Mod 8 - Ulan West Continued Operations

Continuation of mining in Mudgee is in the best interests of the town and its people

I oppose this project because
1. Releasing over 105 Mt of additional Greenhouse Gas emissions, poor monitoring and
reporting of methane emissions.
2. Outside existing mine boundary with additional infrastructure disturbance - should be
assessed as a new project
3. Constructing a large new tailings dam area of 132 ha within a revegetated, rehabilitated
old open cut pit next to Goulburn River risking leakage of toxic contaminants
4. Wholly west of Great Dividing Range within the Murray Darling Basin - loss of flows to
Talbragar River, tributary of Macquarie River feeding into significant Macquarie Marshes
5. Extended water releases into Goulburn River increasing salt load downstream to Hunter
6. Loss of Aboriginal cultural heritage and spiritual landscape for Wiradjuri Nation –
impacting 71 known sites, including rock art
7. Disturbing an additional 1743 ha with sandstone escarpment, caves and overhangs:
Destroying additional important habitat for the nationally threatened Large-eared Pied
Bat, Eastern Cave Bat, Regent Honeyeater and Koala, critically endangered Box Gum
Woodland. Cumulative impact on these species across 3 mines in region.
8. Final layout of surface infrastructure not yet determined – mine plan not finalised
9. Undermining 17 private properties directly impacting 4 houses and 6 private bores
10. Increasing social impacts, loss of farm water and ongoing disturbance of rural way of life
11. This project is not needed to provide regional jobs – there is a huge workforce shortage
for renewable energy projects and other industries in the Central West

The proposed mine expansion should not be assessed as a modification but a new project because it falls entirely outside the current mining lease.
The Ulan Coal Mine also falls within the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone and the Mod 8 application is to mine a further 43 MT up to 2041. This does not make sense. It is not needed to provide regional jobs as there is a huge workforce shortage for Renewable Energy projects and other industries in the Central West.
As a Mudgee resident I believe that there must be no more expansion of coal mining to maintain a safe environment for our population as well as the increasing number of tourists who visit our town and surrounding villages.
Continual underground long wall mining will have a devastating impact on farmland and bush land and threatened species, damaging groundwater systems and leading to loss of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage sites. It must stop!

I object to the Mod 8 to Ulan West mine. I am a resident of Bathurst and visit the area around Wollar regularly for recreational bush walking and attending events organised by local environment groups. Over the years I have noticed the impacts of mining on rare and endagered animal habitat and am extremely concerned about the damage any further extension the mines would cause to these rare places of intact nature and beauty, upon which all of life depends.

The greenhouse gas emissions from the coal in this area is already threatening the whole of life on earth, especially those who have caused it the least. It is time to accept that it must be responsibly drawn to a close rather than continue the death-dealing coal exports. Some 105 megatonnes would be released from this expansion.

In my visits to Wollar for meetings with locals, including local Wiradyuri people, I have heard them say they wish to save their lovely village from further encroachment, to move back in and use the land for cultural education purposes. Isn't it time to listen to locals defending their place instead of multi-national coal export companies who have already had more than their share?

Locals also report no job shortages, in fact, new jobs to the area coming from renewable energy projects are having to be staffed by overseas workers. There is an opportunity for local workers to transfer from coal jobs to renewable, healthier jobs.

Underground mining has serious impacts on groundwater and leaves a toxic legacy. There are obvious impacts predicted for the Trabalgar River, Macquarie River, the internationally significant Macquarie Marshes and the Murray Darling Basin. Have not our inland rivers suffered enough from the seemingly limitless ravaging of greedy humans?

Thank you for considering the voice of locals, all species, rivers, and those in the international community calling for the phase out of such coal mining projects.

Thes extension allows myself and many others in our small town to continue to live and work in the area long term and provide for our families, it will also allow glencore ulan west to support or kids thru many grants and funding in the local community. being apart of the ulan team allows me to see the good they do for the area.

I am currently employed at Ulan Coal Mine and fully support the proposed Mod 8 expansion. This project will help secure ongoing employment for local workers, strengthen the regional economy, and make efficient use of existing mine infrastructure.

Coal mining continues to play a vital role in our community by providing stable jobs and contributing significantly to Australia’s energy needs and exports. Ulan has a proven record of operating safely and responsibly, and I am confident that the proposed extension will uphold these high standards while ensuring long-term stability for local families and businesses.

The approval of this modification would allow for many families to continue to be supported, create job opportunities for many, including apprenticeships, continuing to boost industries with trained tradespersons.

