The New South Wales independent Planning Assessment Commission has approved a modification to a coal mine in the Upper Hunter with strict conditions.
The Commission was asked by the Department of Planning and Environment in December last year to determine an application from HV Operations Pty Ltd to modify the project approval for its Hunter Valley Operations South mine.
The Commission received 18 comments expressing concerns about the potential impacts of the proposed modification on air quality, groundwater, final land form and void, noise and visual amenity, cumulative impacts, as well as residents’ quality of life.
Similar issues were raised during a one-day public meeting at Singleton earlier this month.
After careful consideration, the Commission has approved with strict conditions the modification, which it found will continue to deliver economic and social benefits to the Hunter Region and the State of New South Wales.
The Commission was satisfied the modification should comply with relevant noise, air quality and groundwater criteria under the State Environmental Planning Policy (Mining, Petroleum Production and Extractive Industries) 2007 – except in a small number of cases, which can be effectively managed by the rigorous conditions and controls imposed by the Commission in its determination.
It also found the proponent has a strategy in place to mitigate any visual impacts of the modification, and endorsed it with conditions.
In making its determination, the Commission noted the important role the regulator has to play in ensuring the proponent complies with its conditions of approval going forward.