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New Hunter Valley Operations coal project raises methane, mine closure planning issues

Glencore and Yancoal’s joint venture has put forward an 18-month extension for their Hunter Valley Operations North coal mine, which raises issues about dangerous methane emissions and an on-going failure to have proper mine closure planning in place.

The joint venture has put forward the extension - HVO North Modification 8 - to buy time after it was forced to withdraw its much larger expansion following criticism from NSW authorities over its substantial greenhouse gas footprint. 

Glencore policy requires the company’s mines to have a closure plan that could be implemented at any time, and which incorporates worker transition and mine rehabilitation, but HVO has apparently failed to make such a plan to support workers.

The adjoining HVO South development consent is due to expire in 2030, and a clear closure planning process and worker support plan is urgently needed for both north and south.

Hunter Renewal spokesperson Steve Phillips said, “Glencore and Yancoal knew both HVO north and south consents would expire by 2030 and should already be preparing for it with a measured, responsible closure plan that supports workers into other positions. 

“Instead, they have no closure plan and are still seeking approval for a much bigger expansion that would be the largest coal project ever proposed in the state, even as the NSW Productivity Commission acknowledges NSW is not on track to meet climate targets.

“Hunter Renewal is calling on Glencore and Yancoal to follow in fellow coal giant BHP’s footsteps, which is in the process of developing detailed mine closure planning for its Mt Arthur mine, following a limited extension. 

“Hunter Valley communities are crying out for leadership and support as the world moves away from coal, to ensure that local people have new opportunities in a diversified, sustainable economy.

“We’re calling for Glencore and Yancoal to play a responsible role in the restructuring process that is underway, rather than waiting until it’s too late and then deciding it’s time to cut and run, leaving Hunter workers and families high and dry.

“It’s also very disappointing to see the joint venture plans to continue business as usual in relation to dangerous methane emissions, with the modification documents showing they do not intend to take any measures at all to control those emissions. The mining and burning of fossil fuels like coal from HVO is driving extreme weather like the heatwave that has impacted NSW, which in turn increases the risks of wide-spread power outages."

If built, the original HVO expansion would have been the largest single coal project ever built in NSW, and would have forced other sectors of the NSW economy to make deeper cuts to their emissions so the Minns Government could meet its greenhouse gas reduction targets.

The existing Greenhouse Gas Management Plan for the HVO North project does not contain any measures to control or reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and nor does the proposed modification. Lock the Gate Alliance first drew attention to this in mid 2023, but there has still been no change in the Management Plan to require action to limit emissions.

ENDS

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