MEDIA RELEASE 
28th May 2025 

The Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC), Rising Tide, and the Knitting Nannas have staged a protest outside Yancoal Australia’s AGM to protest their plans to expand their controversial Moolarben coal mine, which will clear over 100 hectares of endangered koala habitat. 
 
Three youth climate advocates also attended the AGM to put questions to the company on its planned expansions and the impacts on threatened species. 
 
Yancoal is currently seeking state and federal approval to expand its destructive Moolarben open cut thermal coal mine in the Mudgee region, on First Nations Wiradjuri Country in NSW.  
 
The mine expansion poses a serious threat to the survival of koalas and other threatened species like the Regent Honeyeater, a critically endangered bird species –– of which there are only 250-350 individuals left in the wild.  
 
In August last year, Lock the Gate Alliance detected a mother and baby koala within areas set to be cleared by Yancoal for the expansion. The NSW Environment Department has said the project could threaten the survival of the local population –– potentially causing regional extinction.  
 
Yancoal plans to expand the mine right up to the border of one of NSW’s oldest conservation reserves, the Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve –– an important local tourist spot.  

According to Market Forces, Yancoal paid $0 in tax for the financial year of 2020/2021. 

Statement attributable to Manjot Kaur, NCC Coal Campaigner and Mudgee local: 
 
“Koalas are on the pathway to extinction, fueled by climate change and habitat destruction. Yancoal’s proposed Moolarben koala killing coal mine cannot go ahead. 
 
“We’re here at the AGM to tell Yancoal the community doesn’t want this destructive coal mine expansion going ahead.

“Mudgee is lucky to be so close to the incredible bushland at the Munghorn Gap Nature Reserve. No one wants to visit a regional park and see a giant hole in the ground. 
 
“The NSW Government has emissions targets, which they’re projected to fall well short of meeting. NSW communities, including Mudgee, are already feeling the impacts of climate change with increased floods and fires.  
 
“We can’t afford any new coal mines and expansions –– not just for the sake of our endangered wildlife, but for people and communities already being hit with climate fuelled disasters.” 
 
Photos available here: 
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rKZhbHZiQgKScZJRhfdVSeVpwRRd5aN6 

ENDS

Media contact: Madeline Hayman-Reber 
E: [email protected] M: 0404 935 157 

Note: Spokespeople are available for comment on request 

MEDIA RELEASE
31 March 2025

Nature Conservation Council NSW (NCC), the state’s leading environmental advocacy organisation, has called on Centennial Coal to clean up its act as the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) has today approved the transfer of polluted water to a dam that discharges into Sydney’s drinking water supply.

This is a temporary solution to a problem that needs an ecologically responsible and scientifically robust long term fix. The IPC has noted the lack of a closed loop system, with discharged water entering the Sydney drinking water catchment.

“Centennial Coal has deliberately left it to the last moment to alert regulators that it will need an alternative solution to managing wastewater,” said Jacqui Mills, Senior Climate and Energy Campaigner at Nature Conservation Council of NSW.

The Mount Piper power station will be offline for maintenance in April and May, meaning it can’t take Centennial’s wastewater for use in its cooling towers.

“Thanks to community opposition, this is a ‘less bad’ outcome than what was originally proposed: to dump the dirty water into the dam over a 15-year period, yet the situation could still have been avoided,” said Ms Mills.

“We know that Centennial Coal has enough underground water storage capacity. They’ve chosen to pollute instead, and the regulator has let them get away with it.

“Dirty water discharge will far exceed ANZECC water quality standards for salt, which is toxic to species like platypus. 

“It’s not good enough and the ecologically sensitive areas around this destructive coal mine need better protection.

“The Springvale Water Treatment Plant was meant to be the solution to Centennial Coal’s dirty water problem. We know now that it is not sufficient to treat the huge volumes of water generated by Centennial Coal’s intensive coal mine methods damaging aquifers in the pristine environment adjacent to the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.

