Modification 6 - underground mining extension

I strongly support the proposed continuation of mining operations at Ulan (Modification 6) as amended. For several decades, the Ulan Coal Mine has played a crucial role in shaping the socio-economic landscape of Ulan, Gulgong and Mudgee towns as well as the larger surrounding region. Its contributions to state and national economies are also significant.

Economic Impact
Approving this continuation project is essential for sustaining direct employment for the current workforce for an additional couple of years. It will also generate substantial economic activity that benefits the Mid-Western Regional Council local government area, as well as New South Wales and Australia as a whole.

Job Security and Local Business Stimulation
Ongoing operations at Ulan will enhance job security and stimulate local businesses, fostering positive growth within the regional community. This will ensure the community continues to thrive both economically and socially.

Commitment to Environmental Management
While supporting economic growth, it is equally important to acknowledge Ulan Coal Mine’s responsibility towards the natural environment and its capability to manage mining-related impacts. The mine is committed to maintaining effective measures to manage and mitigate these environmental impacts throughout the continuation of operations.

In conclusion, I urge decision-makers to approve the continuation of mining operations at Ulan. This project is vital for supporting local economies and communities while ensuring responsible management of mining-related impacts on the environment.

I support the Ulan Coal mine Mod 6 application. Ulan Coal is an existing mine that mines efficiently, employs many from the local community, along with supporting local industry, whilst providing a quality product to market that is necessary for energy production.

Submission in Opposition to Ulan Coal Mine Amended Modification 6
To: NSW Department of Planning and Environment
From: Melissa Gray
Date: January 26, 2026

My name is Melissa Gray, and I am writing to you today not just as a concerned citizen, but as someone who has dedicated years to the health of our rivers. I am a passionate paddler and advocate for the Wambuul-Macquarie River and the precious ecosystems it supports. I am writing to express my profound opposition to the Ulan Coal Mine Amended Modification 6.

The recent listing of the Macquarie Marshes as an Endangered Ecological Community under the EPBC Act was a moment of deep concern for me. It was a long-overdue recognition of the Marshes' incredible biodiversity and cultural significance. This is a place where the sky can be filled with waterbirds, a vital breeding ground for countless species, and a place of deep spiritual importance to the Wayilwan people.

This listing is a stark reminder of how close we are to losing this national treasure. The Marshes are on the brink of collapse, starved of the water they need to survive. The science is clear: the health of the Marshes is directly linked to the health of the Wambuul-Macquarie River and its tributaries, including the Talbragar River.

The Ulan Coal Mine's proposed expansion is a direct and unacceptable threat to the Macquarie Marshes. The mine's own modelling predicts a loss of base flows to the Talbragar River. This is water that would otherwise flow into the Macquarie River and, ultimately, to the Marshes.

To approve this modification, knowing that it would further deplete the water that the newly-listed Endangered Macquarie Marshes so desperately needs, would be an act of profound environmental negligence. It would be a betrayal of the trust that the community places in you to protect our shared natural heritage.

For me, this is not just about data and reports. It is about the future of the river that I love. I have spent countless hours on the banks of the Wambuul, watching the birds, feeling the rhythm of the water. I have seen the river in its glory, and I have seen it in its decline.

I cannot stand by and watch as a coal mine, in its pursuit of short-term profits, inflicts yet another wound on this already struggling river system. The damage that this mine will cause will be permanent. The loss of water will be felt for generations to come, long after the coal has been burned and the profits have been made.

I implore you to listen to the science, to listen to the community, and to listen to the river itself. I urge you to reject the Ulan Coal Mine Amended Modification 6..

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Melissa Gray

I strongly support Modification 6 as it will provide economic benefit to Ulan and the Mudgee region.

The project will secure ongoing jobs for local workers, strengthen the regional economy, and make the most of existing mine infrastructure.

Coal mining remains a vital industry for our community. Ulan has a strong record of safe and responsible operations, and I believe the proposed extension will continue that standard while ensuring long-term stability for local families and businesses.

I strongly support the approval of this modification.

