Modification 5 Bloomfield Colliery Continuation Project

To whom it may concern,
Please see attached letter of support for the Modification 5 Bloomfield Colliery Continuation Project.
Many thanks
Belinda Clements

As a person who grew up at Metford near the mine I strongly support the Bloomfield Colliery Continuation Project.
As a business owner who provides goods and services to The Bloomfield Group at Bloomfield Colliery I strongly support the Bloomfield Colliery Continuation Project as not only does my Company enjoy the benefits of working with Bloomfield but so do my employees, of which many live in the Maitland area as does the wider community.

I object to the destruction of woodland containng Spotted Gum and Ironbark forest that provide habitat for the critically endangered Regent Honeyeater, Swift Parrot and Gang Gang Cockatoo species.

I have not been able to attach this as a PDF, on our letterhead as the heavy rain and cloud is interfering with the internet here. W Wales

Denman Aberdeen Muswellbrook Scone Healthy Environment Group Inc is located in the Upper Hunter coalfields. We are dedicated to providing community voice to industry and all levels of government in defense of our natural environment in the interests of human health and well being, and the protection of biodiversity.

DAMS HEG Inc objects to the extension and expansion of the Bloomfield Colliery.
We object because burning fossil fuels, including coal, is destabilising the earth’s climate equilibrium. Stable, habitable weather conditions, that have allowed humanity to flourish over millenia, are at tipping points.
Scientists from the IPCC advise the world has until 2030 to substantially reduce CO2 emissions to restrict global warming to 1.5C – obviously adding and cribbing more coal mining to 2035 is out of line. We have already touched 1.5C and NSW communities are already facing unprecedented catastrophic climate events.
Our unique natural heritage, what is left of it, has evolved over hundreds of millions years. So many species are now on the brink and could easily be lost within a generation or two. Is our greed, selfishness and apathy really going to win over the needs of our life support system, mother Earth?
As per the Hunter Regional Plan 2041, biodiversity habitat connections across the Four Mile creek (Bloomfield site) need to be maintained for species, including Koala, Pied Bat, Regent Honeyeater, Gang-gang Cockatoo, Swift Parrot, Greater Glider, Yellow-bellied Glider, New Holland Mouse and Spot-tailed Quoll.
Coal mining does not provide a true cost benefit analysis when the burden of climate impacts is factored in, nor even proper rehabilitation of the landscape. Offsets have been exposed as a flawed sleight of hand system which does not deliver like for like environmental outcomes.
This year record floods in central Queensland resulted in the drowning of 100,000 cattle. The flooding occurring as I write this submission has already exceeded previous flood events.* At the micro level, individual households outside these reported flood events are frequently experiencing inundation from stormwater runoff, roof leaks and sewerage overflows, as in Newcastle this week.
Coal mine expansion must be stopped - the safety of our communities and the climate depend on it.
The climate impact of the greater portion of the emissions, the Scope 3 emissions, must be properly considered. Clearly these extra emissions are incompatible with the world achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.
It is in bad faith to humanity and all of nature to keep exporting ever more thermal coal. Increasing CO2 emissions leads to hotter temperatures, drier conditions, more evaporation, greater temperature differentials, stronger winds and more extreme weather events, worse bushfires in Australia, as well as warmer ocean temperatures and adverse impacts on the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef.
In the unhappy event this expansion is approved, it is considered the best protection and outcomes for endangered species impacted would come from setting aside the untouched habitat on the Bloomfield site as biodiversity offsets and the same, adjacent to the nearby Stockrington State Conservation area.
*https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-20/weather-warnings-for-nsw-live-blog/105311220

HCEC objects to the Modification. See submission attached.

Re: State Significant Development Modification Application - Bloomfield Coal Mine Modification (MP07_0087-Mod-5)

Please find below some of my concerns about the current Modification Application.