“This pollution is just the tip of the iceberg. There are millions of litres of wastewater stored underground in Centennial coal mines, and they are waiting for an opportunity to dump the lot into the river to enable mine expansion.

“This must not be allowed. 

“We are calling for an urgent independent public inquiry into Centennial Coal’s operations in the Gardens of Stone area to protect our water, environment and health.”

ENDS

Jacqui Mills, NCC Senior Climate Campaigner, is available for comment.
E: [email protected] M: 0415 640 211

Background

• The company applied to release up to 42ML/day of waste water to Thompsons Creek Reservoir - which discharges to the Coxs River catchment -  consisting of up to 24ML/day untreated water (filtered for sediment only but not pollutants or salt). SSD-7592 MOD11 was submitted to cover the period from April to May 2025 when EnergyAustralia’s Mount Piper coal-fired power station is offline for maintenance and unable to take mine waste water for use in its cooling towers.
• This was approved by the Independent Planning Commission on 28 March 2025.
• Following environmental group advocacy and interagency discussion, the amended proposal was significantly narrowed in scope, and involved less environmental harm, than the original proposal from Centennial which was to discharge to the reservoir over successive power station outages for the life of the plant (up to 15 years). Releases of water from the reservoir into the riparian environment are limited to smaller volumes (less than 1ML/day) during the outage periods. 
• Centennial Coal also has a stocktake of wastewater stored within its mines that is interrupting coal operations and expansion plans, and it intends to submit a second proposal in the first half of 2025 to discharge much bigger volumes of water directly into Wangcol Creek which runs through the world heritage area. 
• Centennial has by-passed technology that was established to effectively clean the wastewater of heavy metals, brine and salt toxic to aquatic life in the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. 
• These developments follow withdrawal in November 2024 of previous unapproved modification proposals that sought to discharge 10ML/day of dirty water directly into Wangcol Creek to address the water storage problem and prepare for the Angus Place West mine proposed expansion. 

• Water experts have previously warned that blending or dilution of dirty water with treated water will exacerbate, rather than address, pollution of the Sydney drinking water catchment. LINK

• The overall intent is to keep EC levels (a measure of salinity) at 600EC, double the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council water quality guideline values for storages and streams (ANZECC 2000).  
• High salinity levels are of concern. Higher salinity means lower oxygen, which reduces food for platypus. Elecro-receptors on their bill locate prey, however salinity disrupts these, they can’t find food and starve to death.

• Centennial mining operations occur underneath and adjacent to the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area, a place with 80 rare and threatened species and 16 threatened ecological communities. Intensive mining methods have destroyed aquifers, resulting in drying out of endangered upland Temperate Highland Peat Swamps on Sandstone (THPSS EPBC Act). 
• Over a 23-year period, Centennial has been found to have breached its environmental licence more than 1400 times across 7 coal mine sites in the Greater Blue Mountains region. LINK
• Discharge of stored water would clear the way for Centennial to prepare for its extension plans for the proposed Angus Place West coal mine capable of producing 2 million tonnes of coal annually. The Environmental Impact Statement for Angus Place West project is expected in Q2/3 2025.

MEDIA RELEASE
20th March 2025 

Community leaders from the Hunter and New England Renewable Energy Zones have travelled to NSW Parliament House to urge politicians from all parties to get behind the renewable energy transition and to ensure it benefits both communities and nature.

Representatives of community groups in the New England and Hunter Renewable Energy Zones joined Nature Conservation Council NSW (NCC) to call for stronger planning laws, environmental protections, and local engagement to ensure clean energy development safeguards wildlife, restores degraded landscapes, and creates long-term prosperity for the regions.

“Climate change is one of the biggest threats to nature, and with almost 1,000 threatened species in New South Wales, we can’t afford more delays to climate action and the renewable energy transition”, said Eve Altman, NCC Clean Energy Campaigner.