I am writing to express my strong support for Modification 6 of the Ulan Underground Mining extension.
The Ulan Mine has been an important part of our local region for many years and continues to provide stable employment and economic security for families like mine. The proposed extension will allow ongoing operations, which is critical in maintaining jobs, supporting local businesses, and ensuring the long-term economic health of our community.
For families, the continuation of the Ulan Underground Mine provides certainty and stability. Secure employment means families can continue to live locally, support our children’s education, and contribute positively to the community. It allows families to plan for the future, remain in the region, and avoid the need to relocate for work. This stability is invaluable, particularly in regional areas where employment opportunities can be limited.
The mine also delivers broader community benefits. Local businesses rely on the mine and its workforce, from shops and services to contractors and suppliers. Continued operations help keep these businesses viable, strengthen the local economy, and support community facilities, sporting clubs, and community events. These contributions help maintain a strong and connected community.
Importantly, underground mining at Ulan has demonstrated that mining and community can coexist responsibly. With appropriate management and oversight, the extension can continue to deliver economic and social benefits while minimising impacts on the surrounding environment and community.
I believe Modification 6 is essential to ensuring the ongoing prosperity of our region. It supports local jobs, strengthens families, and helps sustain the community we are proud to be part of. For these reasons, I strongly support the approval of the Ulan Underground Mining Modification 6.
Thank you for considering my submission.

I fully support this project.

I support the project.

As a local in the region near Mudgee, I object to this Moolarben coal expansion modification on several grounds.

Firstly, this modifactions of this kind must be considered in light of the fact that there are three other such expansions proposed at the same time. Decisions must be made as to their cumulative impact on local flora, fauna, creeks, rivers and climate impacts (both from the mining process itself and from burning coal).

This proposal alone would produce an additional 18.8 million tonnes of coal and a 45% increase in total emissions above the already approved operations at the Ulan mine. What about the cumulative impacts of all three?

The loss of habitat for birds, mammals, insects, bats, and all species has not been considered. What are the combined damages left for future generations?

From my visits to Mudgee in the past year, the community are saying that the local workforce is being competed for by mines like this one when they are needed to help establish the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone. It seems illogical to pursue coal expansions when the workforce are needed to get going on the jobs of the future. Coal is a dead end for local jobs.

As an environmental educator and campaigner of many years, I am aware of the critically endangered status that has recently been given to the Murray River and parts supporting that system in our region. This expansion puts further stress on an already struggling river system which many are now seeking to protect.

Submission on Ulan Coal Mine – Amended Modification 6

Objection from a family member of the community

Name: [Your name]
Location: [Town / district]
Relationship to the area: I live in the Central West and intend to build my future here.

⸻

I am making this submission as a young family member who understands that planning decisions are rarely framed as final or transformational. They are often presented as incremental, technical, and time-limited — even when their combined effect is long-term and irreversible.

The amended Ulan Coal Mine Modification 6 proposal fits that pattern.

Mod 6 is being assessed as a narrow amendment, but in practice it functions as an enabling decision. It is required before Modification 8 can proceed, and without it, the broader expansion pathway stalls. Assessing these proposals separately creates the appearance of choice, while the overall direction is already set.

This approach may be procedurally convenient, but it is not transparent. It prevents decision-makers and the public from properly weighing the full scale of land disturbance, emissions, water loss, and cultural heritage impacts that will result if both modifications proceed. Once Mod 6 is approved, the debate about whether this expansion should occur at all is effectively closed.

As someone who will live with the consequences well beyond the current approval horizon, I am concerned that the risks of this decision are being displaced onto future generations through process design rather than openly acknowledged.

The handling of climate impacts illustrates this clearly. Mod 6 enables the extraction of an additional 18.8 million tonnes of coal. When combined with Modification 8, the increase in emissions is substantial, yet the assessment remains fragmented and incomplete. Methane emissions are not transparently reported, cumulative emissions across the Mudgee coal basin are not assessed together, and downstream emissions are treated as external to the decision.

This framing may satisfy minimum documentation requirements, but it does not reflect the reality that climate impacts accumulate and persist. For younger people, these emissions are not abstract figures. They translate into long-term environmental instability, water insecurity, and economic disruption that we will be expected to manage.

Environmental impacts are similarly compartmentalised. Each clearing footprint, subsidence area, or infrastructure corridor is assessed in isolation, even though threatened species such as the Large-eared Pied Bat, Eastern Cave Bat, Powerful Owl, Barking Owl, and Southern Myotis are experiencing cumulative habitat loss across multiple mining operations in the region.

This method of assessment creates a structural bias toward approval. No single step appears decisive, yet the overall outcome is the steady erosion of ecological systems beyond recovery. The same is true for the ongoing loss of Box Gum Woodland, a critically endangered ecological community whose regional decline cannot be addressed through project-by-project mitigation.

Water impacts are treated with similar caution in language but not in consequence. Underground mining alters groundwater systems that sustain baseflows to creeks and rivers over long timeframes. When Mod 6 is considered alongside existing approvals and the proposed Mod 8 expansion, the cumulative loss of flows to the Talbragar River becomes a regional issue, not a local one.

These impacts extend downstream through the Macquarie River system and ultimately affect the Macquarie Marshes. Framing water loss as incremental masks the reality that groundwater systems do not recover on political or approval cycles.