I strongly urge the approval of this modification.

Coal mining is our future, mudgee and the surrounds depend on companies like this .

Ulan Coal Mine Mod 8 – Ulan West Continued Operations
Background
The Glencore Ulan Coal Mine has approval to mine 20 Mt/year thermal coal to August 2035. It is a wholly underground longwall mining operation disturbing over 120 sqkm of farmland and bushland with high biodiversity values. Ulan Mine crosses under the Great Dividing Range intercepting water from the Murray-Darling Basin and the Hunter catchment. The proposed mine expansion should not be assessed as a modification because it falls entirely outside the current mining lease causing new previously unassessed environmental impacts and therefore differs substantially from the current approved mine. This ‘modification’ proposal should be assessed as a new project so that it receives full independent merit assessment. The project is an extension of the recently approved Ulan Mod 6 that is under legal appeal. The Mod 8 application is to mine a further 43 Mt up to 2041. Ulan Coal Mine falls within the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (CWOREZ). There must be no more expansion of coal mining to maintain a safe climate.

Summary of the Objections:
1. Releasing over 105 Mt of additional Greenhouse Gas emissions, poor monitoring and reporting of methane emissions.
2. Outside existing mine boundary with additional infrastructure disturbance - should be assessed as a new project
3. Constructing a large new tailings dam area of 132 ha within a revegetated, rehabilitated old open cut pit next to Goulburn River risking leakage of toxic contaminants
4. Wholly west of Great Dividing Range within the Murray Darling Basin - loss of flows to Talbragar River, tributary of Macquarie River feeding into significant Macquarie Marshes
5. Extended water releases into Goulburn River increasing salt load downstream to Hunter
6. Loss of Aboriginal cultural heritage and spiritual landscape for Wiradjuri Nation – impacting 71 known sites, including rock art
7. Disturbing an additional 1743 ha with sandstone escarpment, caves and overhangs: Destroying additional important habitat for the nationally threatened Large-eared Pied Bat, Eastern Cave Bat, Regent Honeyeater and Koala, critically endangered Box Gum Woodland. Cumulative impact on these species across 3 mines in region.
8. Final layout of surface infrastructure not yet determined – mine plan not finalised
9. Undermining 17 private properties directly impacting 4 houses and 6 private bores
10. Increasing social impacts, loss of farm water and ongoing disturbance of rural way of life
11. This project is not needed to provide regional jobs – there is a huge workforce shortage
More detailed information
1. Methane monitoring – Scope 1 emissions
Glencore does not report methane emissions and altered the baseline calculation for annual CO2 -e emissions in 2014 to below requirement for offsets under the Federal Safeguard Mechanism, with no explanation.
2. New Tailings Dam
A 132 ha new tailings dam area (and associated stockpile) is additional to the current approved mining impacts. The proposed area for storage of coal waste from the washery abuts the Goulburn River with no monitoring points to measure seepage into the river. This is a threat to The Drip gorge and downstream water users including Goulburn River National Park. The chosen site is an old revegetated open cut mine, backfilled with coal rejects and disturbed soils. This is a new toxic legacy in the landscape further risking river health. No details are provided on how this significant infrastructure will be managed or groundwater leakage monitored.
3. Water Impacts
Subsidence or land collapse caused by underground mining damages groundwater systems that store water in the landscape. Groundwater provides base flows to rivers and creeks. This mine expansion will cause a predicted additional loss of 26.5 million litres per year of flow to Talbragar River – does not report cumulative loss of flows from current approvals. The Talbragar River is a major tributary of the Macquarie River in the Murray Darling Basin that flows in below Burrendong Dam. These flows are directly connected to the internationally significant Macquarie Marshes. The Goulburn River will also be impacted by additional loss of base flow. Most importantly, it will add another six years of mine water discharge carrying over 15,000 tonnes of salt (7 tonnes per day) into the Goulburn /Hunter River ecosystem. The cumulative impact of the three large coal mines on the Goulburn River has never been fully assessed.
4. Aboriginal cultural heritage impacts
The cumulative loss of significant Aboriginal cultural heritage in the Ulan area is not assessed. There is ample evidence of continuous Wiradjuri occupation of the region with spiritual connection to country. Ulan Mod 8 will impact an additional 71 recorded sites.
5. Biodiversity impacts
The proposed extension of mine disturbance will impact areas of fragile sandstone landscape including 6.5 kms of escarpment with rocky outcrops and cliff lines higher than 10m.
These provide important habitat for the endangered Large-eared Pied Bat and Eastern Cave Bat. This habitat loss cannot be offset.
The cumulative loss of irreplaceable microbat habitat across the three adjacent mines is not assessed.
The cumulative loss of mature, healthy Box Gum Woodland CEEC in the region through mine clearing has not been assessed. This ecosystem provides important habitat for a range of threatened woodland animal species.
Regent Honeyeater: The ongoing loss of important habitat for the critically endangered Regent Honeyeater is not recognised or assessed. There are current records of breeding activity in the district that are not identified in the assessment report.
Koala: ongoing disturbance of Koala habitat from mining is not assessed The area of impact provides habitat for the threatened Barking Owl and Powerful Owl
6. Final Mine Plan
The final placement of infrastructure in the landscape has not yet been provided because of ongoing negotiations with private landholders. This issue should have been resolved before the proposal was lodged and accepted by the Department of Planning. A final mine plan should be submitted for consideration.
7. Social impacts
The proposal will impact 17 private properties, directly under-mining 4 houses and lowering water availability in 6 private bores including total dewatering of one. The mitigation measure of providing replacement water will not continue after mining is finished. The Ulan Mine has bought out a large number of properties over time because of severe impacts of subsidence and noise from ventilator fans. This diminishes the local community and removes neighbourhood support in a remote rural area.
8. Not substantially the same project
The proposed extension should not be assessed as a modification because it is not substantially the same as the current Mine approval:
• Falls entirely outside the current mining lease
• Introduces new infrastructure eg new 132 ha tailings disposal area, additional ventilators, tracks
• Impacts an additional 1,734 ha landscape
• Increases impacts on groundwater, creeks and rivers
• Destroys irreplaceable endangered species habitat
• Causes additional biodiversity impacts under Federal environmental law
• Destroys a new area of Aboriginal cultural heritage significance
• Directly impacts 17 private properties, threatens built structures and private bores
• Releases 105 Mt additional greenhouse gas emission