“What we need is to continue the rollout of renewable energy but to do it in a way that fully takes advantage of the opportunity to do planning and infrastructure right – to build in stronger nature protection, enforce best practice and include nature restoration and protection into the assessment process.

“Renewable energy is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our regions, with significant investment underway. That’s why we’re working with communities in the Renewable Energy Zones to make sure they benefit and that nature is protected and restored through the rollout.”

Heidi McElnea, Regional Partnerships Co-ordinator, Community Power Agency said:

“In the New England region alone we have 20 renewable energy projects in the pipeline. 

“This represents an exciting opportunity to wean our country off harmful fossil fuels and limit the damage of climate change, while shoring up our country’s energy supply. But we need projects to be clever about site design and placement so we are protecting what’s important while enhancing and restoring damage to landscapes.

“We want the change to renewable energy to happen with communities, not to them.

“Now is the time to make sure we have the right laws and guidelines in place to protect nature.”

Annette Kilarr, Convenor of Climate Action Armidale of Sustainable Living Armidale, and Member of the Community Reference Group (CRG) of the New England REZ North, said:

“The rollout of the New England Renewable Energy Zone represents a significant land-use change for our region and is central to national climate action.

“I have travelled to NSW Parliament to ensure that the renewables transition is good for both the environment and our communities.

“The protection and restoration of nature must be central to the planning process, with place-specific ecological priorities identified upfront.

“First Nations, agricultural, and scientific communities must be involved in co-created regional benefit plans to ensure the transition is regenerative, not extractive.”

Kerry Walker, Spokesperson for Hunter Wildlife Rescue said:

“In the path to renewables, we want the NSW Government to enact its ‘driving ambition to protect what’s left, restore what has been degraded and set biodiversity on a path to recovery’.

“The Hunter region has a long history of coal mining and coal fired power generation. These industries have supported numerous communities and been the backbone of the Hunter’s prosperity.

“We are ready and positioned to lead the transition from harmful fossil fuels and limit the damage of climate change, while maintaining our country’s energy supply and security. But this development can’t be at the cost of our local ecosystems, already under duress from mining activities, housing development, widespread agricultural clearing and extreme weather events such as the catastrophic drought and wildfires that we’ve experienced.

“Large scale renewable projects and the continuing fragmentation of habitat corridors threaten the diminishing native flora and fauna that is critical for our own survival. We must not make the same mistakes as in the past. 

“Now is the time to make sure we have the right laws and guidelines in place to protect nature.”

Peter Coughlan, representative of Hunter Renewal said:

“The Hunter economy, people, and landscape are moving towards a post-coal future. The question is, how well will we manage this change?

“If managed poorly, we risk being left with a degraded landscape and struggling communities. If managed well, we can create a diverse and resilient economy with a thriving natural environment.

“We need strong laws and well-resourced public agencies to ensure coal companies pay their dues and restore the land.

“The NSW Government urgently needs a plan to address mining voids and rehabilitation—one that is research-driven, enforceable, and ensures a future for both people and nature.”

ENDS 

Media contact: Anna Greer 
E: [email protected] M: 0493 733 529 PH: (02) 7208 9482   

Note: Spokespeople are available for comment on request 

Footage of speakers from press conference available here.

BACKGROUND

Nature Conservation Council NSW and a delegation of community groups from Hunter and New England Renewable Energy Zones have travelled to NSW Parliament and launched a statement to press the NSW Government to adopt best practice in the renewable energy rollout. 

The delegation are meeting with Ministers for Parliament from across the political spectrum to advocate for key recommendations outlined in their joint statement, ‘Strengthening NSW Renewable Energy Zones’. 

The delegation is calling for three key recommendations:

1. Genuine engagement and consultation with First Nations communities must remain a central part of the planning, construction, operations and decommissioning of renewable energy projects
2. Identify ecological protection and restoration priorities for each Renewable Energy Zone and require developers to contribute to specific nature positive environmental regional outcomes
3. Develop regional community benefit plans and strengthen developer consultation with communities

These recommendations were developed alongside environment, community, and First Nations stakeholders in the New England and Hunter REZs. They reflect the learnings and desires of people in these regions of the rollout thus far.

