Modification 6 - underground mining extension

This proposal represents a continuation of extractive practices that are fundamentally incompatible with the urgent environmental, social, and climate challenges we face. The expansion would result in further cumulative impacts on land, water, biodiversity, air quality, and surrounding communities, impacts that cannot be adequately mitigated or justified.
Environmental Impacts
The Mod 6 proposal would exacerbate disturbance to native vegetation, habitat connectivity, and threatened species. The ongoing expansion of open-cut mining in this region continues to fragment ecosystems and degrade landscapes that are already under significant stress. Rehabilitation claims remain largely theoretical, with long timeframes that do not address immediate and irreversible losses.
Water Resources
Further expansion poses unacceptable risks to surface and groundwater systems. The cumulative drawdown, contamination risks, and long-term uncertainty around aquifer recovery threaten both ecological systems and water security for surrounding landholders and future generations. Water is a finite and shared resource and should not be sacrificed for short-term extraction.
Air Quality and Human Health
Increased dust, particulate matter, and emissions associated with the expansion will negatively impact local air quality. These impacts pose real risks to community health, particularly for children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions. Continued approval of coal expansions places an unfair health burden on nearby communities.
Climate Change and Carbon Lock-in
Approving Mod 6 directly contradicts Australia’s climate commitments and the scientific consensus on the need to rapidly reduce fossil fuel extraction. Expanding coal production locks in emissions for decades and undermines efforts to transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy. Climate impacts are not abstract, they are already affecting communities, ecosystems, and food security.
Social and Intergenerational Equity
This proposal prioritises short-term corporate gain over long-term community wellbeing. Future generations will inherit the environmental degradation, climate impacts, and economic instability left behind when coal demand inevitably declines. Planning decisions must consider intergenerational justice, not just immediate profit.
For these reasons, I strongly oppose the Ulan Coal Mine Mod 6 expansion and urge decision-makers to reject this proposal. It is time to move away from further coal expansion and toward genuine investment in sustainable industries that protect communities, Country, and climate.

1. This Modification 6 must be assessed together with the Ulan Mod 8 proposal as a new project to provide
robust cumulative impact information.
2. The amendment report still fails to fully identify the impacts of the increased
greenhouse gas emissions on the local environment, community and economy, as
required under NSW planning law.
3. The proposal will produce an additional 18.8 million tons of coal and when combined
with Mod 8 (additional 43 MT) there will be over a 45% increase in total emissions above
current approved operations at Ulan Mine.
4. There is no assessment of cumulative impacts from existing mine approvals or
expansion proposals across the three Mudgee Mines: Ulan, Moolarben, Wilpinjong
5. The cumulative loss of threatened species habitat, significant Aboriginal cultural
heritage values, water from the landscape and flows to creeks and rivers, and threats to
amenity and livelihoods of neighbours has not been assessed
6. The proposal includes critical habitat of the Critically Endangered Regent Honeyeater, one of the most endangered birds in Australia, as well as the habitat of several other endangered woodland birds, including the Critically Endangered Swift Parrot and Endangered Barking Owl. Mining will remove their habitat.
7. The proposal is within the CWOREZ and is competing for regional workforce urgently
needed for new industries in the Central West
8. The proposal will place further pressure on already stressed surface and ground water
sources within the Murray Darling Basin
9. No new coal mining projects should be approved by the NSW government threatening our environment, polluting the atmosphere and contributing to life threatening climate change.

I am currently employed at Ulan Coal Mine and fully support the proposed Mod 6 extension. 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.

ULAN mod8 should be assessed as a new project
Loss of threatened species habitat
Significant aboriginal heritage values
Further pressure on ground water sources within the Murray Darling Basin

I object to further underground mining extension in the Mudgee area for multiple reasons. Firstly, this is a coal mining extension at a time when we know climate change is already happening across all the oceans and land globally. The intensification of natural hazards as a result of climate change, and the likelihood that we've already crossed tipping points causing significant changes to our world from anthropogenic climate change, warrants more action to stop this process, rather than an approval of extending coal extraction. The proposal will release more carbon emissions at a time when we need less.

