The company is also applying to extend the life of the mine to 2029 and increase run-of-mine coal production to 6.1 million tonnes per annum.

It is aiming to increase the throughput of ROM coal at the Bloomfield coal handling and preparation plant to 8.9Mtpa and increase the amount of ROM coal delivered to the CHPP from the Tasman underground mine.

The company would like to increase rail transport of product coal to Newcastle and increase the emplacement of reject material at Bloomfield colliery.

An upgrade of the CHPP would be required as well as augmenting the integrated water management system for the Abel, Donaldson and Bloomfield mines, and constructing ancillary mine infrastructure.

The director general stipulated the environmental assessment for the proposed modification must include consideration of all relevant environmental planning instruments and identification and justification of any inconsistencies with these instruments.

A risk assessment of the potential environmental impacts of the development identifying the key issues for further assessment must also be included.

Other key issues that need to be addressed include subsidence, water resources, biodiversity, heritage, and noise and air quality.

In 2011 Donaldson Coal received NSW government approval to construct a $6.5 million upcast ventilation shaft at its Abel operation.

The raise-bored shaft was installed with two ventilation fans plus associated power supply to provide additional air to support further development of underground workings.

The project modification application was first made in mid-March 2011 and the Department of Planning quickly deemed that any impacts would be negligible.