Help oppose another extension of the peabody minE!

Message from Sutherland Shire Environmental Centre

American mining giant, Peabody Energy, have plans to extend their mining operations deeper into the Woronora Catchment. We have plans to stop them, and we need your help.

Public submissions are due on the 26th August (this Tuesday!), and we need as many people as possible to put in submissions opposing the plans.

We have created a handy submission guide with key talking points for your to include.
You can find this visual guide on our Facebook page.
Submissions don't have to be lengthy or elaborate, so long as they are in your own words expressing your opposition to the proposal. The more submissions the better!
Once you are ready to upload your submission, you can do so via the NSW Planning Portal.
You will be asked to make an account, which should only take a few minutes. From there, the submission process is simple.
For as much impact as possible, we ask you to also send your submission as a letter to the Planning Minister Paul Scully, as well as your State or Federal MPs. Paul Scully's email address: wollongong@parliament.nsw.gov.auOn Saturday we hosted a presentation/writing workshop to showcase the many complex layers of damage caused by mining in water catchments, and to encourage participants to put in submissions of their own. Thank you so much to everyone who came along, your support is so greatly appreciated. Good luck everyone!

Warmly and with hope,
Cooper, SSEC Volunteer

Membership, environmental advocacy Sutherland Shire Environment Centre is a non-profit, non-government organisation run by volunteers who care about our local area and do our best to advocate for the environment. Your support builds the power of our collective voice.

Protect Woronora Dam and Heritage site - SAY NO!

To the Editor,

I am writing on behalf of the Woronora Valley Residents Association Inc. to voice our firm and urgent opposition to Peabody Energy’s proposed Modification 4 at the Metropolitan Colliery. This proposal seeks to extend longwall coal mining directly beneath the Woronora Dam, which supplies drinking water to hundreds of thousands of residents in the Sutherland Shire and greater Sydney.

This is not just an environmental concern — it is a matter of public health, infrastructure security, and basic common sense.

Peabody’s track record speaks for itself. In 2022, the company’s operations caused a dam failure that led to a discharge of coal-laden water into Camp Gully Creek, which flows into the Hacking River and Royal National Park. They were fined over $500,000 after pleading guilty to pollution and licence breaches. The idea of approving more mining under such critical water catchment areas — by a foreign-owned company — is reckless and unacceptable.

The Woronora Dam is not only a lifeline for our community — it is also heritage-listed and located within a Special Area where public access is restricted to protect water quality. Allowing longwall mining in this zone endangers both the natural environment and our water supply.

There has been no genuine community consultation, and this project continues to move forward despite growing public opposition. This is not just a local issue — it affects all of Sydney.

We urge the NSW Government and Planning Minister Paul Scully to reject Modification 4 in full. Water is life. It must not be compromised for short-term profit.

Yours sincerely,
Marelle Burnum Burnum
Secretary
Woronora Valley Residents Association Inc.

St George and Sutherland Shire Leader - letter

Letter Opposing Mine Extension

I am writing on behalf of the Woronora Valley Residents Association Inc. to voice our firm and urgent opposition to Peabody Energy's proposed Modification 4 at the Metropolitan Colliery.

This proposal seeks to extend longwall coal mining directly beneath the Woronora Dam, which supplies drinking water to hundreds of thousands of residents in the Sutherland Shire and greater Sydney.

This is not just an environmental concern - it is a matter of public health, infrastructure security, and basic common sense.

Peabody's track record speaks for itself. In 2022, the company's operations caused a dam failure that led to a discharge of coal-laden water into Camp Gully Creek, which flows into the Hacking River and Royal National Park.

They were fined [$196,560 fine and costs of $304,806 awarded against them] after pleading guilty to pollution and licence breaches. The idea of approving more mining under such critical water catchment areas - by a foreign-owned company - is reckless and unacceptable.

The Woronora Dam is not only a lifeline for our community - it is also heritage-listed and located within a Special Area where public access is restricted to protect water quality. Allowing longwall mining in this zone endangers both the natural environment and our water supply.

There has been no genuine community consultation, and this project continues to move forward despite growing public opposition.

We urge the NSW Government and Planning Minister Paul Scully to reject Modification 4 in full.

Marelle Burnum Burnum, Woronora Valley Residents Association Inc

Petition to STOP Peabody Mining Under Woronora Dam

💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥

URGENT MATTER SYDNEY’S WATER CATCHMENT WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT NOW

SIGN THE PETITION ASAP
The Peabody mine underneath the protected 'Special Area' of the Woronora Reservoir catchment is currently seeking to expand. This expansion is predicted to cause irreversible damage to six swamps. This same mine has already adversely impacted the Hacking River catchment, discharging coal sludge waste from their surface facilities at Helensburgh into a creek that leads to the Hacking River, the main waterway in the Royal National Park.

Over 20,000 people have signed petitions calling for the Foreign Peabody Mining company’s permits to be rescinded!
New research has found that over 45% of swamps at the Woronora Plateau are at risk of collapse if undermining there continues. Swamps play a vital role filtering the water in the catchment, slowly releasing and purifying it through natural peat ecosystems, even when other parts of the catchment become dry. “Significant concerns” about this modification have been raised by the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Damage to swamps from mining is irreversible, and by the time impacts are apparent remediation is no longer possible. If this mine expansion is approved, the original conditions of consent from 2009 will apply. This means Peabody will be allowed to purchase offsets even if the company causes serious and irreversible damage.
NO amount of offsets can replace endangered and delicate swamps and species.And these endangered swamps purify our water !