Australia has shocking rates of native vegetation clearance and this extension will further disrupt local ecosystems. If approved, we will worsen our record and harm biodiversity, again at a time when we actually need more protection rather than exacerbation of environmental damage.

Connections to Country will be challenged by intensifying coal extraction as the integrity of local environments and non-human habitat will be threatened.

Taken together with other coal mine approvals for the area, the cumulative impact of this proposal need to be considered. Piecemeal assessment processes obscure the breadth and depth of the impacts on local habitats, including for koala, the regent honeyeater and the large-eared pied bat. Further, the hydrological disturbance from the proposed changes are underrated in the proposal. The waterways in this region are already severally affected by mining and this intensification will damage surface and groundwater systems further.

A just transition should be NSW government's focus in resource management, not deeper and broader coal mining activities, even if companies assert that these can be sustainable. As we continue to see multi-scaled impacts from coal mines around the world, clearly, they are not.

This and Mod 8 are co-dependent and are based on mining exploration licences, and are therefore new projects, not modifications. The damage already done to the environment, water resources, threatened and endangered wildlife and the local communities will just be magnified if this goes ahead, and cannot be ameliorated in the future.
As a former resident of Wollar, I have seen the large scale disruption of every facet of life by the mining giants who are only after bottom-line profits and have no regard for anything else. Community consultations are a farce, lip-service only.

I support MOD6 as it proposes extensions to longwall panels at Ulan Underground and Ulan West, providing an additional two years to life of mine. Mining has been an integral economic driver that has developed and provided real prosperity for regional NSW towns, particularly for towns such as Mudgee and Gulgong. Ulan Coal Mine continues to provide meaningful employment for the Mid Western Region and beyond, for which I support.

This is only part of what the mine has planned and should be looked at in conjunction with the Mod 8 proposal. The emissions that will be produced by the proposed increased production of this mine will have a long term effect on the local area. Already we are experiencing serious changes in our climate, particularly in regards to bushfires. This extension will also put added pressure on our precious ground water.

I support the Ulan Coal Modification 6 due to the manageable environmental impacts being significantly outweighed by the economic contribution to the local Region and ongoing employment opportunities for the existing workforce.

As someone who has worked in the industry, I recognise that vast benefits of the modification. In particular, the number of direct jobs, local suppliers, and local spending cannot be overlooked. The modification is vital to these workers, businesses, and their families that are supported by this economic contribution.

I support this modification for a number of reasons. This modification utilises existing infrastructure to continue the already successful, safe and environmentally sustainable extraction of a coal resource that is not only beneficial to NSW but more importantly, the local Mid-Western region. The modification will continue to provide many economic and social benefits to the region. Everyone knows (including detractors) that the economic benefits that Glencore (and neighbouring coal mines) provide to the region are immense - through wages being spent locally therefore supporting the myriad of local hospitality and tourism businesses, through opportunities for local businesses to work and grow with Glencore, through providing opportunities to local youth and jobseekers who then have the opportunity to stay in the region with family and friends and also the many community sponsorships and partnerships that Glencore provide to local groups and events. Without a continuance of operations, all of this goes away. For real social benefits to the wider community, you only have to look at Glencore's support for the Doctors 4 Mudgee program. With financial and strategic support from Glencore (and neighbouring coal mines and Mid-Western Regional Council), this program has significantly changed the lives of every Mid-Western Region resident by seeking, subsidising and securing a number of doctors within Mudgee and Gulgong at a time when medical practices in the area had closed their books to new patients and existing patients had to wait for up to a month to see a doctor, which placed even more pressure on staffing at Mudgee Hospital - ultimately the NSW Government. Again, without a successful, continuing mining operation, this type of tangible social benefit does not exist. Glencore have proven they can mine responsibly, efficiently and within the very strict regulatory requirements to mine in NSW. For these reasons (and many more), I believe that this modification should be approved.

I support this project.
I am familiar with the area having extended family in Gulgong.
I know how important the operation is to the prosperity of the local area.