17 organisations, including NCC, have signed onto the statement (see full list of signatures below).

The signatories on the statement are:

1. Nature Conservation Council of NSW
2. Community Power Agency
3. Hunter Jobs Alliance
4. Hunter Renewal
5. Sustainable Living Armidale
6. National Parks Association of NSW
7. Climate Action Newcastle
8. Hunter Wildlife Rescue
9. Armidale Tree Group
10. Coal-ash Community Alliance
11. Stringybark Ecological
12. Clean Energy Association of Newcastle and Surrounds (CLEANaS)
13. Wando Conservation and Cultural Centre
14. Ahoy Traffic Control and Labour Hire Services
15. Hunter Community Environment Centre
16. EcoNetwork Port Stephens
17. ACF Community Hunter

MEDIA RELEASE 
7 February 2025 

Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC), the state’s leading environmental advocacy organisation, has today called for an independent inquiry into Centennial Coal’s mining operations in the Blue Mountains. This comes after the company recently applied to dump polluted water into Sydney’s drinking water catchment. 

NCC can also reveal that Centennial Coal’s current proposal to dump 42 ML of mine wastewater daily into Sydney’s drinking catchment is just the tip of the iceberg. 

“Centennial’s application to discharge 42 million litres of polluted water per day is bad enough, but it is only the first of a series of plans to deal with its growing pollution problem,” said Jacqui Mills, NCC Senior Climate Campaigner. 

In a recent Non-Government Organisation quarterly update, Centennial outlined its plans to discharge up to 68.5 ML of water daily into the sensitive headwaters of Sydney’s water catchment over two applications. This water would be a mix of treated and untreated water and is polluted with heavy metals and salt toxic to aquatic life.[1] 

“Taken together, this would be a torrent of pollution, and a disaster for Sydney’s pristine drinking water”, Mills continued.  

NCC and the Gardens of Stone Alliance have released a report, Centennial Coal: Environmental Scorecard in the Gardens of Stone, demonstrating the company’s terrible track record through their history of operations around the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. 

“This is not a company that can be trusted to do the right thing.” 

“Over a 23-year period, Centennial has been found to have breached its environmental licence more than 1400 times across 7 coal mine sites in the Greater Blue Mountains region. 

“Centennial’s intensive underground mines have disrupted groundwater, resulting in massive water inflows and flooding of the mines. They currently have millions of litres of water sitting underground across their Angus Place mine, and their Springvale mine. To expand their mining operations, they need to get rid of this water. 

“Not only will this polluted water damage sensitive ecologies and waterways, it will ultimately end up in the drinking water of Sydney’s residents,” she said. 

A previous application to dump wastewater was withdrawn in 2024 (Centennial Coal plan to release more water into Sydney catchment will make pollution worse, expert says - ABC News), however the company has pivoted to a ‘dilute and pollute’ approach and now intends to apply to dump a much larger volume of wastewater. 

Centennial mining operations are adjacent to the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area, a place with more than 80 rare and threatened species and 16 threatened ecological communities. Intensive mining methods have intercepted groundwater and surface water, resulting in drying out of endangered upland peat swamps. 

“Centennial needs to clean up its act.  

“This is an alarming departure from the ‘zero dirty water discharge’ approach. If Centennial gets their way, Sydneysiders will cop millions of litres of polluted water on their doorstep. 

“This is a desperate attempt to clear the way for Centennial’s expansion of their Angus Place West coal mine. We strongly urge the NSW Government to reject this and future proposals. 

“It would be unconscionable for Centennial Coal to release millions of litres of toxic wastewater every single day on our doorstep.” 

ENDS 

Media contact: Anna Greer  
E: [email protected] M: 0493 733 529 PH: (02) 7208 9482   

Note: Jacqui Mills and Australia’s leading expert on water pollution, Dr Ian Wright are available for comment on request. 

