Coal news and updates

Boggabri coal mine extension approved by state government

Boggabri Coal will be able to extend its mine life by three years until December 2036 after the NSW government granted conditional approval to the project last week.Boggabri Coal will be able to extend its mine life by three years until December 2036 after the NSW government granted conditional approval to the project last week.

The approval will also mean the company can extract an extra 28.1 megatonnes of run-of-mine coal.

The NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure published a comprehensive assessment report following its decision.

In its assessment information, the department said the economics analysis indicates that the modification would generate royalty payments and taxes to NSW of around $111 million and $21 million, respectively. After accounting for direct environmental and social costs, the modification is expected to have net social benefits to NSW of around $131 million, and to Australia of $177 million.

“The modification would maintain direct employment for around 740 full time equivalent (FTE) workers for a further three years, noting also that there would be an increase in the peak workforce of around 169 personnel compared to the existing operational workforce. Currently around 61 per cent of the workforce reside in the Narrabri or Gunnedah local government areas, increasing to around 77 per cent of the workforce including workers residing in the Tamworth Regional Council area,” the report said.

In its evaluation information, the department said it had carried out a detailed assessment of the modification in accordance with the relevant requirements of the EP&A Act, with a particular focus on issues raised in public submissions, government agency advice and advice provided by the Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development, the Department’s Science, Economics and Insights Net Zero Emissions Modelling team, the Independent Expert Panel for Mining and the Department’s independent groundwater expert.

“The Department acknowledges the public interest received on the modification and the community concerns raised, including impacts to water resources and additional greenhouse gas emissions,” the report read.

“The modification application was amended to remove the proposed fauna bridge. As such, no additional clearing or ground disturbance would be required, resulting in no additional impacts on biodiversity or Aboriginal and historic heritage.

“The department’s assessment has concluded that the impacts associated with the modification can be appropriately managed under existing and new conditions of consent. In particular, the Department considers that the project (incorporating the modification) would not result in significant impacts to groundwater resources, subject to implementation of the mitigation measures proposed by Boggabri Coal.”

Following the state government’s approval of the mine’s extension, environmental advocacy group Lock the Gate said the determination is incompatible with the government’s own emissions reduction goals and represents a broken election promise.

“This government has just said we need urgent action to bring greenhouse gas emissions down, yet it seems like its priority is approving a new coal project,” said Libby Laird, who lives on a property adjacent to the Boggabri mine.

“Allowing Idemitsu to mine new coal beyond 2033 is not urgent. What’s urgent is for us to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

“We were expecting rehabilitation to begin in 2033.

“What we’re now going to get instead is a massive intrusion into the water source as Idemitsu mines deeper. But this doesn’t just affect us, it affects everyone.”