Aboriginal cultural heritage is also at risk of being diminished through process rather than intent. Assessing impacts site by site, without addressing cumulative loss across Country, treats cultural heritage as a compliance exercise rather than a living system of connection, meaning, and responsibility. On Wiradjuri Country, this approach results in permanent loss that cannot be offset or restored.

Finally, I am concerned by the continued reliance on employment narratives that no longer align with regional planning priorities. The Central West faces critical workforce shortages in housing, construction, agriculture, and renewable energy. The Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone requires skilled labour now, and the NSW Government has acknowledged the need to actively manage the transition away from coal dependence.

Extending coal mining through incremental approvals delays that transition and increases the risk that younger people inherit a region economically dependent on industries already in decline, rather than one positioned for long-term resilience.

This submission is not an argument against process. It is an argument against using process to avoid confronting cumulative reality.

I ask that Modification 6 not be assessed in isolation, and that Modification 6 and Modification 8 be considered together as a single proposal, with a comprehensive cumulative impact assessment that reflects the true scale of environmental, climate, cultural, and economic consequences.

Future generations should not bear the cost of decisions that were framed as too small to matter at the time.

Work and Live in the mudgee region, I’d like to see the extension approved.

We are deeply concerned about the proposal to expand the Ulan coal mine via Modification 6. If approved, this project will substantially increase carbon emissions and cause irreparable damage to native habitats and the broader local environment.
Increased carbon emissions will contribute to ongoing global heating and climate instability including devastating natural disasters. Having lived through the horrific 2019-20 bushfires in the Canberra region, it is unthinkable to us that coal mine expansions are even being considered in Australia.
We recognise that mining provides some employment, however this short-term benefit is significantly outweighed by the immediate and longer-term costs.
We have an urgent responsibility to current and future generations of Australians and people around the world to do more to combat climate change.
We implore the decision makers not to approve the proposed expansion of the Ulan coal mine.
J & A

Coal mining is the heart of Mudgee.

There are an overwhelming number of objections to this amended modification relating to potential damage to the local environment .
However we must also consider what the effect of this proposal would be on a larger, world wide scale. The Planet is experiencing almost daily climate related disasters caused by fossil fuel emissions. Australia is suffering simultaneous fire and flooding events. Drought and flooding are disrupting multiple places around the world. Food security is threatened in many communities. Sea levels are expected to continue rising due to heating of the oceans. Fossil fuel mining and use are responsible.
It is an acknowledged fact that no expansion of coal mining be allowed. This proposal could be judged on that fact alone.
For the sake of the Planet, and future generations , Ulan Coal Mine Amended Modification 6 must not be allowed to proceed.

I am currently employed at Ulan Coal Mine and fully support the proposed Mod 6 expansion. The project will secure ongoing jobs for local workers, strengthen the regional economy, and make the most of existing mine infrastructure.

Coal mining remains a vital industry for our community, providing reliable employment and contributing significantly to Australia’s energy needs and exports. Ulan has a strong record of safe and responsible operations, and I believe the proposed extension will continue that standard while ensuring long-term stability for local families and businesses.

I strongly support the approval of this modification.

I strongly object to this proposal on several grounds not least of which is that I live beside the Goulburn river and have already noticed the impact that the 3 local mines are are having on the water table and the normal river flows. This new project will further disturb the flow of water from exiting aquifers to the Talbrigar and Goulburn rivers.
mod 6 and Mod8 should be assessed together as a whole new project because they will not operate seperately but will have a cumulative effect and therefore a greater impact the flora , fauna, endangered species as well as the water and any aboriginal heritage in the area. It should be noted that all of these things currently exist in this environment but are being eliminated by the impacts of clearing, excavation, noise and dust pollution from Ulan , Molarban and Wilpinjong mines.
The amended report does not fully identify the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on the local environment as required under NSW planning laws. In fact it is estimated that emissions will increase by 45 per cent above current approvals.
Not only should Mods 6 and 8 be considered together but the impact of the other 2 mines in the area should be assessed collectively and not as single projects. The cumulative impact is most significant as it covers 100's of hectares of land and disrupts all the aquifers which supply water to both the Goulburn and Talbrgar rivers. These 3 mines adjoin each other and have an enormous impact on native species of plants and animals as well as the livelihood of neighbours who suffer noise, dust and traffic pollution for years. The regent honeyeater was once regularly seen in this area but is now relegated to acouple of small areas of protected habitat. The connection between the Munghorn Gap and Ulan and Wollar is irrevocably lost for them and their feeding and breeding cycle is disrupted along with several other endangered species. This could be ameliorated somewhat by not approving any further developement in this fagile zone.
As the current government objective is to foster renewable energy and phase out coal it would seem disingenuous to allow the continued expansion of coal mines in the middle of the CWOREZ. The coal produced is not for domestic use and is of no benefit to the peolple of NSW as all the profits and the coal are exported.
Neither is it about jobs as the workforce needed for the many renewable projects in the area is having to be imported from overseas due to a chronic shortage of local labour. mineworkers could easily transition to the renewable sector. the Mudgee region has many opportunities to diversify its economy.
last but not least is the overall contribution of this and all the other extension proposals to climate change. extreme weather events are becoming regular and increasingly destructive and most of the worlds scientists lay the blame on fossil fuel extraction and use. Now would be the ideal time to begin curtailing mine expansion in favour of energy sources which do not so directly contribute to climate change'