[1] documentation available on request. 

Background 

• Centennial Coal outlines its plans for discharging a total of up to 68.5ML/day of water directly (into the headwaters of Warragamba Dam) and indirectly (via Thompsons Creek Reservoir) into the environment within its Non-Governmental Organisation quarterly update, December 2024.  
• To address the historical stored wastewater, Centennial intends to apply to release up to 26.5ML/day into Wangcol Creek (consisting of 16.5ML/day treated water via the water treatment plant and 10ML/day filtered untreated water for up to 4 years). The overall intent is to keep EC levels (a measure of salinity) at 700EC, double the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council water quality guideline values for storages and streams (ANZECC 2000). 
• To address the ongoing influx of groundwater into mining areas resulting from intensive mining methods, in January 2025, Centennial applied to release 42ML/day to Thompsons Creek Reservoir – which discharges to Lake Wallace via a national park – consisting of up to 18ML/day treated water via the water treatment plant and 24ML/day untreated water. This application, designed to cover periods when the Mount Piper power station is offline for scheduled maintenance and unable to take mine water for use in its cooling towers, has not yet been approved. 
• Water experts have previously warned that blending or dilution of dirty water with treated water will exacerbate, rather than address, pollution of the Sydney drinking water catchment. 
• Discharge of stored water would clear the way for Centennial to prepare for its extension plans for the proposed Angus Place West coal mine capable of producing 2 million tonnes of coal annually. The Environmental Impact Statement for Angus Place West project is expected in Q2/3 2025. 
• Centennial’s underground coal mining has disrupted ground and surface water around the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area. To drain the resulting influx of groundwater into underground coal mines, Centennial removes more than 20 billion litres of groundwater every year, interrupting groundwater supply and drying out peat swamps. 

MEDIA RELEASE 
31 January 2025 

The Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales (NCC), the state’s leading environmental organisation, is calling on the State government to reject Centennial Coal’s proposal to dump millions of litres of toxic wastewater into Sydney’s drinking water catchment.  

The proposal was submitted to the Department of Planning earlier this month, outlining the company’s plans to discharge up to 42 ML of wastewater every day into Thompsons Creek Reservoir. Thompsons Creek Reservoir is a popular fishing spot and outflows through the Blue Mountains World Heritage area and into Warragamba Dam. 

 Centennial mining operations are adjacent to the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area, a place with 80 rare and threatened species and 16 threatened ecological communities. Intensive mining methods have destroyed aquifers, resulting in drying out of endangered upland peat swamps. 

“Centennial’s water issue is a crisis of their own making, resulting from damaging aquifers in their underground mining operations. Now they want to pollute World Heritage streams and force the people of Greater Sydney to drink the mess,” said NCC Senior Climate Campaigner Jacqui Mills. 

“The water that Centennial wants to offload is laced with heavy metals and brine. 

“Sydneysiders are lucky to drink some of the most pristine water in the world, thanks to the beautiful forests of the Blue Mountains World Heritage area that filter our water. 

“We can’t let desperate mining companies like Centennial use our drinking water as a dumping ground.  

"We know this application is the tip of the iceberg, and the enormity of this environmental disaster will slowly be revealed as Centennial plans to discharge polluted water from its currently flooded mine and disrupts more groundwater resources with continued mining." 

“Centennial’s destructive mining has damaged groundwater flows under the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area bordering the Blue Mountains World Heritage area, resulting in massive water inflows into underground mines.   

“They are manufacturing a crisis moment with excess water not able to be sent to the Mount Piper power station for use in cooling towers whilst the station is offline for periods this year.   

“The real issue here is that Centennial Coal has not adopted technology to clean the wastewater of heavy metals and salt toxic to aquatic life in this sensitive area. 

“Instead, they intend to dilute dirty water with treated water prior to discharge to the dam. Experts have warned this approach would exacerbate pollution load. It’s simply not good enough.  

