Modification 4 Longwall 317 and 318 Modification

See attachment. We object to the following potential outcomes if the proposal is approved. It will
1. produce emissions in excess of NSW targets
2. damage ecosystems
3. compromise our drinking water
4. risk a further upland swamp
5. produce limited economic and social benefit.
6. Furthermore it should be independently assessed.

I live in Thirroul NSW and very much appreciate the luxury of drinking high quality palatable drinking water available on my property.
I am of the view that the proposed longwall panels are too close to a major NSW Reservoir and longwall mining is capable of causing risks to existing water supply. I have seen images of already existing fracturing of rock layers involving damage to watercourses and upland swamps west of the Illawarra coastal plain which are believed to be a direct result of long-wall mining. And as I would like my grandchildren to be able to enjoy the same high quality drinking water amenity that I currently experience I believe the current application should be opposed.

Metropolitan Collieries provides invaluable jobs for employees and vendors employees in the Illawarra and surrounding areas

I support the mine extension

Modification 4 Longwall 317 and 318 Modification should NOT go ahead.
Metropolitan Collieries (Peabody) is NOT a good corporate citizen.
1/ It has been reported on multiple occasions for pollution.
2/Situated next to the oldest National Park - The Royal
and,
3/ underneath a reservoir supplying drinking water to my local area.

Firstly, see photographic attachments. The colliery regularly pollutes the Camp Gully Creek and Hacking Creek tributaries of the Port Hacking River - a water playground for locals and their families

This is also part of the Royal National Park. It is beyond time that this antiquated part of our history was closed down. It destroys the locality which is worth much more to New South Wales than this American owned company. It has shown that it cannot comply with hazardous waste exclusion. It has pretty well total disregard for it's locality. It should have been closed down years ago.

Finally, and most importantly, these longwall mines cut underneath the Woronora Reservoir, a key water supply for this part of Sutherland and Wollongong LGAs. Water is vastly more important than an American coal company. There has been subsidence and pollution that has been documented and is available to the NSW Government.
If the NSW Government cares about its constituents then it will say a FIRM NO to the request by a poor corporate And American company.

I am writing on behalf of members of the Shire Climate Action Network (ShireCAN), based in the Sutherland Shire, Sydney, to object to Modification 4 – Longwalls 317 and 318, Metropolitan Colliery. I will be outlining the key areas of concern as to why this submission is an objection in the attachment below.

I would like to thank the NSW government for their commitment to receiving and considering submissions to projects that have large and ongoing impacts to our local areas. I strongly object to the Metropolitan Mine Modification 4 proposed by Metropolitan Coal, a wholly owned subsidiary of Peabody Energy Australia Pty Ltd and the expansion and continued mining of coal from within the water catchment in Woronora Dam and near the Royal National Park. I currently live in Towradgi and am fortunate enough to have grown up in the Illawarra close to Maddens Plains, the Royal National Park and Woronora. I have often visited the Illawarra escarpment and Royal National Park for work as well as leisure and greatly appreciate the natural beauty and biodiversity of these places as well as their cultural value. I deeply care about protecting the environment and communities in this area where we rely on the Woronora Reservoir for drinking water.

The current application proposes to expand the existing Longwall 317 and create an additional Longwall (318) further west into the catchment as well as first workings mining to the west and further prolong the life of the coal mine and extraction of coal. These developments jeopardise the safety of the water catchment with the potential of pollution, water loss or disruption of supply to all people reliant on Woronora Reservoir for water. Woronora is a critical part of Sydney's drinking water supply and to risk this to expand fossil fuel extraction is reckless.

Besides drinking water the mining expansions could damage vulnerable ecosystems that support the network of biodiversity in area. Harming ecosystems high in the catchment has obvious negative effects for all downstream ecosystems and so can flow on far further than just the proposed expansion. The mine expansion will also have indirect impacts on all ecosystems by prolonging the use and amount of greenhouse gas emissions. As long as carbon dioxide and methane are being released into the atmosphere climate change impacts will continue to grow and worsen causing stress to all environments and potentially increasing bushfire risk, drought and/or storm damage locally. With a net zero target for 2050 it is far from prudent to be approving and facilitating more coal mining, especially with so many other risks involved.

The modifications proposed, particularly additional Longwall (318) and first workings, are in land as yet not owned by the company which makes them likely set up for further mining opportunities that maybe uncovered. The modification is projected to produce a total of 10.703 Mt CO2 -e in emissions, which may be under reported (see https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/australias-methane-challenge-fossil-fuels-agriculture-waste/). This will only further prolong the life of the coal mine, greenhouse case emissions and line the pockets of a foreign corporation that is inadequately taxed.

We need to begin developing a just transition away from fossil fuels and fossil fuel industry, supporting workers and communities to reskill and find work in alternative industries, rather than putting all our futures at risk from climate change and most directly the safety of drinking water for Sydney and surrounds, the biodiversity of those natural areas and the cultural value of the Illawarra escarpment.

For the reasons above, I strongly object to Modification 4 Longwall 317 and 318 Modification of the Metropolitan Mine. I urge the Minister to reject this proposal in order to protect our water, environment, and climate.

I strongly object to the proposed Modification at the Metropolitan Colliery. Peabody Energy has a well-documented history of environmental damage in this area, including repeated pollution events where coal fines and sediment discharged into Camp Gully Creek and the Hacking River system, contaminating waterways that flow through the Royal National Park. In 2022 the company was prosecuted after waterways downstream of the mine filled with congealed black coal sludge. Yet despite this conviction and repeated EPA warnings, new discharges continued in 2023, leaving the riverbeds still contaminated years later. These fines are negligible compared to the company’s profits and have proven ineffective in preventing further pollution.

