Expanding this project goes directly against the Net Zero Authorities (ie the Governments) own CO2 emissions targets.
We are in a climate crisis. We need to be expanding renewable energy projects. Not more fossil fuel projects.

With our livelihood coming from farming it would have a detriment effect to our farm and our stock.

I object to the Mt Pleasant Coal Mine Mod 8 - extension of mine life for the following reasons:
Coal is on the way out - time to stop stalling its inevitable end.
Continued negative impacts of this coalmine on biodiversity, air, water and communities are unacceptable.
There are alternatives to coal such as renewable energy which is now being rolled out across the Hunter REZ, and if that's still insufficient then gas can be used during the transition.
The NSW Net Zero Commission stated that continued extensions to coal mining in NSW are not consistent with our state's climate laws or the Paris Agreement.
Therefore the impacts of greenhouse emissions must be considered in NSW coal mine approvals.

I am writing to express my strong support for Modification 8 (MOD 8) for the Mount Pleasant Operation.
I have been part of the Mount Pleasant journey for many years. I first joined the project in 2017 during the construction and start‑up phase — a rare opportunity for a mining engineer to help build a mine from the ground up. I returned in March 2023 and now have the privilege of serving as one of the senior leaders within the operation. My entire family lives within the Hunter Region, and I am deeply committed to the future of this community and the people who rely on Mount Pleasant.
Mount Pleasant is a major employer and economic driver for the Upper Hunter. We currently employ approximately 700 direct employees, with a further 300 contractors engaged in expansionary works. These are real jobs — stable, well‑paid, long‑term roles that support families, mortgages, apprenticeships, and local businesses.
Our supply chain is equally significant. Around 20% of our total supplier spend goes directly to local businesses, including countless small and medium local enterprises. These businesses rely on Mount Pleasant for continuity and growth, and the flow‑on benefits to the local economy are substantial.
MOD 8 is essential to securing these jobs and the livelihoods behind them. It provides certainty for workers, contractors, and the many businesses that depend on the operation.
Since the primary consent (SSD‑10418) was granted in September 2022, Mount Pleasant has been the subject of ongoing legal challenges. This prolonged uncertainty has had a real and detrimental impact on the Upper Hunter community.
Local residents, business owners, and representatives from the Muswellbrook Chamber of Commerce and Industry regularly approach me seeking clarity on the project’s approval status. They express genuine concern about the future of their businesses, their employees, and the broader economic stability of the region.
This uncertainty is also deeply felt within our workforce. Through my regular interactions with employees and project teams, it is clear that people are anxious about the future. These are individuals with families and long‑term commitments to the Hunter. They deserve clarity and confidence about the continuity of their employment.
MOD 8 provides a pathway to restore that confidence. It offers stability for a community that has lived with prolonged doubt despite the project’s strong operational performance, responsible management, and significant economic and social contribution.
We take our environmental responsibilities seriously. Mount Pleasant is delivering industry‑leading rehabilitation outcomes, acknowledged by the Resource Regulator. We are also investing in cutting‑edge air quality monitoring technology to ensure we operate harmoniously with our local community and continue to minimise impacts.
Our commitment to responsible resource management underpins everything we do.
Mount Pleasant is deeply embedded in the Upper Hunter community. Through the Aboriginal Community Development Fund (ACDF), we invest in programs that support health, education, cultural development, and economic participation for Aboriginal communities in the region.
We also focus on improving the liveability of our feeder communities by supporting local services, sporting clubs, and community groups. These partnerships strengthen the social fabric of the region and create opportunities for young people.
Our four University of Newcastle scholarships — two in engineering, one in education, and one in medicine — are targeted at local students. The goal is simple: help local young people gain qualifications and then return to the region as teachers, doctors, and engineers. These are the professions our communities urgently need.
We regularly receive positive feedback from the groups we support, and while the scholarship program is still in its early stages, it is already generating strong interest and optimism.
MOD 8 is essential for securing the future of Mount Pleasant and the future of the Upper Hunter communities that depend on it. It supports more than 1,000 jobs, strengthens local businesses, contributes to domestic and international energy security, and enables continued investment in community programs that make a real difference.
As someone who has helped build this operation from its earliest days and now leads it, I strongly support MOD 8. It is the right decision for workers, for families, for local businesses, and for the long‑term stability of the region.

