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KEPCO Open Letter

Can you help us get the ear of the KEPCO CEO? We're calling on him to sell the land back for agriculture so our community can rebuild. Will you join us?

Phill Kennedy, President, Bylong Valley Protection Alliance


Dear Cheong Seung-il, CEO, KEPCO,

Today the NSW Court of Appeal ruled against KEPCO on appeal which means that the proposed Bylong coal project cannot proceed.

We, the undersigned, are calling on you to respond by relinquishing the exploration lease for the project and selling the land back to agricultural interests. We can see no valid basis for KEPCO to continue with the project. 

The Bylong proposal is beset by severe environmental, social and economic risks. There is fierce and widespread opposition to the project in Australia and both of KEPCO’s legal challenges have failed.

It is also a legacy project planned and conceived many years ago that now has no place given the energy transformation that is underway. 

South Korea’s new electricity plan - finalised in December 2020 - will see thermal coal consumption drop by almost 19 million tonnes per annum by 2030.  The Bylong coal project is inconsistent with this Green New Deal that is underway.

We note that KEPCO has advised the Korean Government that they have recently had an offer for purchase of the land from agricultural interests.

In order to avoid sinking yet more large sums of money into a stranded asset that will besmirch KEPCO’s reputation, we encourage you to relinquish the exploration lease and enable the land to be returned to agriculture and nature conservation.

Regenerative agriculture and carbon farming at Bylong would provide a global climate benefit that would be a credit to KEPCO.

Please act now to relinquish the exploration lease and enable the local community to rebuild around a new, clean future.

Will you sign?


Showing 30 reactions

  • Elizabeth Cook
    signed 2021-09-15 12:13:58 +1000
  • Neil Rasmussen
    signed 2021-09-15 12:13:06 +1000
  • Robert Morison
    signed 2021-09-15 12:05:34 +1000
  • Elizabeth Finck
    signed 2021-09-15 12:04:42 +1000
  • Diana Corbyn
    signed 2021-09-15 12:03:23 +1000
  • Warren Birkinshaw
    signed 2021-09-15 12:02:18 +1000
    We need to protect agricultural land, particularly when it is so valuable as it is in this location
  • Roger Sharpe
    signed 2021-09-15 12:02:17 +1000
    please respect our choice in Australia to get out of coal mining, and give land back to farmers
  • Kate Yanz
    signed 2021-09-15 12:02:17 +1000
  • Jennifer Britt
    signed 2021-09-15 12:00:59 +1000
  • Douglas Brown
    signed 2021-09-15 12:00:14 +1000
  • Susan Brookes
    signed 2021-09-15 11:54:37 +1000
  • Sharon Burston
    signed 2021-09-15 11:53:17 +1000
  • Frank McKone
    signed 2021-09-15 11:53:03 +1000
    Regenerative agriculture is the right way to use the land to alleviate the effects of climate change. Coal mining would be the worst thing we could do.
  • Janet Maloney
    signed 2021-09-15 11:52:37 +1000
    This is woncderful news, tbankyou for your work.
  • Greg Gilbert
    signed 2021-09-15 11:36:40 +1000
  • Anne McAlpine
    signed 2021-09-15 11:35:49 +1000
    Great oportunity for this land to be regenerated for our wildlife too
  • Phillip Wilson
    signed 2021-09-15 11:33:07 +1000
  • David Wall
    signed via 2021-09-15 11:32:28 +1000
  • Eideard M"Cormaig-Beckett.
    signed 2021-09-15 11:30:26 +1000
  • Christine Mallet
    signed 2021-09-15 11:30:06 +1000
  • Judith Cullen
    signed 2021-09-15 11:21:08 +1000
  • Catherine Laudine
    signed 2021-09-15 11:18:18 +1000
  • Bernadine Morgan
    signed 2021-09-15 11:13:28 +1000
    Why not get together a consortium of small farmers young and old – those wanting to practice regenerative agriculture. Wow …. It’s the way of the future! Better than another overseas mega MN that would just continue to degrade the land. Include a LARGE proportion of indigenous folk to keep us on track! Thanks
  • Sabrina Decker
    signed 2021-09-15 11:13:22 +1000
  • Michael Cox
    signed 2021-09-15 11:12:41 +1000
  • Frances Myers
    signed 2021-09-15 11:12:09 +1000
  • Eric Neira
    signed 2021-09-15 11:12:05 +1000
  • Lorraine Bull
    signed 2021-09-15 11:04:57 +1000
    Agricultural land is selling well. Kepco should sell now
  • Martin Oliver
    signed 2021-09-15 11:00:13 +1000
  • Glenys Davies
    signed 2021-09-15 10:59:33 +1000