Modification 4 Longwall 317 and 318 Modification

1. Climate change is an existential threat to human society. We are supposed to be reducing not increasing carbon emissions, yet Australia is now expoering 3 times more coal pa than at the time of Kyoto. Global emissions are now double what they were in the 90's. We have already reached the 1.5degrees called for as a limit to safe warming. There can be no further approval of new coal mining, and we need to phase out all mining as soon as possible if we are to retain a safe environment for our society long term.
2. It would be more than foolish to further undermine Sydney's vital water catchment, increasing the porosity of rock beneath and surrounding our dams.
3. Pollution in local waterways from the effects of coal mining is already unacceptable.

I Support The Project

I support the proposal

This project will be damaging to the environment and have potentially irreversible impacts upon endangered wildlife and the sydney water supply. I oppose this extension.

I am deeply worried that our NSW Government is giving consideration to an expansion of the Metropolitan Coal Mine further beneath the Woronora drinking water catchment. The applicant, an American firm, Peabody, have not been able to categorically rule out the possibility of ground subsidence, despite the efforts they intend to make to minimise this. Any risk of ground subsidence places in jeopardy the drinking water supply for around 6 million people. This water resource is a life sustaining necessity, already under pressure from population growth and climate change uncertainties. Yet the Peabody proposal prioritises the profit to be made from coal - now a resource that is globally acknowledged as a source of greenhouse gas pollution and hence an agent of climate change. We cannot allow this dangerously illogical proposal to go ahead. Peabody as a corporation has a poor record of managing the environmental impacts of its business. I reference the coal sludge pollution of Camp Creek Gully and the Hacking River in 2022. Further Peabody is not genuine in its claim that the mine is important to the local economy. Peabody is an avaricious employer - I reference the recent Peabody lock out of Helensburgh miners for two full weeks, as heavy handed negotiation strategy over pay claims. These environmental and industrial relations transgressions show the true colours of Peabody as a corporation that is not genuinely of good will and therefore should not be trusted with a resource as valuable as Sydney’s drinking water. Please reject this proposal from Peabody and protect the well being of your 6 million constituents. Also could you please email me a copy of my submission, as I have been unable to print a copy as your website has been unstable.

25 August 2025

OBJECTING TO METROPOLITAN MINE MODIFICATION 4 LONGWALL 317 AND 318 MODIFICATION

I am writing to strongly object to the proposed Modification 4 – Longwalls 317 and 318, Metropolitan Colliery.

I find it absolutely unbelievable that this proposal – to endanger a critical drinking water source for over 5 million people – could even be considered.

I am a longtime resident of the Sutherland Shire. I greatly value living near the Royal National Park and being surrounded by beautiful waterways and nature. With our growing population, I want to protect our precious environment. This includes our flora, fauna, waterways, climate – and our drinking water. Surely it’s not appropriate to mine in drinking water catchment areas that are so close to the Royal National Park.

Longwall mining is known to cause subsidence, fracturing of rock layers, and irreversible damage to watercourses, reservoirs, and upland swamps. Swamps such as S106 could be at risk, should this proposal go ahead. This will undermine long-term drought resilience and compromise our clean water supply.

I believe this mine to be one of the highest methane emitters in NSW. When we are trying to reach net zero by 2050, should we be even thinking about expanding coal mining in 2025? The recent flooding rains in NSW and the reports about melting sea ice in Antarctica all confirm our climate concerns.

It is unacceptable that the 2009 approval process for this mine to continue its operations is still allowed. At the very least there should be a fresh assessment – a full Environmental Impact Statement – made under current laws and science.

For all the reasons above I strongly urge the Minister to reject this proposal in order to protect our water, environment and climate.

