff who significantly contribute to the mining and construction industries. Additionally, we operate an apprenticeship program to train the tradespeople of the future.
Wilpinjong Coal, is supported through our Mudgee, Tomago and Mt Thorley facilities where we provide onsite support, field service, workshops, parts, and administrative activities. Over the past several years, we have made a substantial investment in capital equipment to enhance our technical support for Wilpinjong Coal and other clients. Continued operations at Wilpinjong Coal ensures the certainty needed for these investments and support skilled employment in regional NSW.

Wilpinjong Coal is vital for the Mid-Western region and the NSW economy, producing thermal coal for both international and domestic markets. This project will secure employment for the existing 605 local employees, as well as WesTrac’s local staff residing in the community.

I support this project because my dad works at the mines and the mine supports my school and some of the other community organisations that I am part of.

Ground water disturbance including the Wollar Creek. Ground water is irreparable, The damage caused to the enviroment. I have seen honey eaters bats and a host of small birds nesting along the proposed so called extension should go before IPC as it covers a huge block. I understand the public benefit is in the order of $21 million.Thank you for your time

I currently work for Peabody Mines Wilpinjong and support the project for the Pit 8 extension. I have worked for Peabody for almost 4 yrs while living locally in Gulgong. The company has supported myself and my family through challenging times, while also helping to support me financially. It has allowed me as a single woman to buy a home, while the country is under a housing crisis which I would not have been able to do working for small local business. This has helped to set up my future and extension would mean be able to support my retired parents and disabled brother as the years progress. Other than financially supporting the people it employs, the company also does so much for the local community. Gulgong had been without a local doctor for over 12 months, Peabody and the other local mines have sponsored for a doctor to come to Gulgong. For the people who are unable to drive to Mudgee (due to the lack of local transport) this has been of huge importance and allows for basic medical assistant that everyone is entitled too. Even the local hospital doesn't have a resident doctor, so this was a huge achievement in supporting the locals. Peabody also gets all the uniforms from a local small business, embroidery done with a local small business and hold events at local small businesses, creating income for everyone involved. The employees invest in local small businesses and property, bringing the towns nearby greater investment potential. If you look at areas outside of the 1hr radius of the mines you will notice that property values are lower, less opportunity for employment exist and there are higher crime rates. The mine not only supports the 620 people it employs but also supports the environment and all its inhabitants. Creating programs to maintain and care for local wildlife. They have won awards for the work done in supporting the Mirco bats and maintaining their home. Without Peabody the area wouldn't be the same, so I hope that this extension will be passed and they can continue to help the employees, community and environment. They have helped me as one individual so much and my immediate family, imagine all the other 619 employees and their families they have helped. I hope that this extension will be passed and the life of Peabody mine will continue for years to come.

Please see attached submission.

This extension is not only vital for the mine but its employees and the regional towns it supports.

I support the mine and the proposed extension because my father works there and the mine supports my community.

I object to the project on the following grounds.
1. This project would emit over 25 MT of greenhouse gas emissions.
2. The project initiates stage one of a bigger mine expansion, and should be assessed as a new project
3. The project will disturb an additional 155 ha of farmland and bush. It would see the loss of Aboriginal cultural heritage and spiritual landscape for Wiradjuri Nation, and destroy more important habitat for the nationally threatened Large-eared
Pied Bat, Eastern Cave Bat, Regent Honeyeater and Koala.
4. The project will permanently degrade alluvial groundwater sources and surface flows in
the Wollar Creek catchment.
5. The project will increase pollution through poorly assessed noise, dust, blasting, onsite coal ignition
(spontaneous combustion), lighting and water contamination.
6. The project will have negative social impacts, including loss of amenity and ongoing disturbance of rural way of life.
7. The project will slow the transition to a clean energy future – competing with the Central West
Renewable Energy Zone that begins at Wollar.
8. The project is not needed to provide regional jobs – there is a huge workforce shortage
for renewable energy projects in the Central West.
9. There is no economic case for the project; the worsening impacts of and costs associated with global warming will far exceed any income generated through royalties and taxes.