Overview
- The Independent Planning Commission on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, approved Hunter Valley Operations to keep mining until 2045 and authorised about 429 million tonnes of coal to be extracted.
- The IPC said the mine’s regional benefits outweigh residual harm and imposed binding conditions that require exports only to countries with Paris‑aligned climate measures and a plan to cut emissions from the operation.
- HVO told hearings it employs more than 1,500 people, uses over 800 local suppliers and contributes about $1 billion a year to the economy, claims the commission cited in weighing the decision.
- Environmental groups sharply condemned the ruling, saying it undermines NSW emissions goals and pointing to reporting that the project could generate roughly 800 million tonnes of greenhouse gases when burned overseas.
- More than 10,000 public submissions were received with about 60 percent reported as supportive, and the decision now faces heightened legal and political scrutiny over how downstream emissions are counted and enforced.