Yours sincerely,
Vicki Simpson
14 Percival Road, Caringbah South, NSW. 2229

As my friend drove me through the Royal National Park, I could not help but think to myself: How could
anyone not fall in love with this place? How could you possibly trade this gift for something else?
And yet, that is exactly what is happening. The environment is being sacrificed for something else -
something that promises profit and wealth, quick and easy. But at what cost?
The swamps in the Woronora Reservoir area will be irreversibly damaged. What has been here for 15,000
years, long before British coloniser came to this land, is at risk of perishing forever. It leads to degradation of
the whole ecosystem. Along with that is the loss of the home for countless species, much like the way the
land was taken from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Do we want to make the same mistake
again? Have we learnt nothing from history?
You may not realise how lucky you are to have such easy access to the nature. It took me approximately 9
hours to fly across the ocean, to have my feet on this land. I have been to European countries, I was bom in
Vietnam, and there is no place as special as Australia. My love for the nature began here. Growing up, I did
not know what it feels to be surrounded by the trees, with clear sky above my head and drinkable water under
my feet.
You may not recognise the privilege you have - being able to breathe without hesitation, to walk outside
without wearing a mask, to drink clean water straight from the tap. And now, you are taking it for granted.
Please, take a moment to imagine what life would be like if these things were no longer true. The stakes are
high, and your way of life is not prepared for what would come.
You may need coal to generate energy to your house. But remember, it is nature that sustains us. Nature is
where our homes are, and it is what gives us life.
I am just an individual, but I speak not only for myself, but for generations from the past to the future. And I
am also speaking for the creatures that don’t share our language, but whose lives are intertwined with ours.
We are a part of nature. To betray nature is to betray ourselves.
If we don’t protect this land, the damage will be irreversible, and the cost will be far greater than any profit.
Let us not be the generation that sacrifices the nature for the sake of temporary gain. Let us be the generation
that protects what truly matters.

I am writing to express my strong opposition to the approval of Modification 4 – Longwalls 317 and 318 at the Metropolitan Colliery. As someone who deeply values the protection of natural areas in the Illawarra and across New South Wales, I am alarmed by the risks this expansion poses, particularly to the Royal National Park and the integrity of the Woronora Reservoir, a critical drinking water source for millions of people.

1. The Importance of the Greater Sydney Water Catchment
The Woronora Reservoir is part of Sydney’s drinking water catchment and supplies clean water to over five million residents, including communities in the Sutherland Shire, northern Wollongong, Helensburgh, Engadine, and Lucas Heights. Approving coal mining expansion in such proximity to this vital water source is reckless and short-sighted.

Longwall mining is well-documented to cause ground subsidence, fracture rock layers, and permanently damage watercourses and upland swamps. Independent experts and WaterNSW itself have confirmed that longwall mining has already caused surface cracking, swamp drying, and groundwater diversion in the area, which are undermining water security and the filtration function of natural systems

These processes pose a clear and unacceptable risk to water quality and long-term security of supply, particularly in a future marked by climate change and growing demand. Swamp S106 and other sensitive ecosystems perform a crucial hydrological function, especially during extreme weather events, storing and releasing water slowly. Destroying these systems undermines our drought resilience.

2. Environmental and Biodiversity Concerns
The area under threat is part of a fragile, biodiverse ecosystem home to several threatened and critically endangered species, including:
• Swift Parrot (Critically Endangered)
• Bynoe’s Wattle, Thick-leaf Star-hair, Woronora Beard-heath, and others (Vulnerable)

Disturbing this land through mining-induced subsidence or pollution will only hasten the decline of these species. The proposal also places at risk Aboriginal heritage and culturally significant landscapes, a further unacceptable cost.

Moreover, pollution or habitat degradation caused by mining could extend into the adjacent Royal National Park, Australia’s oldest national park and a place of immense ecological and cultural value. Peabody has a history of causing environmental harm in the region. In 2024, the company was convicted and fined $500,000 for two pollution events where coal sludge contaminated Camp Gully Creek and the Hacking River in the Royal National Park, turning the water black

3. Climate and Emissions Impact
At a time when the NSW Government has committed to Net Zero targets, approving further expansions to one of the state’s highest methane-emitting coal mines is profoundly contradictory.

In FY2024, Metropolitan Colliery’s Scope 1 emissions reached nearly 700,000 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent, with over 80% of those emissions being methane. This makes Metropolitan the fifth highest emitter among all NSW coal mines.

No matter the coal type, the climate impact is clear and devastating. Every tonne of emissions undermines NSW's climate goals and global efforts to limit warming.

4. Social and Strategic Concerns
We must support coal-dependent communities with a just transition, not tie them to decades more of extractive, polluting industries. Continued approval of coal expansions benefits foreign-owned companies like Peabody Energy, which has a poor record of corporate conduct and industrial relations. Peabody pays no corporate tax in Australia, despite profiting heavily from our resources and workforce.