I am writing to express my strong support for Ulan Coal Modification 6 (Mod 6) and urge the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure to approve the amended application.

The Ulan Coal Complex is a critical employer and economic contributor to the region. In 2024 alone, it contributed approximately $846 million to the economy, supported 730 direct jobs, paid $115 million in wages, and engaged 920 suppliers with an annual spend of $469 million on goods and services

Approval of Mod 6 will provide certainty for the existing workforce, contractors, and local businesses that rely on the ongoing operation of the mine. Extending the life of mine through to 2035 will help secure long-term employment and maintain economic stability in the region.

Responsible Use of Existing Infrastructure

Modification 6 primarily involves extensions and minor adjustments to existing underground longwall panels (including extensions of LWW9–LWW11 and LW10–LW12, and a modest widening of LWW11) rather than the development of a new mining area
This approach represents a responsible and efficient use of established underground infrastructure and surface facilities, minimising additional disturbance while maximising the value of already-approved assets.

Regulatory and Planning Considerations

I note that the previous approval was set aside due to a technical legal issue, not due to environmental or operational failings. The application has now been amended to address the identified legal loophole and resubmitted for reassessment

I support the Department’s reassessment of the amended application and consider that this process appropriately resolves the procedural issue while maintaining the integrity of the planning system.

Community and Regional Benefits

Continued operation of Ulan Coal under Mod 6 will sustain regional investment, support local services, and maintain population stability in surrounding communities. The project delivers tangible social and economic benefits that extend well beyond the mine site itself.

Conclusion

For the reasons outlined above—economic contribution, job security, efficient use of existing infrastructure, and resolution of the prior legal technicality—I strongly support approval of Ulan Coal Modification 6.

I respectfully request that the Department approve the amended Mod 6 application so that mining operations can continue in a responsible, regulated, and economically beneficial manner.

I write this as an individual Australian citizen yet declare that I am an elected community representative on the local council that this proposal sits within. I am also a property owner down stream on the Goulburn river and directly impacted not just by this proposal but others .I am experiencing the impacts of climate change with many trees on my property that have until now survived more than a century but now can no longer survive the intense heat and extended dry summers that climate change is generating. Iron bark eucalyptus 140 years old or more are already dead. This project will add to that .The local ecology on the river has changed with different and varied river flows ,casuarinas no longer get a foothold on the rive banks to perpetuate their ecological function , this is just an example of the changes I have witnessed first hand . This area is of high and significant biological diversity .I have regent honey eaters nesting on my boundary ,I have seen Gang Gang parrots in the area .This project puts all that at risk.
As a councillor I can add testimony that climate change and its effects on extreme weather have added considerably to the cost of maintaining infrastructure within the LGA.
There is no way that the NSW government can convincing say they are meeting the expectation of abating the effects of climate change by approving this and for that matter other fossil fuel projects.
I hope that some form of self preservation and a logical sane response will prevail and this proposal will not be approved.
Thank you ..Rod Pryor.

I am a Mudgee local working in the mining industry and I support the continued expansion of our industry in an sustainable and ethical manner. The approval of this expansion will continue to provide hundreds of jobs locally and support ancillary employment throughout the region. Ulan is a low gas mine and will assist with the global transition to alternative energy whilst having no material impact on local or global climate change or climate related issues. This area cannot continue to flourish in the way that it currently is without well paying jobs for local people. If the high quality lifestyle that local Mudgee residents and visitors to the region (filled with multiple shops and restaurants, competition in the supermarket sector, mine funded doctors and community services) is to continue then we need the mining industry to continue.

Approval of the modification will see extended employment at Ulan Complex for Employees and contractors alike. Also the surrounding towns economies will benefit as the mine uses local suppliers where feasible and the majority of workers are local residents. Glencore also sponsor local community events and provide annual grants to local non for profit organisations. The government will also benefit from the continuing payments of various taxes and royalties.