“The Independent Planning Commission must refuse permission, and the NSW Environment Protection Agency must do what it takes to make Centennial clean up its act.  

“We urgently need a public inquiry into the damaging mine wastewater from Centennial’s underground coal mines in the Gardens of Stone region.” 

ENDS 

Media contact: Anna Greer  
E: [email protected] M: 0493 733 529 PH: (02) 7208 9482   

Note: Jacqui Mills and Australia’s leading expert on water pollution, Dr Ian Wright are available for comment on request.  

BACKGROUND 

• Centennial Coal outlines its plans for discharging up to 42ML/day of water into Thompsons Creek Reservoir as part of a proposal to the Department of Planning submitted in January 2025. As much as 24ML/day of this would be untreated water. Currently Centennial Coal is sending water to be used in Mount Piper Power Station’s cooling towers. This new proposal would be for discharging the water when EnergyAustralia’s Mount Piper coal-fired power station and the water treatment plant are offline for scheduled maintenance, for the life of the water treatment plant. 
• The company plans to dilute the water. Water experts have previously warned that blending or dilution of dirty water with treated water will exacerbate, rather than address, pollution of the Sydney drinking water catchment.  
• Centennial has a bad environmental track record. Over a 23-year period, Centennial has been found to have breached its environmental licence more than 1400 times across 7 coal mine sites in the Greater Blue Mountains region. 
• This includes a Centennial Clarence coal mine spill into the World Heritage area that resulted in the single largest fine ever imposed by the EPA at that time (2017), totalling $1,050,000. In addition, a $1,450,000 fine was imposed on Centennial Springvale and Angus Place collieries in 2011, the largest issued under section 486DA the Commonwealth EPBC Act 1999 at the time. 

Submission on the Impact of Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) on rural and regional communities and industries in New South Wales

MEDIA RELEASE 
30 January 2025 

Today’s Quarterly Energy Dynamics report shows the urgency of replacing NSW’s four coal fired power stations, says Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales (NCC), the state’s leading environmental organisation. 

“Today’s energy market data shows that the coal power stations are suffering unprecedented breakdowns, and that’s driving up wholesale prices in NSW more than any other state,” said NCC CEO Jacqui Mumford. 

“It’s unsurprising. Old cars break down, old power stations break down.” 

“NSW urgently needs to get on with upgrading transmission lines and rolling out big batteries, wind and solar farms to cover the increasing unreliability of the state’s coal power infrastructure. 

The report, released by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), shows that NSW wholesale prices last quarter spiked at double the previous year.  

“Every household should have a battery, and more importantly, every warehouse and factory should have solar and batteries. It’s the cheapest form of power, and the quickest way to cope with coal power station’s increasing unreliability. 

“We’re calling on all parties to support these renewable energy solutions today.  

“Waiting decades for nuclear is as bad as doing nothing. It’s a plan to fail. 

“The silver lining is that transmission lines and big batteries currently under construction will ease the problem as they come online over the next three years.” 

ENDS 

Media contact: Anna Greer  
E: [email protected] M: 0493 733 529 PH: (02) 7208 9482   

Note: Spokespeople are available for comment on request 

Help protect Sydney’s drinking water from Centennial’s toxic mine waste by opposing their plans.

NCC Submission Guide: Centennial Coal Modification 11 to SSD-7592  (MOD 11)

One of NSW’s biggest mining companies, Centennial, has been storing wastewater from coal mine operations and has submitted a “modification” proposal to dump it in a reservoir at the headwaters of Sydney’s drinking water catchment.

The Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC) has put together this submission guide to assist those in our network to make their own submission, either as an organisation or an individual.

Original submissions are more impactful so where possible we recommend adding in your own thoughts and comments in addition to the information provided.

Key Information

• Submissions close on Thursday 6th February 2025.
• Click on “Make a Submission” here. Note you'll need to create a login in order to make a submission. Please stick with it! It only takes a few minutes and once you have a login the submission process is quick and easy.
• You can find Centennial’s proposal here.