Notably, Peabody has been found guilty of unfairly dismissing workers and locking out employees during lawful industrial actions. It is unjust to compromise vital public resources like our drinking water catchments for the short-term benefit of such a company.

5. Planning Integrity and Proper Process
This expansion relies on a modification pathway under a 2009 approval, an outdated process that fails to account for today’s realities, including the climate crisis, biodiversity collapse, and modern water management challenges.

This proposal poses unacceptable and irreversible risks to our drinking water, biodiversity, climate commitments, and public interest. It compromises long-term sustainability for the benefit of a foreign-owned company with a poor track record.

I urge the NSW Government to reject Modification 4 and invest in supporting coal communities through a fair and sustainable transition. The future of our environment, climate, and water security depends on it.

Dear Sir,
Re: Modification 4 Longwall 317 and 318 Modification
I hereby object to Peabody’s Modification to their mining licence on the following grounds:
1. The extension of the mining activity in the Woronora catchment area will cause greater damage and result in contamination of the drinking water this reservoir supplies to the Sutherland Shire.
2. A number of threatened species will be impacted by this development, including the recently reintroduced platypus to the Royal National Park.
3. This will cause pollution in the Hacking River which will never be remediated.
4. Peabody has already been convicted in the Land and Environment Court and fined for pollution spills.

As a lifetime resident of the Sutherland Shire for the past 28 years, and a scientist working in the water industry, the pristine condition of Sydney’s drinking water is very important to me. Our water supply comes from the Woronora Dam, along with most other areas of the Sutherland Shire. Wornora Dam is the sole water supply to our neighbouring suburbs Helensburgh, Engadine and Lucas Heights. Any work done that would greatly increase the risk of contamination of this clean drinking water is unthinkable, and could greatly impact many residents, particularly those that live in suburbs which solely rely on Wornora Dam and reservoir. A clean water supply is essential to life and not something that should be negotiable in a first world country. As Peabody has already been convicted for pollution spills, I believe the risk is too high to give them further licence to expand their mining operations further into the catchment area. As the world must move into increasing renewable energy, it is preposterous to put an integral part of the Sydney water supply network at risk for further mining.

Growing up close to bushland, and the Royal National Park, I was immersed in the natural environment from a young age. It is this immersion that helped build my passion of working for and with the environment. I felt a great sadness watching the news reports of black sludge being detected in the Hacking River, and seeing images of a thick coal sludge contaminating the water close to the area where platypus had been reintroduced after they were wiped out 50 years ago due to an oil spill. I do not trust Peabody to effectively prevent any further spills. If one should occur, they have not shown to have the capability to remediate damage caused to the environment. The Coastal Upland Swamps which are listed as an Endangered Ecological Community under the Threatened Species Conservation Act, are also under threat by proposed clearing for the mining expansion, and any future contamination caused by this in the area. These environments are particularly vulnerable to ecological collapse caused by outside factors to their environment, and would not be able to be remediated in the event of severe pollution, particularly if large swathes of the environment nearby are cleared.

I take great pride in my position as a water quality analyst, ensuring all of Sydney has water that is safe to drink. We are lucky to live in a city where turning on the tap and receiving water that is safe to consume is a given. If the government allowed this mining expansion, I would be ashamed that our elected officials would put our pristine, world class drinking water network at such great risk.

I strongly oppose this modification and feel it should be brought before the Independent Planning Panel. It is a critical issue that needs to be addressed, before unalterable damage can be done.

Lia Ramsay

I oppose the project.
It will cause damage to the Woronora catchment which supplies clean water to the Sutherland Shire. Long wall mining has already caused damage to the area. It will cause contamination to surface water and groundwater. Important environmental vegetattion will be damaged by the clearing.Will cause damage to threatened species and further pollution which the company has already engaged in without regard for the enviornment or anyone. Dont allow this project.

The operation injected 324 million directly into the NSW economy last year. It employs a local work force that is 400 strong and part of ongoing skills development program in the area.

I oppose Peabody's expansion of the current longwall tunnel layout. They're currently mining in LW 312, and seeking permission to expand the mine into LW317 and LW318. One of the biggest swamps in the whole catchment (S106) lies under that area.