Beyond water contamination, the physical impacts of underground mining in this fragile landscape have been devastating. I worked in the Sydney water catchment area conducting environmental surveys, and I personally observed large cracks in the sandstone riverbed of the Waratah Rivulet, caused by subsidence from longwall mining in 2023, see image attached (Image GPS -34.1913455, 150.9395504). Some cracks stretched over 10 metres in length and up to 5 inches across. These fractures drained endangered upland swamps and streams, robbing them of water and destroying delicate ecosystems. This direct loss of surface water from the catchment has permanent consequences for both biodiversity and the long-term integrity of Sydney’s drinking water supply.

The Metropolitan Colliery has already demonstrated that it cannot operate without causing repeated, serious, and ongoing environmental harm. To allow an expansion of longwall mining in such a sensitive area, knowing the consequences for water quality, riverbed stability, and endangered ecosystems would be reckless. The government has a responsibility to protect the Royal National Park, one of Australia’s most precious natural assets, from further damage. This project should be rejected outright.

I am a constituent of the NSW Wollongong Electorate. I love this region and wish for my family (including 2 grandchildren) are just as blessed with an enjoyable environment and air quality. One to be preserved and improved for all families and citizens in this region. As such, I am extremely worried about the proposed expansion/extension/modification request by Peabody Australia Pty Ltd for the Metropolitan Mine for LONGWALLS 317 AND 318 MODIFICATION Application No. MP08_0149-Mod-4.
Most disturbing is that a successful application means more longwall mining under our water catchment. The water source for 5.3 million people and thousands more residents over the next 10 years. It also encroaches on the Woronora Special Area. The facts add up to a recipe for disaster.
I request the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces ensure this application is referred to the Independent Planning Commission so that we all get an opportunity to voice our very deep-seated concerns and in depth investigation.
This mine application should not be approved for the following reasons:
1. We are in a climate crisis as acknowledged by IPC and State of Climate Report (2024) and felt by our residents over the several years from floods.
2. Longwall mining by Peabody in this area has already caused fractures to rock base meaning that swamps are drained and biodiversity lost.
3. Loss of swamps to hold water and release gradually means less water in our catchment area and reservoir.
4. Loss of swamps also means the loss of biodiversity essential in filtering the water flow into our reservoir equalling more pollution.
5. Peabody Pty Ltd has:
been non-compliant with the environmental laws in past such as polluting the Hacking River
this mine extension will result in higher emissions further fuelling climate crisis
mines in the Illawarra area are known for high gas measures such as the dangerous methane emissions
6. It is very difficult to believe that NSW is only 4% off the 2030 target to reduce carbon emissions when coal mines continue to get approval to expand and belch out pollution into the atmosphere. A recent (2025) decision by the International Court of Justice states countries are responsible for stage 3 emissions as well as stage 1 and 2. This includes Australia. Further methane is notoriously difficult to measure and often under reported. Local coal mines are known to be particularly gaseous. In addition, Australia’s carbon emissions are increasing.
7. All this negatively (air pollution, environment destruction) affects our drinking water, health and quality of life here in the Wollongong Electorate. Time to change the paradigm!

Ken Henry waded in the other day saying that with our fixing the environmental laws, there will be no productivity gains.

I very strongly object to this modification application to Metropolitan Mine 317 and 318.
Therefore, as stated above I request that the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces ensure this application is referred to the Independent Planning Commission so that we all get an opportunity to voice our very deep-seated concerns.

We object to the proposed Modification on a number of grounds, including threats to water quality in the Sydney and Illawarra drinking water catchments.

Supporting local jobs into the future

Peabody, operates the Metropolitan Mine in the Illawarra and I support its bid to extend it's operation to at least 2031.

I can’t believe this is even being considered!! This is our water supply!!! Royal National Park at risk. They have a history of polluting the water we drink. And the damage this would cause is irreversible. Gluing sandstone together and for what Coal??!! Strongly object. Just say no.

no mining should be aloud in the waterways, this is directly effecting the native wildlife and environment negatively

I am an employee of Port Kembla Coal Terminal and the future of Metropolitan Mine is critical to my employment. With the closure of other mines in the area the throughput at PKCT has reduced to a point where any further mine closures will more than likely effect my employment.

I support the submission

I object to the proposal. I live in the Illawarra area and believe in the preservation of our natural environment. My participation in bushcare groups and objecting harmful proposals are ways I care for the environment. The proposal will be a risk to ecosystems, swamps and endangered flora. More than ever we need to focus on preserving the natural environment we have left and move away from coal mining operations. For the reasons above, I strongly object to Modification 4 Longwall 317 and 318 Modification of the Metropolitan Mine. I urge the Minister to reject this proposal in order to protect our water, environment, and climate.

We do not need to be opening new coal mines especially near our essential and limited water sources by a company that has been fined multiple times for pollution. The national park and waterways also are home to multiple threatened and endangered species this is a terrible idea and only harms Australians and our fragile ecosystems. This company cannot under any circumstances be trusted to operate near such an essential resource.

This should have never been approved in the first place. It should never be extended. Our precious waterways are the life of our existence. History of pollution irreversible damage. The Royal National Park should not be put at risk. Our flora and fauna should be protected not sold out for coal mining. Stop this now!