In addition to making a submission, you can also sign the NCC petition to the EPA to do what it takes to make Centennial clean up its act.

Background

Where does the water come from?

• Centennial mining operations are adjacent to the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area, a place with more than 80 rare and threatened species and 16 threatened ecological communities. Intensive mining methods have destroyed aquifers, resulting in drying out of endangered upland peat swamps.
• Centennial’s underground coal mining has damaged groundwater aquifers under the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area. To drain the resulting influx of groundwater into underground coal mines, Centennial removes more than 20 billion litres of groundwater every year, interrupting groundwater supply and drying out peat swamps.
• Approximately 5,000,000,000 litres of mine wastewater is stored underground in Angus Place mine as well as Springvale mine. To continue mining, Centennial proposes to discharge this waste into Sydney’s drinking water catchment.

How does Mount Piper power station fit in?

• EnergyAustralia’s Mount Piper coal-fired power station takes in water from Centennial mines, and runs water needed for the power station cooling towers through the water treatment plant.
• But Mount Piper power station will be offline for maintenance for a period this year which means it does not need the water.

What is Centennial proposing?

• Centennial wants to release an additional 42 million litres per day of mine waste water to Thompsons Creek Reservoir (for up to 111 days at a time) to cover Mount Piper outage periods. This will consist of up to 18 million litres per day of water through the water treatment plant and 24 million litres a day of untreated water (only sediment will be removed).
• Thompsons Creek Reservoir discharges via tributaries of the Coxs River that flows through a World Heritage listed national park and ultimately to Warragamba Dam.
• We also expect Centennial to submit a second mine waste proposal in the next couple of months to address stored wastewater. We understand they will apply to release up to 26.5 million litres per day into Wangcol Creek consisting of 16.5 million litres per day treated water via the water treatment plant and 10 million litres per day untreated water (only sediment will be removed) for up to 4 years.
• In total, the modifications will contemplate discharge of combinations of treated and untreated mine waste totalling up to 68.5ML/day of water directly and indirectly (via Thompsons Creek Reservoir) into the catchment for Sydney’s drinking water supply.

Key points for your submission

• Clearly express your opposition to this proposal and outline your concern that the health of Sydney’s drinking water and the ecological value of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and wildlife such as the platypus will be compromised should this proposal be approved.
• Water experts have previously warned that blending or dilution of dirty water with treated water will exacerbate, rather than address, pollution of the Sydney drinking water catchment as overall load of pollutants will drastically rise[1].
• Two previous applications from Centennial seeking to discharge megalitres of mine waste into Wangcol Creek were withdrawn, and this ‘dilute and discharge’ approach would be far worse as it involves far more polluted water.
• If this first proposal is approved, it would result in a huge increase in pollution, heavy metal and salinity load into the receiving environment. Higher salinity means lower oxygen, which reduces food for platypus. Elecro-receptors on their bill locate prey, however salinity disrupts these, they can’t find food and starve to death.
• As Mount Piper power station may remain open until the early 2040s, Centennial is seeking permission to dilute and discharge water from Thompsons Creek Reservoir during scheduled offline maintenance periods for the lifetime of the water treatment plant. This could mean up to or around 15 years of huge volumes of dirty water discharge for up to 111 days at a time.
• Centennial should be required to treat mine water to ensure that any discharge fully removes contaminants like heavy metals, salt and brine and deliver the zero release system they proposed when the water treatment plant was approved. Anything less threatens the safety of Sydney’s drinking water supply and water dependent ecosystems, including endangered and threatened species.
• If Centennial is unable to do this, Springvale mine must be closed and alternative coal supplies found for Mount Piper power station.
• It is not good enough for Centennial to self-monitor the level of contaminants as they have proposed. Centennial has been found to have breached its environmental licence more than 1400 times across 7 coal mine sites in the Greater Blue Mountains region[2].
• There is no ‘plan B’ to divert mine water if monitoring reveals higher than expected salinity levels.
• The planning department must require Centennial to significantly reduce the mining intensity at its underground coal mines to protect the natural environment and to reduce the volume of wastewater sent to Mount Piper power station.
• The government should commission a public inquiry into mine wastewater produced by Centennial’s underground coal mines in the Gardens of Stone region.

