Coal mining giant Yancoal has disrupted a community consultation process with a last-minute attempt to greenwash its proposal for the koala-crunching Moolarben coal mine expansion near Mudgee.
The NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) has advised the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) to postpone the public hearing initially scheduled for 10 February while it reviews Yancoal’s proposed amendments.
The amendments would require a revised development application and DPHI have indicated they will now await an amendment report from Yancoal before they decide whether to accept or reject a revision.
Rosemary Hadaway from the Mudgee District Environment Group said it was an unprecedented interference with the community consultation process through the IPC.
“Yancoal’s proposed changes will not reduce the size or impact of the mine, but merely make promises to ‘enhance’ areas of vegetation outside of the mine footprint - the full 480 hectares of native vegetation planned for clearing will still be cleared,” she said.
“This attempt at greenwashing will do nothing to prevent the destruction of the incredibly important Koala and Regent Honeyeater habitat, surrounded by Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve.”
Carmel Flint, National Coordinator for the Lock the Gate Alliance, said: “This postponement severely disrupts a community consultation process that was already underway, jeopardising Mudgee residents and NSW citizens who have already engaged with the project as is.”
“The community should not be sidelined to accommodate amendments that Yancoal could have proposed months ago and that do not even change the negative impacts of this project. This further destroys community trust in the NSW planning process for large coal mine expansions.”
“We’re calling on the Department of Planning to reject this proposed amendment and continue with the community consultation process that was already underway.”
Manjot Kaur, Coal Mining and Methane Campaigner, Nature Conservation Council of NSW said: “Yancoal’s proposed changes are minor and cosmetic and will do nothing to reduce climate-wrecking emissions from this project.”
“The NSW government’s own Net Zero Commission report confirmed that mine expansions like Moolarben will prevent NSW from reaching our climate targets.”