Swamps are vital for filtering and cleaning our water, if they are damaged it's not possible to fix them, once they dry out and a fire goes through that's it. Destroyed.

Because this application is be put through as a modification the original antiquated 2009 conditions of approval will apply. These allow Peabody to just purchase offsets elsewhere if the company causes permanent damage to the swamps. Offsets are a joke and greenlight irreversible damage to this critical public asset. This mine has caused significant damage in the catchment previously, and used polyurethane grouting in a bogus attempt to 'fix' the damage. It is not possible to apply this 'solution' to swamps.

As part of the modification expansion Peabody also wants to build a new ventilation shaft in the catchment, and store coal waste and contaminated water there. To build it they'll be driving in heavy machinery and trucks… this is all in an area people are not permitted to walk in case they pollute the water.

The community do not want this coal mine. In 2020 a 10,700 signature hard copy petition asked for the mine to be shut. The state government claimed they couldn't stop the mine and refuse longwalls that have already been given in-principle approval - for fear of being sued by Peabody.

However this current modification extension has never been approved previously, so it can be refused without fear of litigation. It should be refused, for so many reasons.

If you do approve it, this will be the first new in-principal approval since the Labor government gave this mine permission to go ahead in 2009. The first new in-principal approval for mining underneath Woronora Reservoir in 16 years.

You would be approving contamination of the drinking water supply for an entire Aussie area. I hope you factor in the health of the environment and the health of those people living there when you decide on this application. It deserves a very strong and resounding HELL NO!!

And I haven’t even mentioned climate change yet… leave coal safely underground.

Thank you for considering my submission, I trust you will govern for the people, not corporations.

Re Peabody’s Metropolitan Coal Mine Extension.

Good day, I fully support the motion proposed by Councillor Deidre Stuart OBJECTING to Peabody Coal’s proposed extension 4 – Longwall 317 and 318.
Clean water is essential for survival, and no wise or prudent government would sign off on a project that carries such a large, ongoing risk to the Northern Illawarra and Sydney water catchments.
Indeed, it’s profoundly irresponsible to consider such an option, bearing in mind that any reassurances from Peabody re potential contamination and/or environmental subsidence and the consequent drying out of surface ecosystems (that also exacerbate bushfire risk) remain invalid – because no such reassurances or guarantees can be made.
Coal is on the way out, sustainable technologies are the future, yet Peabody still seeks to pursue major industrial works with an undeniably high risk factor to a water catchment essential to the lives of millions, and all for a dying resource?
No-one with a shred of common sense or judiciousness would countenance it.
AGL, Australia’s biggest coal generator, recently proclaimed that its rapidly growing battery storage portfolio would emerge as a major cash cow as the country’s main grid transitions from baseload to renewables and flexible capacity, highlighting the major changes in the sector and a clear roadmap to the future.
A road map that needs to be built around accountable and sensible ecological decisions that produce more robust, resilient and stable environmental conditions, thereby also supporting the urgent need to adequately prepare for the ongoing effects of climate disruption, which remains a serious and pertinent issue to the country as a whole.
Thing is – without a healthy environment we’ve got Buckley’s of coping with, let alone competently managing, the rapidly escalating impacts and costs of climate change.
Business as usual just doesn’t cut it anymore folks, and you can bet the grandkids and coming generations will have plenty to say about the decisions we all make now.
It’s time to show our accountability, and our smarts.
Yours sincerely, Anne Quinlivan.

I would like to support the proposal submitted for Metropolitan Coal Mine - Mod-4. Metropolitan Coal Mine is an important contributor to the Illawarra and NSW economies and have invested strongly in environmental strategies and upgrades to ensure that they can operate in a responsible and sustainable manner. I believe this proposal should be approved to ensure the ongoing operation of the mine.

Peabody plays an active role in the Illawarra community and supports a 400 strong local Metropolitan workforce.

I object to this proposal :
1. Threat to Sydney and Illawarra’s Water Catchment
This modification proposes continued coal mining within the Special Areas of the
Woronora Catchment — a critical drinking water source for over 5 million people,
including the Sutherland Shire, northern suburbs of Wollongong, and
communities such as Helensburgh, Engadine, and Lucas Heights.
The longwall panels are located alarmingly close to the Woronora Reservoir, which
is a crucial asset for regional water security. Longwall mining is known to cause
subsidence, fracturing of rock layers, and irreversible damage to watercourses,
reservoirs, and upland swamps(1).

