Hunter Valley Operations coal project gets extra hearing day amid strong community interest

The Independent Planning Commission (IPC) has added a third day to the public hearing on the Hunter Valley Operations (HVO) coal extension project after a high level of community interest. The additional day will be held online as a livestreamed video conference on 22 July, while the original two days continue at Branxton Community Hall on 15‑16 July. The deadline for written submissions has also been extended to 29 July.

HVO is a joint venture between mining giants Glencore and Yancoal that, if approved, would extract 716 million tonnes of coal from the HVO North and South mines, extending their operation until 2045 and 2042 respectively. The project is projected to sustain roughly 1,500 jobs and contributed about AU$1 billion to the economy in 2024. The IPC’s assessment will consider greenhouse‑gas emissions, biodiversity, water resources, air quality, noise, heritage and other environmental and social impacts.