9. Not Justified
There is no need for extended coal mining in the region to provide local jobs. Mining is competing for skilled labour urgently required in the construction, housing and renewable energy industries. There is a major labour shortage in the Central West with local workers needed for the CWO REZ construction.
The NSW Government has prioritised the Central West Future Jobs and Investment Authority to manage the transition away from coal mining. The Mudgee region has many opportunities to diversify the economy.
For all these reasons, the Ulan Coal Mine Modification 8 should be totally rejected.

Ulan Mine expansion Mod 8
We are opposed to the proposed expansion for the following reasons:
In 2025, with the effects of manmade climate change evident all around the world it is totally unacceptable to expand coal mining operations.
Ulan mine is located within the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone where one part of the government is trying to reduce CO2 emissions while this new mining proposal is estimated to add 105mio tonnes of CO2 – how are we to understand this ?
The proposed mining area comprises traditional sites of the Wiradjuri people under a Native Title Claim. This is not Glencore’s nor NSW Government’s land.
The application is for a ‘modification’ to avoid proper process and assessment. The size of this project warrants proper assessment as a new project.
The environmental destruction of past and existing mining operations is clearly visible to anyone visiting the Ulan area. We’ve got to stop this utter destruction of a further 100+ hectares of native bushland, home to threatened species of flora and fauna.
The further destruction of water resources both underground as well as above threatens to compromise Australia’s water security.

I object to this expansion due to the climate impacts of the greenhouse gases, the impact on local water, the destruction of cultural heritage and the impact on species and habitat.

I object to the proposed modification to the Ulan mine based on my list of reasons in the attached submission.

See attached

The NSW government appears predicated on extracting every piece of hard coal from the region irrespective of the potential detriment to the natural environment (disturbing over 120 km2 of farmland and bushland with high biodiversity values).