Reducing Climate Impacts is Everyone’s Responsibility:
Collectively, we need to consider Scope 3 emissions associated with burning coal, regardless of who burns it. Continuing to export thermal coal from Australia will only reduce the world-wide likelihood of meeting the Paris Agreement emissions goals. Moreover, a wealthy country like Japan, which is Bloomfield’s largest customer, can easily afford to phase out coal-fired power and replace it with other forms of energy generation, including expanding its off-shore wind capabilities.

Sub-region Biodiversity Needs Strengthening:
In the current Hunter Regional Plan (HRP 2041), there are three clear goals for the ‘Four Mile Creek Precinct’ (which includes Bloomfield): “Encourage employment uses that leverage the access and proximity to M1 Pacific Motorway or rail infrastructure, including freight, warehousing and logistics, and that complement nearby centres”; “Repurpose existing infrastructure to support transition to new uses”; and “Conserve high environmental value lands” (see page 75 and Figure 11).

Importantly, the Bloomfield Colliery Continuation Project (2024/09978) is a “controlled action” under Commonwealth legislation [Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC) 1999].

The assessments associated with the current Modification Proposal underestimate the biodiversity significance of the Black Hill, Buttai and Buchanan areas. For example, potential impacts on critically endangered species, such as the Regent Honeyeater, were inadequate (e.g., failing to undertake targeted searches during breeding seasons). Food sources, such as flowering Spotted Gums, need to be better protected across this sub-region.

Additionally, if the current proposal is approved, it would be wise to require any biodiversity offsets to be located on the existing untouched Bloomfield site or on nearby Conservation Areas (e.g., improving connectivity and habitat protection) - to help ensure the best protection for endangered species.

Specifically, there are several nearby Conservation Areas (such as the Stockrington and Werekata State Conservation Areas, and the Abel-Donaldson Bushland Conservation Area) that need long-term protection and enhancement – which might be suitable locations for any additional biodiversity offset requirements.

Liveability Impacts on Nearby Residents:
After many, many decades of living with the Bloomfield operations, surely the nearby residents and communities deserve a respite (especially those in the Buttai Valley) – which they will currently get with the mine’s closure in 2030 (if the current modification is not approved). Furthermore, the current noise modelling indicates that 3 houses in Buttai will be affected by noise 3-5 dB above Project Noise Trigger Levels, suggesting that other residents in the Valley are also likely to be more affected by noise than they were previously. What can be done to ameliorate these noise impacts on residents?

Current Mining Extension is Not Needed:
It appears that the likely benefits of this proposal are overstated. For example, it is stated that this project “… provides the opportunity to mine an area of shallow historic underground workings, thereby removing the potential for subsidence and voids to occur at the surface and providing improved long term stability benefits for the final landform". Clearly, stabilising the area near the rail loop, and dealing with current and potential sink holes, is in Bloomfields’ interests – given the potential for the development of a future intermodal interchange. However, this relatively minor work could be done now, within the current approval (i.e., before 2030), and the additional coal extraction benefits would be minimal. With respect to employment benefits, most of the mines current workforce could probably be absorbed by other operations that the company conducts, such as the Rix's Creek mine.

Inconsistent with Council Strategic Plans:
Maitland and Cessnock Councils have Local Environmental Sustainability Strategies in place, which support community 20-year strategic plans (e.g., Living sustainably; protecting native plants and animals; improving the quality of waterways; recognising the value of open space and recreation; and so on). Delivering functional biodiversity corridors, and protecting important natural spaces, could be achieved by extensive rezoning of current mine buffer zones; for example, by recategorizing from zones C3/RU2 to C2 - further protecting local biodiversity corridors.

I strongly object to this expansion of this Coal Mine as the site is part of of the endangered Spotted gum/Iron bark (Eucalyptus maculata/Eucalyptus sideroxylon) community which is crucial habitat for the Critical Endangered Regent Honey Eater.
This bird species has been identified within this area.
The Biodiversity assessment report undertaken by EcoResolve was remiss in its lack of recordings of this bird.
Economically the proposal does not stack up in the Public Interest as large sums of public money has been spent in conjunction with Taronga Zoo undertaking a breeding program which will come to nought if this critical habitat is destroyed.
This is a typical situation where public funds will be squandered for private gain.

