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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

  • Michael Oldfield
    signed 2021-09-14 17:42:38 +1000
  • Barry Mews
    signed 2021-09-14 17:42:02 +1000
  • Robin Humphrey
    signed 2021-09-14 17:42:02 +1000
  • Craig Watson
    signed 2021-09-14 17:41:52 +1000
    A great outcome only bettered by a return to farming
  • Seán Burke
    signed 2021-09-14 17:41:42 +1000
  • Christine Hugo
    signed 2021-09-14 17:41:42 +1000
  • Annette Morris
    signed 2021-09-14 17:40:45 +1000
  • Jens Svensson
    signed 2021-09-14 17:40:36 +1000
  • Fraser Rowe
    signed 2021-09-14 17:40:21 +1000
  • Kaye Beckwith
    signed 2021-09-14 17:40:21 +1000
  • Norman  Eric Davis
    signed 2021-09-14 17:40:19 +1000
  • Gina Richter
    signed 2021-09-14 17:40:07 +1000
  • Sonya Gillies
    signed 2021-09-14 17:40:04 +1000
    This is prime agricultural land. Restore it to farming families – not big agribusiness- so a thriving community can re-grow in the Bylong Valley.
  • Jacque Alway
    signed 2021-09-14 17:39:21 +1000
  • John Philpott
    signed 2021-09-14 17:39:21 +1000
  • Lindy Jones
    signed 2021-09-14 17:39:19 +1000
  • Robert Mylchreest
    signed 2021-09-14 17:38:54 +1000
  • Emmanuel Fardoulis
    signed 2021-09-14 17:38:43 +1000
    As you know coal and other fossil fuels are out.
  • Boudicca Cerese
    signed 2021-09-14 17:38:18 +1000
  • Megan McMurchy
    signed 2021-09-14 17:37:52 +1000
  • Merilyn Cox
    signed 2021-09-14 17:37:47 +1000
  • Malcolm Robertson
    signed 2021-09-14 17:37:26 +1000
    This land would be much better utilized for agricultural purposes.
  • Robert Glasson
    signed 2021-09-14 17:37:16 +1000
  • Jill Lyons
    signed 2021-09-14 17:37:11 +1000
  • Robynne Burchell
    signed 2021-09-14 17:37:08 +1000
  • Kaye Osborn
    signed 2021-09-14 17:37:06 +1000
    The site of the proposed Kepco mine is important farmland for Australia. Please be ensure that the next land use for this site is environmentally sensitive agriculture. Thank you.
  • Alison Bencke
    signed 2021-09-14 17:37:03 +1000
    Novel idea? Do the right thing and sell this land back to regenerative farmers
  • Volker Pfannenberg
    signed 2021-09-14 17:36:48 +1000
  • Gail Kerr
    signed 2021-09-14 17:36:15 +1000
    Land is more productive in local hands. Please let the people who love it look after it.
  • Karis Muller Sanderson
    signed 2021-09-14 17:36:10 +1000
    Clean water, unpolluted soil and neither chemical food production nor cotton but careful , respectful use of land to grow food avoiding logging native trees as well as avoiding the methane and co2 emissions fossil fuel production produces, all these are essential for the future.