The Department of Planning and Environment’s compliance team monitors and visits major projects such as Springvale and visited 87 sites across NSW during June.

Compliance team inspections were undertaken in the Lithgow region as well as in the Hunter, Greater Sydney, Central West NSW, and Wollongong areas, and across northern NSW.

“Compliance officers will now review the results of these inspections,” a spokesperson said.

“The compliance team regularly inspects major project sites undertaking spot checks, unannounced visits and meetings with councils and the community.

“Community members are encouraged to contact the compliance officers with concerns about major projects in their neighbourhood.

“Compliance enforcement includes warning letters and orders, fines which can reach up to $5 million, and prosecutions for the most serious offences.”

Last week the NSW Department of Planning wholly supported an independent expert panel’s recommendations on an extraction plan for the Springvale Coal Mine Extension Project.

The Planning Assessment Commission approved the extension project in 2015 with a suite of strict conditions, including the requirement for an Independent Monitoring Panel to provide advice to the Department on the mine’s Extraction Plan for Longwall 419.

Advice from the independent panel was received and accepted by the department, which subsequently assessed and approved Centennial Coal’s extraction plan, attaching strict conditions for the mining company to follow.