Did you know that if you walk into a Sydney Catchment Special Area you could be fined up to $44,000? So why are coal mines allowed to pump their “treated” wastewater into rivers that flow directly into Sydney Catchment dams?
Nannas Catherine and Anne attended a ‘Community Information Session’ in Wallerawang, held by Centennial Coal on 3 February. Meetings in Portland, Lithgow and Clarence were also facilitated by EMM, the consultants preparing the Environmental Impact Study (EIS) for five separate projects.
The State Significant Development Projects are for Angus Place, Springvale and Clarence coal mining operations as well as rehabilitation and an alternative land-use proposal for the former Ivanhoe mine.
Nannas spoke one on one with representatives from EMM. In a cosy aside, Centennial have provided a glowing testimonial for EMM.
Export or domestic use?
Initially, Nannas were told the coal was for domestic purposes in Eraring and Mt Piper power stations but when pressed EMM revealed that only Angus Place West and Springvale West were for domestic use, and that over 90 per cent of Clarence is for export.
Water quality/contamination
Contaminated water from Springvale and Mt Piper Power Station coal ash repository has leached into the groundwater since 2017. Centennial’s Washery (Western Coal Services) LDP1 (discharge point) flows into a creek then into Coxs River.
Q: How are you fixing the current reports of poor water quality in local water catchments – Clarence to Wallangambe and Springvale to Coxs River?
A: There are problems and we have been working to reduce/fix the problem, but it is a coal mine and there will be contaminants in the water.
Q: How will you ensure in the future that contamination will not occur?
A: We must comply with very strict guidelines from EPA.
We then discussed the inadequacies of the EPA and the current paltry fines.
Q. Can you guarantee that the water downstream will not be worse from the impacts of this mine?
A: After much lip biting, “No”.
29 January 2026 – Environmental regulator issues clean-up notice to Centennial Coal for Sydney drinking water catchment (Nature Conservation Council)
Rehabilitation
The Ivanhoe Colliery Rehabilitation and Post-MIning Land-Use Facilitation Project includes a battery energy storage system (BESS) charged by coal power and used to “stabilise the grid”. When ‘glamping’ on the site, adjacent to the old Mount Piper Power Station was mentioned it was met with surprise, and a little mirth. The consultant quickly disappeared and was replaced by another.
Q: Can you point us to a coal mine that has been rehabilitated well?
A: After hesitation: “There are a few and we must do it as part of the rehabilitation plan.” Baal Bone was mentioned and a vague list of other mines.
Social Impacts
We discussed the need for consultation to go beyond the Lithgow Valley. By its nature a State Significant development is an admission of wide impact. The effects on water throughout the Blue Mountains and beyond to Sydney means these communities need to give feedback due to the impact on their water system and the effects of carbon on their environment, health and amenity.
When the EIS is posted on the NSW Planning Portal, submissions will be called for and we can have our say.
Emissions
Q.: Will these mines all be captured under the new EPA Large Emitters Guidelines? These guidelines apply to a project that is likely to emit 25,000 tonnes or more of scope 1 and 2 emissions of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e) in any financial year during the operational life of the project.
A: Yes. Each of the three mine projects will be captured by the NSW Large Emitters Guidelines. Centennial Coal would ‘endeavour’ to meet these, ‘intend’ to comply, and policy frameworks would determine this. These guidelines give lots of leeway for ‘reasonableness’ in effort and outcomes for emissions.
Transition
Questions were asked about any alternative employment to move away from coal mining. Local tourism options are being considered – e.g. ‘glamping’ on the Ivanhoe site.
Timeline
We also spoke about the world moving away from coal and why it was still seen as fiscally beneficial to prolong the mining of coal. Paul advised that renewable energy would take 5 – 7 years to get going, and that folks did not want to wait this long – that NSW consumers would not/couldn’t wait for that long. However EMM also told us that the consultation process for coal mines is at least this long.
Coal demand for domestic use will reduce faster than exports. Around 2028 Transgrid’s Mount Piper to Wallerawang Transmission Line Upgrade will ensure that power from the Central West Renewable Energy Zone can be reliably transmitted to consumers. Snowy Hydro is on track to deliver power around December 2028.
3 January 2026: Mining Site Operations
Angus Place West Project: various mining methods bord and pillar (B/p) first workings. Extraction approx 8.5 MT (ROM) rate 1.2MTPA to 2042. Various operational works including decommissioning and rehab following the completion of mining activities.
Springvale West Project: 10MTonnes in coal reserve: Methods B/pillar, first workings and secondary workings using partial pillar extraction. Extraction 10Mt run-of-mine (ROM) p 1.2 MTPA till 2042. Various operational works, decommissioning and rehab following the completion of mining activities;
Clarence Consolidated Project : Consolidate 3 separate development consents – D 504-00, IRM.GE.76, AND DA174/93, extraction 3 MTPA run-of-mine (ROM) till 2040. Mining methods bord and pillar, consisting of first workings and second workings using pillar and shortwall extraction, various mining operational works. Decommissioning and rehab following the completion of mining activities.
Special thank you to the Lithgow Environment Group and to Nanna Julie from Central West Nannas for her contribution to this report and her tireless work over two decades. Sydney Nannas look forward to working with you in the future.