The proposed modification places swamps including Swamp S106 at risk.
Swamps are vital to the health of the catchment: they absorb water during heavy
rainfall, store it, and gradually release it during dry periods. Their destruction
undermines long-term drought resilience and compromises clean water supply.

2. Biodiversity and Threatened Species at Risk
This modification threatens the habitat of several vulnerable and critically
endangered species, including:

Bynoe’s Wattle (Acacia bynoeana) – Vulnerable
Pilotbird (Pycnoptilus floccosus) – Vulnerable
Prickly Bush-pea (Pultenaea aristata) – Vulnerable
Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor) – Critically Endangered
Thick-leaf Star-hair (Astrotricha crassifolia) – Vulnerable
White-throated Needletail (Hirundapus caudacutus) – Vulnerable
Woronora Beard-heath (Leucopogon exolasius) – Vulnerable
This area is part of a fragile and unique ecological zone. Any additional disturbance
or habitat degradation caused by mining-induced subsidence or pollution will
accelerate the decline of these species and further erode the region’s biodiversity.
We are in a biodiversity crisis and this damage is unacceptable.

3. Economic Claims and Corporate Conduct
The proponent, Peabody Energy, is a U.S.-based multinational that pays no
corporate tax in Australia, despite earning substantial profits from its Australian
operations (2).
Peabody also has a record of poor treatment of workers:

In 2020, it unlawfully dismissed workers at the Metropolitan Mine — a case the High Court ruled was unfair dismissal (3).
More recently, it locked out its workforce following a one-hour protected industrial action (4).
We recognise the value of employment in the region. However, it is unjustifiable to
compromise a vital water catchment for limited short-term employment, especially
when workers could be supported to transition into sustainable industries.

4. Climate Impact of Ongoing Coal Extraction
While the Metropolitan Mine extracts metallurgical coal used in steel production, its
climate impact remains significant.

In FY2024, Metropolitan’s Scope 1 emissions (direct from mining operations) reached nearly 700,000 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent — its highest on record since the Safeguard Mechanism began in 2016.
Over 80% of these emissions were methane, a potent greenhouse gas with 86 times the warming potential of CO₂ over 20 years.
Metropolitan is now the fifth highest Scope 1 emitter among all coal mines in NSW.
NSW is not on track to meet its net zero targets. Continuing to approve
expansions of high-emission mines, regardless of coal type, undermines our climate
commitments.

5. Planning Integrity and Approval Process
The current mine footprint was originally approved in 2009 by then Labor NSW
Planning Minister, Kristina Keneally. At that time, the implications of climate
change, water security, population growth, and biodiversity collapse were far less
understood or prioritised.
The ongoing use of a modification pathway to prolong mining operations under an
outdated approval process is unacceptable. A proposal of this type — with serious
environmental and public interest concerns — must undergo a full Environmental
Impact Statement and fresh assessment under current laws and science.
Consistent with Labor government promises both before and after the most recent
election, Metropolitan Modification 4 must also be referred to the Independent
Planning Commission of NSW for an independent and transparent assessment.

Please find attached Port Kembla Coal Terminal’s submission in support of the project.

I support the proposal made by Metropolitan Mine. I am a local in the area, along with my entire family and most of my extended family. Having grown up in the Illawarra, coal has always been a major part of the local economy and local jobs. I support the ongoing production of coal in the Illawarra and hope that the coal mines in the area can continue to operate and create jobs in the local community for generations to come.

The proposed modification is consistent with the existing operation which has been operating for well over 100 years.
The environmental impacts have been well considered and managed.
Strategically, this operation mining high-quality metallurgical coal, is an important local supplier to the nearby Bluescope steelworks.
Continuing this operation will provide great economic benefit to the community through direct and indirect employment, royalties and taxes.

I object to the Metropolitan Coal Mine Modification 4 Longwall 317 and 318 Modification (MP08_0149-Mod-4 ‘Modification’) - reasons attached. I request that the Planning Minister refer this Modification to the Independent Planning Commission for a public meeting and determination