There have been 18 enforcement actions taken against collieries in the year to June, up from five in the previous year, according to the Department of Planning’s annual report.

Moolarben, which is owned by the Yancoal group, incurred a $A70,000 fine and $55,000 court costs for the unlawful clearing of vegetation near Ulan, including endangered native species, without planning approval.

At the time NSW Planning Minister Tony Kelly said the judgment was an “important outcome for the integrity of the NSW planning system”

“The NSW government takes compliance with its planning approvals very seriously,” Kelly said.

“As planning minister, I was not prepared to stand idly by while a breach such as this took place, particularly as it relates to the clearing of endangered vegetation.

“The company is now required to rectify the situation by revegetating and setting aside similar vegetation in other areas for permanent protection.”

The Department of Planning said it had issued 12 warning letters, one notice and made one order as well as achieving three negotiated outcomes. Seven compliance inspections and audits were conducted to check approval conditions were being complied with.

In the past four years, 22 compliance inspections and audits have been carried out on the industry, with 63 enforcement actions taken.

Meanwhile, the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water has increased its surveillance of the coal mining industry, carrying out more than 100 inspections of mine sites in the second half of this year.

“In the last six months there has been more than 100 inspections conducted following up both complaints as well as just unannounced inspections,” the Department's Deputy Director-General of Environmental Protection Regulation Greg Sullivan told the ABC.

“We have greatly increased our regulatory focus on the mining industry, as have the Department of Planning and the Department of Industry and Investment.

“So, there really is a focus on the performance of these mining operators.”