A New South Wales Planning Assessment Commission meeting in Singleton last week considered allowing Vale to change the conditions of consent for Integra after a mineable amount of coal was found beneath its biodiversity offset areas.

Vale, delayed its conservation of biodiversity assets, instead exploring for coal underneath them. It found 43Mt of coal beneath the sites and, with the support of the NSW Department of Planning, is now requesting a modification to its development approval so it can mine the areas in the future.

Hunter Communities Network spokesperson Bev Smiles said the situation with Integra made a complete mockery of the NSW biodiversity offset process.

“No one in government seems concerned that Integra has been exploring for coal in its biodiversity offset areas, years after it should have been putting management actions in place to protect them,” she said.

“We were assured that biodiversity offsets for mining projects would protect some of our most vulnerable plants, animals and ecological communities.

“But what this proposal shows is special treatment for the mining industry can undermine the delivery of true protection.

“For more than a year, the Department of Planning has allowed Integra to be in breach of their consent, actively proposing to mine the areas they were supposed to have protected.”

Hunter Coordinator for Lock the Gate Alliance Steve Phillips said: “This is the latest incident in a long track-record of non-compliance at Integra’s mining project near Singleton, with little progress made on holding them to account.

“The Planning and Assessment Commission, as independent determining authority must uphold the law and faith with the public, and reject this modification proposal.”