Please see attachment

The Bloomfield Colliery Continuation (BCC) - Mod 5 should be rejected by both the NSW Government, and the Commonwealth Government under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC).

Over the last decade I have both visited and occasionally lived with my family at Louth Park. Anyone who is familiar with the bush in the Lower Hunter should be aware of its natural beauty. However, few would be conscious of its function of supporting the native flora, fauna and waterways.

My objections to the BCC are primarily based on environmental issues. These also relate to the Bloomfield Colliery Continuation Project, Community Newsletter - April 2025. (See attached, if I can do so).

The area of bush that will be replaced by cattle grazing pastures is offensive. Bloomfield call this “rehabilitated” land. This is so they can extend their operations until 2035. So an Endangered Ecological Community (EEC) that has been assessed by independent experts will be totally destroyed, and replaced by cow pastures. For what? Their Community Newsletter advises that, “the proposed approved annual production level will be reduced”. So for a small amount of profit for Bloomfield, they propose destroying 51 hectares of EEC that has supported its flora, fauna and waterways for thousands of years. The yield from the coal extracted has to be weighed against the value of the 51 hectares of EEC.

The Bloomfield Newsletter refers to a biodiversity offset strategy which will address the ecological impacts associated with the “disturbance” of vegetation. The BCC is not going to “disturb” the vegetation. The proposal is to totally replace the EEC existing vegetation with cow pastures.

I am not convinced that people who live near an open cut mine are not impacted one way or another. I know people who live in the Upper Hunter who have coal dust throughout their houses; in their lungs; and in their living and working spaces. People who can, move away. Not many miners live near these open cuts. They live further afield in more environmentally favourable neighbourhoods. I’d be much happier if the government made it a condition of consent that the mine owners and senior management had to live closest to their mine. Off the topic I hear you say. No. With Bloomfield they have removed the native vegetation and mined. They have left a thin strip of vegetation around the edge so when people drive past all they see is trees, or Black Angus cattle grazing contentedly. This is a deceit.

The Newsletter also makes a point of how they invest in many community organisations in the local area through the Bloomfield Group Foundation. I would suggest that all developments similar to this should have their “donations”, which are really a sweetener to their local communities, managed by an independent trust. The amount of should be stipulated as $thousands pa, or a percentage of revenue.

For Bloomfield to say that their final lands is cattle grazing is dishonest. In a previous Licence application they said that one use could be a residential community, with shops, childcare, etc. There is no way that this huge area won’t be transferred into some realestate development. There will be little bush for the community to try to protect. And the Black Angus will have long gone to the abattoir. They will have served their purpose.

Finally, I ask that the independent professionals who have to assess this BCC - Mod 5 see it for what it is: the destruction of an EEC so they can develop the land at a later date.

I support the project for economic and employment availability reasons.

I Michele Keith of 9 Moore Road Bolwarra Heights object to the extension of Bloomfield mine because of:
- The clearing of endangered ecological communities of Spotted Gum Ironbark Forest that is foraging habitat for 8 endangered species.
- The approval of this extension contradicts the Maitland City Council, the State Government and the Federal Government strategies for the protection of endangered species.
- The extension of the mine contributes significantly to global warming and in particular the warming of the Maitland Environment.
- The unacceptable dust particles that continue to coat the people properties that border the mine in Ashtonfield.

It creates jobs
Provides more opportunities for the communities
Supports local companies and suppliers
It will result in a better environmental result when the time comes for the land rehabilitation

I work for this company for 10 years and they have been wonderful in supporting me through tough times. I wholeheartedly support this application as they give employment to lots of us in the community.