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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

  • Jan Lacey
    signed 2021-09-14 17:35:53 +1000
  • Alan Outhred
    signed 2021-09-14 17:35:52 +1000
  • Patricia Lowry
    signed 2021-09-14 17:35:45 +1000
    Very pleased with result. Hopefully this land can be rehabilitated in the best possible way to assist the farmers, the community and the environment.
  • John L Hayes
    signed 2021-09-14 17:35:43 +1000
    Good agricultural practices returning to the Bylong Valley will help to restore this beautiful and tranquil place, and help Nature to heal.
  • Graham King
    signed 2021-09-14 17:35:36 +1000
    We must restore much of this continent’s razed land to a natural wild land.
  • David Lynch
    signed 2021-09-14 17:35:03 +1000
    At long last sense has prevailed. Jenny and I earnestly hope to see the Bylong valley returned to stability in order to maintain the prime agricultural purposes and operations that this beautiful valley represents.

    David and jenny Lynch
  • Damien Morgan
    signed 2021-09-14 17:34:46 +1000
  • Renee Engl
    signed 2021-09-14 17:34:42 +1000
  • Trevor Ockenden
    signed 2021-09-14 17:34:37 +1000
    Well done. Yes I will sign the open letter as I couldn’t think of a better outcome other than to return it nature.
  • Leah Power
    signed 2021-09-14 17:34:35 +1000
  • Bill Mckay
    signed 2021-09-14 17:34:35 +1000
  • David Phelps
    signed 2021-09-14 17:34:12 +1000
    Common sense has prevailed. Kepco must rid themselves of this land. As this letter states that the should become land for; Regenerative agriculture and carbon farming at Bylong would provide a global climate benefit that would be a credit to KEPCO.
  • Vivien Smith
    signed 2021-09-14 17:33:59 +1000
    Yaaay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Frankie Seymour
    signed 2021-09-14 17:33:49 +1000
  • Margie Figtree
    signed 2021-09-14 17:33:43 +1000
  • Mary Ellen
    signed 2021-09-14 17:33:35 +1000
  • Jim/Margaret Edwards/Seydel
    signed 2021-09-14 17:33:27 +1000
    Congratulations on your WIN, please remember this at the next federal election & vote only Greens, we can’t trust either of the two major parties!
  • Mark Taylor
    signed 2021-09-14 17:32:43 +1000
  • Lida McCool
    signed 2021-09-14 17:32:39 +1000
  • Patricia Wells
    signed 2021-09-14 17:32:38 +1000
  • Frances Winfield
    signed 2021-09-14 17:32:10 +1000
    The Bylong community deserves to have back the land for which it has fought for so long.
  • Kerry Brady
    signed 2021-09-14 17:31:51 +1000
  • Josephine Window
    signed 2021-09-14 17:31:36 +1000
  • Glenda McIntyre
    signed 2021-09-14 17:31:35 +1000
  • Susan Aird
    signed 2021-09-14 17:31:20 +1000
  • Greg Bailey
    signed 2021-09-14 17:31:16 +1000
  • Vandra Mellers
    signed 2021-09-14 17:31:14 +1000
    Congrats! Needs to more of this action taking place.
  • Lyn Mews
    signed 2021-09-14 17:31:01 +1000
    This valued and rich land be put back into the agricultural sector to be utilised for carbon farming to try reducing the CO2 therefore reducing the effects of climate change. The valley should NEVER have been sold for MINING COAL!
  • Christopher Stuart Harrison
    signed 2021-09-14 17:30:58 +1000
  • Marcia Grace
    signed 2021-09-14 17:30:58 +1000
    Please sell the land back to agricultural interests.