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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

  • Simon Clough
    signed 2021-09-15 05:22:57 +1000
    We must keep prime agricultural land for farming. Feeding the people of the world is of primary importance
  • Christopher Pont
    signed 2021-09-15 05:21:08 +1000
  • Catherine Smith
    signed 2021-09-15 05:20:50 +1000
  • William Burgher
    signed 2021-09-15 05:19:59 +1000
  • Lyndal Breen
    signed via 2021-09-15 05:13:29 +1000
  • Kimber Stowe
    signed 2021-09-15 05:06:05 +1000
  • Gary Skinner
    signed 2021-09-15 04:48:27 +1000
  • Clyde Roberts
    signed 2021-09-15 04:38:14 +1000
  • debbie ellis
    signed 2021-09-15 04:02:02 +1000
  • Julia Tomkinson
    signed 2021-09-15 03:57:20 +1000
  • Bill Kavanagh
    signed 2021-09-15 03:49:05 +1000
  • Mark Hollinrake
    signed 2021-09-15 03:48:30 +1000
  • Bernice Curtis
    signed 2021-09-15 03:22:44 +1000
  • Anita Moss
    signed 2021-09-15 02:40:10 +1000
  • Garth Drake
    signed 2021-09-15 02:20:49 +1000
  • Nigel Tanner
    signed 2021-09-15 01:57:08 +1000
  • Bruce McQueen
    signed 2021-09-15 01:12:31 +1000
  • Rob Dexter
    signed 2021-09-15 01:06:23 +1000
  • Dianne Didomenico
    signed 2021-09-15 00:41:16 +1000
  • Mishael Jay
    signed 2021-09-15 00:38:33 +1000
  • John Edye
    signed 2021-09-15 00:24:40 +1000
    This is an incredibly important outcome for Bylong, the Stop New Coal movement, the Worlds Climate, for agriculture and for farmers.
  • Maurice Dowson
    signed 2021-09-15 00:20:26 +1000
    This is a wonderful decision, to prevent coal mining and a great chance to return the magnificent Bylong Valley BACK to its very valuable agricultural heritage.

    I respectfully urge KEPCO to ‘do the right thing’ and release the land back to farming.
  • David Moll
    signed 2021-09-15 00:02:31 +1000
  • Noel Evans
    signed 2021-09-14 23:56:14 +1000
  • Ruth Hardy
    signed 2021-09-14 23:55:34 +1000
  • Mike Robertson-cook
    signed 2021-09-14 23:48:32 +1000
  • Gabi Smalley
    signed 2021-09-14 23:46:20 +1000
  • Florence Benattar
    signed 2021-09-14 23:44:37 +1000
  • Richard Vaughan
    signed 2021-09-14 23:43:36 +1000
  • Sally Wylie
    signed 2021-09-14 23:42:47 +1000
    Please sell back the land to locals