Mount Pleasant coal mine plans public exhibition | The Scone Advocate

sconeadvocate.com.au · Feb 17, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

Full Article

The Modification 8 application for MACH Energy's Mount Pleasant coal mine near Muswellbrook is now on public exhibition.Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue readingAll articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperAll other in your areaMACH Energy has applied for a six year extension to its Mt Pleasant Mine at Muswellbrook.The proposed modification involves an extension for mining operations until December 31, 2032 and an increase to the approved coal extraction rate from 10.5 million tonnes per annum to 12.5 million tonnes.This latest modification to the mine's operations follows three years of legal cases and comes as the mine's consent to operate on the site currently lasts until December 22, 2026.In 2020 MACH Energy lodged the Mount Pleasant Optimisation Project that would allow the Mount Pleasant mine to continue mining operations to 2048 with an increase in the coal extraction rate to 21 million tonnes a year.In September 2022, the NSW Independent Planning Commission (IPC) approved the Project.The Denman, Aberdeen, Muswellbrook and Scone Healthy Environment Group Inc (DAMSHEG) applied for a judicial review of the IPC's decision to grant consent in the NSW Land and Environment Court (LEC), with the hearing occurring in November 2023. The LEC dismissed the judicial review application in August 2024.DAMSHEG subsequently commenced proceedings in the NSW Court of Appeal appealing against part of the LEC's judgement and in July 2025 the NSW Court of Appeal upheld their appeal.Now the matter is set to be heard in the High Court after MACH Energy was granted special leave.In the Scoping Report on the modification it says 'key aspects of the Modification would include:- an extension of the permitted period of mining operations until December 31, 2032, to provide operational certainty that mining operations at the Mount Pleasant Operation will continue beyond December 22, 2026.'Lock the Gate Alliance has accused the NSW Department of Planning of undermining the state's effort to address climate change and inflicting harm on its people and economy as a new application to expand a controversial coal mine is publicly released for comment while a landmark court case is underway. Lock the Gate spokesperson Georgina Woods said: "By helping this coal mine expand, the Department is harming the people of NSW who are already dealing with increasing bills and escalating dangers from climate change fuelled extreme weather."The Court of Appeal's decision made it clear that the local impacts of climate change caused by the downstream greenhouse pollution from NSW coal have to be considered by planning authorities. Those impacts are severe, complex and irreversible and they are being made worse by every tonne of pollution enabled by the Department of Planning."In December, the NSW Net Zero Commission advised that "Continued extensions or expansions to coal mining in NSW are not consistent with the emissions reduction targets in the Climate Change Act or the Paris Agreement temperature goals it gives effect to.""The NSW Government has not responded to those findings and today, the Department of Planning is inviting public comment on "Modification 8" of the Mount Pleasant coal mine, which would allow the mining of an extra 78 million tonnes of coal from the site, despite the ongoing legal proceedings," Ms Woods said."If approved, this modification will enable the emission, within NSW, of a million extra tonnes of greenhouse pollution over the next five years."Ms Woods said: "We hear all the time that climate change is a global problem, but it has local impacts and it is growing worse because of decisions by local authorities. Every tonne of coal and every tonne of greenhouse pollution is an act of self-harm to the people of New South Wales, driving up bills, putting homes and lives in the path of danger and our entire way of life in jeopardy.""The NSW Department of Planning has categorically failed to respond to the danger of escalating climate change and keeps on pouring fuel on the fire by approving coal mine expansions."The public have until March 10 to make a submission on the modification.https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/projects/mod-8-extension-mine-life