How can this project be classified a MODification as it appears to fall entirely outside the current mining lease boundaries (hence requiring new environmental assessments.
it also appears that this project is an extension of the recently approved Ulan Mod 6 that is under legal appeal.
As the Ulan Coal Mine falls within the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (CWOREZ). There should no more expansion of coal mining to maintain a safe climate ceiling.
Key points of objection
* Loss of Aboriginal cultural heritage and spiritual landscape for Wiradjuri Nation
* Disturbance of an additional 1743 ha with sandstone escarpment, caves and overhangs
* Undermining of 17 private properties
* Extended water releases into Goulburn River increasing salt load downstream to Hunter
* Construction of a large new tailing dam area of 132 ha within a re-vegetated, rehabilitated
old open cut pit next to Goulburn River risking leakage of toxic contaminants
* Release of over 105 Mt (Million Tonnes) of additional Greenhouse Gas emissions
* loss of flows to Talbragar River, tributary of Macquarie River feeding into significant Macquarie Marshes

the Ulan Mod 8 assessment fails to identify the cumulative impacts of mining on bird populations in the district.
Our research, explained in detail in the attached report, shows a significant decline in woodland bird populations since mining began. This report presents a 20-year analysis (2005–2024) of temporal reporting trends for non-migratory bird species in the Mudgee–Wollar KBA, using complete checklists from eBird and Birdata. The dataset has 62,529 complete checklist records, for 206 species. Of the 206 species:
• 67 species (32.5%) showed significant decline (mainly forest birds)
• 44 species (21.4%) showed significant increase (mainly water birds)
• 95 species (46.1%) were statistically stable
The steepest negative trend was found for Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua),
Other species with strong negative trends included:
• Gang-gang Cockatoo (Callocephalon fimbriatum)
• Regent Honeyeater (Anthochaera phrygia)
• Glossy Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami)
• Southern Boobook (Ninox boobook)
• Australian Owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles cristatus)
Many of these species are already recognised as threatened or declining at state or national level and are strongly associated with woodland or mature forest. Several small passerines with negative trends, such as Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) and Diamond Firetail (Stagonopleura guttata), fit within a broader pattern of declining small insectivores and seed eaters in modified woodland landscapes.
The families with the most negative trends were:
• Strigidae (hawk owls)
• Meliphagidae (honeyeaters and chats)
• Acanthizidae (thornbills and gerygones)
These families include many woodland dependent species with known declines across south eastern Australia. Honeyeaters and small insectivorous passerines are repeatedly highlighted as vulnerable to habitat fragmentation, loss of understorey and changes in flowering or insect availability. The patterns detected point to broad changes in the Mudgee–Wollar bird community that are not fully explained by variation in observer effort. Declines are concentrated in woodland and nocturnal species, including honeyeaters, thornbills, robins, cuckoos and owl species. These groups depend on structurally complex woodland, mature canopy trees and consistent resource availability, all of which are affected by ongoing mining activity within and around the KBA.

I support the extension of the existing mine because it has played a significant role in strengthening our local community and economy. The mine has attracted families to the region, many of whom have established roots and gone on to open or work in local businesses, helping our town grow and diversify. Beyond the direct employment opportunities it provides, the mine has made substantial contributions to the socio-economic development of the area, supporting community projects, local charities, not-for-profit organisations, and junior sporting clubs. Initiatives such as the Mudgee 4 Doctors program and the Mudgee High School LINK program are just a few examples of how the mine’s presence has had a lasting and positive impact on the region.

If the mine extension were not to proceed, the repercussions for the community would be considerable. Many families who rely on the mine for employment and stability may be forced to relocate, leading to population decline and reduced local spending. This could have a devastating flow-on effect for small businesses, community groups, and local services that depend on the town’s economic vitality. The extension represents not just continued mining operations, but the ongoing support and sustainability of the broader Mudgee community.

I support this project as it creates job opportunities for our community and supports regional townships like Mudgee to develop.
Glencore has been great in providing support for our community and especially with low carbon footprint underground mining, I support the extension for the project

The Ulan West Continued Operations would be a great contribution to Australia's Economy and support local workers.
This project would help pay taxes, royalties to help fund necessary public services to Australians, including nursing, teaching, police, developing infrastructure, and more. In addition this would support the local community with providing ongoing employment where many families have been a part of the mining industry in history. Not only this but this would support the local schools, local charities, non-profit organisations, sporting clubs for kids and juniors, career paths for upcoming young Australians, and many more. Not only this but it would help support business and suppliers where Ulan Complex spends around $470 million annually with 920 suppliers which a majority of these are local businesses. Coal is one of Australia's biggest contributing factors to our economy and with Ulan's high quality coal, this will definitely further develop Australia's economy and as a nation. This can be proven with Ulan complex delivering more than $846 million in direct socio-economic value, and will most definitely continue to do so with the approval of Mod 8 - Ulan West Continued Operations

The project will greatly benefit the Mid western region.

Ulan Mod 8 is an unsustainable project

I think this would be horrible for the environment, as destroying the land just for the use of coal. Instead, make the land into solar or other renewable sources