EPA286-24 Rolleston Coal Holdings Pty Ltd v Environmental Advocacy of Central Queensland Inc. – Land Court MOH

On September 25, 2024, the Environment Council of Central Queensland In (EnvA-cq) commenced its objection to Rolleston Coal Holdings Pty Ltd's (the applicant) environmental authority amendment application. The case will be conducted in the Queensland Land Court as a mining objection hearing (MOH). The applicant is the world's largest coal company, Glencore. Glencore is applying for an amendment to their existing environmental authority for the Rolleston Open Cut Coal Mine in central queensland's Bowen Basin so that they can expand current operations by clearing an additional 600 hectares of habitat to dig a new open cut pit. The amendment application would allow Glencore to mine an additional 2mt of product thermal coal and extend the life of the mine till 2040. The existing mine approvals allow Glencore to produce up to 19mtpa making it one of Australia's largest thermal coal mines. The extension alone will produce 82 million tonnes of carbon pollution from the combustion emissions of the coal that is exported. The extension project received a draft environmental authority (EA) approval by the Queensland government in July 2024. EnvA-cq is challenging the draft EA in court and seeking a recommendation from the Queensland Land Court that Glencore's application for approval be refused.