[1] Centennial Coal plan to release more water into Sydney catchment will make pollution worse, expert says - ABC News

[2] https://apps.epa.nsw.gov.au/prpoeoapp/

Click on make a submission and create a login here

Sign our petition calling on the EPA to do what it takes to make Centennial clean up its act. 

Centennial Coal’s scaled back proposal to dump toxic coal mine wastewater into Sydney’s drinking water catchment has been approved by the Independent Planning Commission.

Thanks to community opposition, this is a ‘less bad’ outcome than what was originally proposed: to dump the dirty water into the dam over a 15-year period, but it’s still unacceptable.

The battle is not over and we need your help. We expect Centennial to submit another proposal in coming weeks to dump up to 26.5 million litres of stored wastewater daily from coal mine operations into pristine waterways leading to Warragamba Dam. 

Centennial Coal has not adopted technology that effectively cleans the wastewater of heavy metals, brine and salt toxic to aquatic life in the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.  

If we don’t act now, it’s possible the NSW government will let Centennial get away with the unconscionable and release millions of litres of toxic wastewater every single day on our doorstep. 

A flood of toxic water 

Centennial’s underground coal mining has damaged groundwater flows under the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area. To stop the resulting influx of groundwater into underground coal mines, Centennial removes more than 20 billion litres of groundwater every year, interrupting groundwater supply and drying out peat swamps. 

An underground wall ​stores groundwater​​ within the disused Angus Place mine​.  

An appalling track record 

Over a 23-year period, Centennial has been found to have breached its environmental licence more than 1400 times across 7 coal mine sites in the Greater Blue Mountains region. 

However, this may be just the tip of the iceberg, as ​some ​non-compliances appear to have gone unreported by the company but have been discovered by third parties and later verified​ or acted on by the EPA. 

• Lithgow Environment Group has conducted water monitoring in the Upper Coxs river catchment since 2006 including at Centennial licensed water discharge points and publishes their findings online.  

Expansion plans 

Centennial has already shown its hand. As part of its extension plans for the proposed Angus Place West coal mine, Centennial previously applied to discharge 10 million litres of dirty water daily directly into the creek. This wasn’t approved. 

It needs to remove the water to extend the mine: coal and water don’t mix.  

The Angus Place West mine proposes to mine 2 million tonnes of coal annually with impacts on climate, water quality, First Nations sites and in a place with 80 rare and threatened species and 16 threatened ecological communities. This proposal at Angus Place West has not yet been approved.

Read our report -  Centennial Coal: Environmental Scorecard in the Gardens of Stone

MEDIA RELEASE
18 December 2024  

The Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales (NCC), the state’s peak environmental organisation, has today welcomed the NSW Government’s appointment of Ausgrid as the preferred network operator for the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone (REZ). 

Statements attributable to NCC Senior Climate Campaigner, Jacqui Mills: 

“Today’s announcement is an exciting milestone in the development of NSW’s clean energy opportunities.  

“The Hunter REZ will ensure the region continues to power our state for decades to come, delivering real benefits locally. 

“This region is well placed with a skilled local workforce, abundant renewable energy potential and an existing electricity infrastructure network to utilise. 

“Renewables are creating jobs and alternative income streams for landholders across NSW and this project will bring these benefits to the Hunter.  

“As coal plants reach the end of their lives, renewables with storage are the cheapest and most reliable way to keep the lights on.” 

Statement ends 

Media contact: Anna Greer 
E: [email protected] M: 0493 733 529 PH: (02) 7208 9482  

Note: Spokesperson is available for comment on request.