•    This Modification will have significant social and environmental impacts, including:
    ◦    air quality
    ◦    greenhouse gas emissions 
    ▪    1.5 million tonnes of local greenhouse gas pollution over the next 10years in NSW
    ▪    over 100 million tonnes of downstream emissions
    ▪    all at a time when NSW is NOT on track to meet its legislated 2030 or 2050 emissions reductions targets.
    ◦    noise and blasting
    ◦    unacceptable risks to our water quality and quantity - the lifeblood of our industry and community
    ◦    landscape and visual amenity - not a soft issue for any community.
 
    •    The community has not been given procedural fairness to provide informed comment on this Modification
    ◦    Neither 14 nor 21 days are considered fair to digest and assess over 3,400 pages of highly complex, technical reports affecting our livelihoods, our future and future generations.
 
    •    This modification is NOT in the public interest - because:
    ◦    it does not meet the Government’s ecologically sustainable development principles - particularly inter-generational equity
    ◦    it does not meet the Government’s legislated Net Zero Emissions targets
    ◦    It is in direct opposition to the NSW Net Zero Commission’s advice (December 2025) that “continued extensions or expansions to coal mining in NSW are not consistent” with NSW climate law.
 
    •    The speed with which this Modification is being rushed through the planning process does not engender trust in our community.
    ◦    It is contrary to the Department’s community participation plan and the principles of respect, collaboration, communication and trust included therein.
 
    •    In our view, it is inappropriate that this Modification 8 is being rushed through at this time.
    ◦    Mt Pleasant had lodged a similar modification (Mod 7) some years ago but chose to withdraw it.
    ◦    Why is the Department rushing this application through when MACH Energy is before the High Court on its Optimisation Project?
    ◦    Rushing this proposal through the planning system before the High Court’s judgment is risky, confusing, environmentally damaging and diminishing trust in the public planning process.
 
    •    This Modification is not substantially the same as the current approval.  It is environmentally harmful, has no social license. It is not in the public interest and should be refused.

I write to express my strong support for the approval of Modification 8 to Development Consent DA 92/97 for the Mount Pleasant Operation.

I grew up in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales and currently live in the Maitland Local Government Area, where my partner and I are raising our children. My immediate family and much of my extended family also live in the Hunter Valley, and the region has always been home for us.

I have been employed with MACH Energy for nearly seven years, joining the company around the time the Mount Pleasant Operation produced its first coal. My employment with MACH Energy is critical in supporting my family and providing financial stability for our household. Like many families in the Hunter Vally, our livelihoods are closely connected to the opportunities provided by the mining industry.

For my family, the Mount Pleasant Operation represents job security, financial stability and the ability to continue living locally in the Hunter Valley close to family and community. The operation provides meaningful employment for many local people and supports a wide network of contractors, suppliers and small businesses throughout the region.

I have also seen firsthand the important role Mount Pleasant plays in supporting the local community through investment in the local Indigenous community, schools, sporting clubs and other community organisations. These types of contributions help strengthen the communities where we live.

The proposed modification supports the continuation of an existing operation that is already well established in the region.

The Hunter Valley is currently experiencing a period of transition as some long-standing projects begin to wind down or move toward closure. At a time when other major operations in the region are nearing the end of their life, the continued operation of Mount Pleasant provides important stability for workers, local businesses, and families like mine. It allows people like myself to continue building our careers locally rather than having to leave the region to find employment elsewhere.