PEABODY CANNOT BE TRUSTED

The company lied to the Australian Clean Energy Regulator about its emissions and was sued by its own investors for lying in a class action lawsuit, which was settled for the amount of $4.6million.
They were also implicated in a coal quality scandal where it was found they falsified test results .

Mining induced subsidence in WORONORA RESERVOIR CATCHMENT causes the creek beds to CRACK and the company fills with polystyrene grouting. See photos below : DEMAND YOUR WATER QUALITY, YOUR SAFETY AND THE PRESERVATION OF OUR UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT TAKE ACTION NOW SIGN THE PETITION https://assets.nationbuilder.com/boomerangalliance/pages/5858/attachments/original/1763683690/Peabody_petition.pdf

WRITE to the FOLLOWING MINISTERS:

FEDERAL ENVIRONMENT MINISTER :
Murray Watt
minister.watt@dcceew.gov.au

NSW MINISTER FOR PLANNING :
Paul Scully
Office@scully.minister.nsw.gov.au

NSW MINISTER-FOR ENVIRONMENT:
Penny Sharpe
Office@sharpe.minister.nsw.gov.au

Please Take Action to Protect Woronora Dam

This is a gentle reminder to please take action regarding the proposed expansion of Peabody Mining under the Woronora Dam catchment.

If you have not already done so, we strongly encourage you to:

• Sign the petition
• Write a short submission to the Ministers listed below

Please remember: a written submission carries more weight than a petition signature, however both are extremely important.

### SIGN THE PETITION:
https://assets.nationbuilder.com/boomerangalliance/pages/5858/attachments/original/1763683690/Peabody_petition.pdf

### WRITE TO:
Federal Environment Minister – Murray Watt
minister.watt@dcceew.gov.au

NSW Minister for Planning – Paul Scully
office@scully.minister.nsw.gov.au

NSW Minister for the Environment – Penny Sharpe
office@sharpe.minister.nsw.gov.au

Protecting our water quality, environment, and community safety depends on community action.

Thank you for your support.

Kind regards,
Robyn Galvin
President

Marelle Burnum Burnum
Secretary
Woronora Valley Residents Association Inc.

Learn More

Submission Opposing Peabody Mining from WVRA Inc.

THIS SUBMISSION WAS EMAILED TO :Ministers Murray Watt, Penny Sharpe, Paul Scully .

WORONORA VALLEY RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION INC.
ABN: 14 197 032 12 (INC9882362)
Website: www.wvra.com.au

On behalf of the Woronora Valley Residents Association Inc. we oppose the continued mining as per the Submission below .

The Peabody Mine, located beneath the protected Special Area of the Woronora Reservoir catchment, is seeking approval to expand. This expansion is predicted to cause irreversible damage to six endangered swamps.

This same mine has already adversely impacted the Hacking River catchment, discharging coal sludge waste from surface facilities at Helensburgh into a creek that flows into the Hacking River, the main waterway of the Royal National Park.

More than 20,000 people have already signed petitions calling for the foreign-owned Peabody Mining company’s permits to be rescinded.

New research shows over 45% of swamps on the Woronora Plateau are at risk of collapse if undermining continues. These swamps play a vital role in filtering and purifying our water, slowly releasing clean water through natural peat ecosystems, even during dry periods.

The NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water has raised “significant concerns” about this proposal. Damage to swamps caused by mining is irreversible, and once impacts are visible, remediation is no longer possible.

If this mine expansion is approved, the original 2009 conditions of consent will apply, allowing Peabody to purchase offsets even if serious and irreversible damage occurs.

No amount of offsets can replace endangered swamps and species.
These swamps purify our drinking water.

WHY PEABODY CANNOT BE TRUSTED

• Lied to the Australian Clean Energy Regulator about emissions
• Sued by its own investors in a $4.6 million class action
• Implicated in falsifying coal quality test results
• Mining-induced subsidence in the Woronora catchment has cracked creek beds, filled with polystyrene grouting

WE DEMAND OUR WATER QUALITY, SAFETY AND THE PRESERVATION OF OUR UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT.

💥💥💥 WE DEMAND YOU TAKE ACTION NOW 💥💥💥
As ministers you have a duty of care to ensure the quality of our water supply, safety of the community and protection of the environment.
On behalf of WVRA Inc.
Robyn Galvin( President )

Marelle Burnum Burnum( Secretary )

Learn More

Help oppose another extension of the peabody minE!

Message from Sutherland Shire Environmental Centre

Protect Woronora Dam and Heritage site - SAY NO!

St George and Sutherland Shire Leader - letter

Letter Opposing Mine Extension

The Leader - Peabody mine article

Woronora Valley Residents Association Inc.

Petition to STOP Peabody Mining Under Woronora Dam

Please Take Action to Protect Woronora Dam

Submission Opposing Peabody Mining from WVRA Inc.

Peabody must be stopped!

Help oppose another extension of the peabody minE!

Message from Sutherland Shire Environmental Centre

Protect Woronora Dam and Heritage site - SAY NO!

St George and Sutherland Shire Leader - letter

Letter Opposing Mine Extension

The Leader - Peabody mine article

Woronora Valley Residents Association Inc.

Petition to STOP Peabody Mining Under Woronora Dam

Please Take Action to Protect Woronora Dam

Submission Opposing Peabody Mining from WVRA Inc.

Peabody must be stopped!

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