The proposed modification does not represent a significant change to the existing operation and provides continued employment opportunities and other economic benefits to the Mudgee region.

Objection to Ulan Mod 6
While the proponent has made some amendments, the Mod 6 proposal is still inadequate, failing to fully identify the impacts of the increased greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) on the local environment, community and economy, as mandated under NSW planning law.
It absolutely must be assessed together with the Ulan Mod 8 proposal, as their cumulative impacts will be the reality; they do not emit in isolation.
This proposal would produce an extra 18.8MT of coal, and when combined with Mod 8's additional 43MT, would mean a 45% increase in total GHG emissions when burnt, as it would be. As a grandmother, I find this to be a heinous impact on my grandchildren's futures and should not be contemplated.
Already the area has three mines – Ulan, Moolarben and Wilpinjong – and the lack of cumulative assessment of them or their expansions does not mean less but more adverse impacts. Their adverse impacts in reality are cumulative. See no evil?
It is not only the GHG impacts that concern me. These mine proposals cause a cumulative loss of threatened species habitat, significant Aboriginal cultural heritage values, water from the landscape and flows to creeks and rivers, and threats to amenity and livelihoods of neighbours… and these have not been assessed.
It is ludicrous to consider expanding coal mining here when the proposal is within the Central West Renewable Energy Zone and would thus impede the state's transition to the safer climate we all want. Plus it would be competing for a regional workforce urgently needed for new industries in the Central West that have a future.

Ulan’s support has been a great benefit and its continuing operations allows for the community to thrive.

Glencore employees alot of persons in the area as well as employment opportunities in the external community through contractor services and suppliers, this extension of mining lease will continue these opportunities.
Glencore has helped many volunteer groups with grants including junior sporting groups and charity groups in the area.
I believe there are many more benefits that this extension offers the community including money into the community and growth of the Midwestern council area

I object to the proposed Ulan Coal Mine Modification 6 (App.No. MP08_0184-Mod-6) for the reasons outlined in the attached submission.

1. This expansion needs to be assessed together with the Ulan Mod 8 proposal as a new project to provide
robust cumulative impact information.There is no recognition that the Mod 8 proposal is dependent on Mod 6 before it can proceed. It is essential that both proposals are assessed together as a new project. Modifications remove independent scrutiny of the quality of impact assessment and remove community merit appeal
rights in the Land and Environment Court.
2. The amendment report still fails to fully identify the impacts of the increased
greenhouse gas emissions on the local environment, community and economy, as
required under NSW planning law. The assessment does not meet the requirement of the NSW EP&A Act to assess the environmental, social and environmental impacts of all GHG emissions, including Scope 3, as
ruled by the High Court under the Mt Pleasant Mine (Denman) decision.
3. The proposal is within the CWOREZ and is competing for regional workforce urgently
needed for new industries in the Central West. This project is a having a direct negative impact on the speed of renewable industries establishing in this area.
4. You may have noticed we are in climate breakdown and increasing the amount of coal dug up and burned - anywhere - is directly fuelling this climate breakdown. We as a society need to shift away from fossil fuels as fast as possible, not keep extending their mining and use. Can we stop committing society suicide?

Continued employment for workers and suppliers in this important industry
The coal industry helps run the budget in this country

As recreational pilots based in Rylstone NSW, we fly across NSW and have a birds eye view of what's going on across our state. It is a dismaying, ugly sight. NSW is being sacrificed to energy providers on all sides and it seems that successive NSW governments see only as far as their actual eyes can see - to the outer limits of the Sydney metropolitan area. Government, you need a better plan. NSW is running out of green space - our beautiful state is being denuded of forests at alarming rates. Animals and other living creatures are running out of places to live. Subsidence is real problem. Pollution from greenhouse gases is a real problem. Agricultural land is being bought up and destroyed. And I do not understand the message coming from the NSW and Federal governments about their support of green energy. I thought part of the government's plan was to transition miners into the green workforce? But if these large coal mining expansions are given the go-ahead, where will the government source its green energy workers?
I strongly object to this project.