Reliable and affordable electricity is also important for households. Like many families, our electricity bill has become one of our major household expenses. Ensuring the state continues to have reliable energy supply is important for keeping costs manageable for families and businesses. Coal continues to play a role in supporting the reliability and stability of the electricity system as the energy sector evolves.

For my family, certainty around the future of Mount Pleasant means we can continue living and working in the Hunter Valley, close to our extended family and community, and plan for the future with confidence.

For these reasons, I strongly support the approval of Modification 8 to Development Consent DA 92/97.

• The community has not been adequate time to provide informed comment on this Modification which contains thousands of pages and is highly technical.
• This Modification will have significant social and environmental impacts, including:
o adversely impacting air quality
o significantly increasing greenhouse gas emissions with 1.5 million tonnes of local greenhouse gas pollution over the next 10years in NSW and over 100 million tonnes of downstream emissions all at a time when NSW is NOT on track to meet its legislated 2030 or 2050 emissions reductions targets.
o noise and blasting
o unacceptable risks to our water quality and quantity - the lifeblood of our agricultural industry and community
o landscape and visual amenity - these mines are a complete eyesore and totally detract from the beauty of the Hunter Valley
This proposed modification is significantly different to the current approval and it should not be approved on the grounds it is a modificiation, when it appears to be more akin to a major expansion.

Having worked at Mount Pleasant for 12 months and continuing to work for a company that supplies services to Mount Pleasant Operations this operation was a big part of my life. I lived in the local area and the site provided an income to fund a lifestyle I desired. I created incredible friendships through this site playing sports of local teams in Muswellbrook as well as going for dinners at local restaurants. Working at Mount Pleasant provided myself with financial stability and security. Additionally, working at Mount Pleasant meant I could pursue a professional career in Mining and enjoy a residential lifestyle close to friends and family in the local Newcastle area and go home to my own place every afternoon following work.
I believe Mount Pleasant Operation benefits young people like myself in particular who desire a career in mining but wish to live close to the coast and go home to their partner/ pets or family every evening.

Finn Valley has experienced significant growth as a direct result of the development and expansion of the Mount Pleasant Operation. This growth has enabled our company to establish a dedicated mining division and expand our service capability within the resources sector. Importantly, this development has created meaningful employment opportunities for local workers and enabled us to engage a range of local contractors, directly supporting the regional workforce and local supply chain.

I have personally been involved with the Mount Pleasant Operation since its inception in 2017. Through our civil contracting works associated with the project, Finn Valley has employed up to 30 full-time personnel dedicated specifically to Mount Pleasant at various stages. These employees have been able to establish their homes in the Muswellbrook region, raising families and contributing to local schools, businesses, and community organisations. This demonstrates the tangible and lasting community benefits that flow from stable mining operations in the Upper Hunter.
At a time when our region is undergoing significant economic transition, the Mount Pleasant Operation provides critical stability for the local economy. The project supports more than 1,000 local jobs and generates substantial economic activity across the Hunter Valley through the engagement of local contractors, suppliers, and service providers.
Approval of MOD 8 is therefore critical. It provides the long-term certainty that businesses like Finn Valley require to maintain employment, invest in capability, and plan for the future with confidence. Without this certainty, businesses across the region face ongoing uncertainty that limits investment and restricts the ability to sustainably grow our workforce.

For several years, the local business community has operated under uncertainty regarding the long-term future of Mount Pleasant. Long-term operational certainty is essential for maintaining employment, supporting apprenticeships and training opportunities, and ensuring that local businesses can continue contributing to the economic strength of the Upper Hunter region.

MOD 8 will secure the continuity of an operation that supports not only Finn Valley but a broad network of regional suppliers and service providers. The approval of this modification will play an important role in sustaining employment, strengthening local industry capability, and ensuring continued economic resilience across the Hunter Valley.
For these reasons, Finn Valley strongly supports the approval of MOD 8.

I object to the proposal (Mt Pleasant Coal Mine - Mod-8). Please see my attachment containing my full submission.
Kind regards,
Sue Abbott