No more coal expansion in Mudgee Region
Petitioner:
Ms Beverley Smiles
| Member:
Doyle, Trish
| No. of Signatories:
2,096
| Date closed:
24/09/2024
To the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly,
We the undersigned petitioners bring to the House’s attention our strong objection to coal expansion in the Mudgee Region of NSW for the following reasons:
• The three Mudgee Region coal mines: Yancoal/Moolarben, Glencore/Ulan and Peabody/Wilpinjong were the largest producing coal mines in NSW in 2023
• The combined production of 36.7 million tonnes (MT) of coal in 2023 is equivalent to 89 MT CO2e. The overall CO2e could be as great as 1.7 billion tonnes with current approvals and proposed expansions. This is three times Australia’s emissions from all sources.
• The three mines have approval to produce a combined 58 million tonnes of coal per year, the largest producer, Yancoal/Moolarben approved until 2038
• All three mines propose to expand area of impact, increase production rates and extend the period of mining activity
• Current economic, social and environmental impact of extreme weather events in NSW is a warning that additional release of carbon into the earth’s atmosphere is unsustainable
• Climate science and the International Energy Agency have declared that to ensure a safe climate future no more new coal can be mined
• These mines are within the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone. Competition for skilled workforce, accommodation and services is very high. There is no justification to expand coal mining in a region with fast-tracked renewable energy generation
We ask the Legislative Assembly to call on the government to stop coal expansion in the Mudgee Region of NSW.
