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Bylong Coal Project Community Newsletter Issue 13 – December 2015 1
A message from KEPCO
Bylong Australia’s Chief
Operating Officer
On behalf of KEPCO Bylong Australia
(KEPCO), I would like to thank you for your
continued interest in the Bylong Coal
Project. Over the past 12 months, a number
of important project activities and milestones
have occurred.
This year, we have focused our efforts on
preparing the project Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS), which we are pleased to
have lodged alongside the Development
Application (DA) to the Department of
Planning and Environment (DP&E) in July.
The EIS is the result of four years of
comprehensive environmental monitoring,
technical studies, exploration and extensive
community consultation. Members of the
public, regulators and other interested
stakeholders were invited to view and make
a submission on the EIS during public
exhibition, and we are now preparing a
comprehensive Response to Submissions
report to be lodged early next year.
KEPCO also lodged mining lease
applications for the Project to the
Department of Resources and Energy in
July. The mining lease application process
will continue in parallel with the DA process
and conclude once development consent for
the Project has been determined.
We have proudly supported more than 15
community events and initiatives this year
through our Community Investment Fund.
Local interest in the Fund continues to grow
which demonstrates recognition of the
positive contribution KEPCO has made to
the community so far, and will continue to
make over the life of the Project.
In addition to these major project
milestones, we have continued to engage
with landholders and the local community to
gain feedback on the Project and the EIS.
We have undertaken over 700 direct
consultations with the community over the
last 12 months, including face-to-face
meetings and community information
sessions. KEPCO is committed to actively
seeking community feedback on the Project
and we will continue such engagements to
ensure stakeholders and the community are
heard and respected.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity
to wish you all a happy and safe festive
season and we look forward to working with
you in 2016.
Yours sincerely,
Chief Operating Officer KEPCO Bylong Australia
Community Newsletter Issue 13 – December 2015
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
• A message from KEPCO
Bylong Australia’s Chief
Operating Officer
• Approvals update
• Project status
• KEPCO in the
community
• 2015 Bylong Christmas
Celebration and BBQ
• Suppliers and
contractors
• Farm management
• Upcoming activities
• Christmas period
The Bylong Coal Project is 100%
owned by KEPCO Bylong Australia
Bill VatovecBill VatovecBill VatovecBill Vatovec
Bylong Coal Project Community Newsletter Issue 13 – December 2015 2
APPROVALS UPDATE
The Bylong Coal Project EIS was on
extended public exhibition from 23
September 2015 until 6 November 2015.
During the exhibition period, members of the
public were invited to review the EIS and
make a written submission to DP&E.
KEPCO held community information
sessions in Bylong, Kandos and Mudgee in
late September and early October 2015.
The sessions were advertised in various
local newspapers and publications, and
were attended by more than 35 people from
the local region, many of whom expressed
support for the Project and the opportunities
it will provide for the region.
Attendees were predominately interested in
learning more about the Project’s skill and
supply chain requirements and how they
can register their interest for procurement
and employment opportunities.
Attendees were also interested in finding out
more about the project EIS and the potential
impacts the Project may have to local traffic,
groundwater and agricultural land. KEPCO’s
EIS consultants, Hansen Bailey, were on-
hand to assist attendees with their enquiries
and provide an overview of the impact
assessment process undertaken for the
Project.
The project team outlined how KEPCO
proposes to manage any potential impacts
through avoidance, mitigation and offsetting
measures; discussing at length the
proposed management plans, namely the
Water Management System, Biodiversity
Offset Strategy and Farm Management
Plan.
DP&E received a total of 378 submissions
on the project EIS including:
• 14 Government agency submissions
• 27 special interest group submissions
• 8 organisation submissions
• 329 public submissions (from 319
submitters).
DP&E will now consider all submissions
received and issues raised, and a Response
to Submissions report will be prepared by
KEPCO.
The Response to Submissions report will
address issues raised during public
exhibition through the provision of additional
information and / or clarification of various
aspects of the EIS.
The report will then be published on the
Project’s website and submitted to DP&E for
assessment.
Following DP&E’s consideration of the
Response to Submissions report and
preparation of its Preliminary Assessment
report, the application may be referred to the
Planning Assessment Commission (PAC)
for review and consideration.
Final determination of the Project will
include input from the Australian
Government on Matters of National
Environmental Significance under the
Environment Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act 1999.
PROJECT STATUS
WE ARE HERE Bylong community information session
29 September 2015
*Option available to Minister
Bylong Coal Project Community Newsletter Issue 13 – December 2015 3
KEPCO IN THE
COMMUNITY
KEPCO is pleased to announce the
successful applicants of the second round of
the 2015 Community Investment Fund.
The Bylong Coal Project’s Community
Investment Fund has committed to sponsor
nine local community events and initiatives:
• Cudgegong Valley Mathematics
Enrichment Program
• Kandos High School student prizes
• Rylstone Branch Combined
Pensioners and Superannuants
luncheon
• New welding machines for Mudgee
Men’s Shed
• The Mudgee Showground Carols
• Rylstone Public School Parents and
Citizens Association
• Bylong Christmas Celebration and
BBQ
• Rylstone and District Pony Club
• Continued sponsorship of the
Rylstone-Kandos Show.
KEPCO experienced an overwhelming
response to the second round of funding,
with eighteen applications received from a
variety of local community groups and not-
for-profit organisations. The applications
were of a very high calibre, and KEPCO is
confident the grant recipients will deliver
positive experiences and outcomes to the
local community.
KEPCO established the Bylong Coal Project
Community Investment Fund in 2015 to
proactively support community initiatives
addressing resident needs through event
sponsorships and local group grants.
Community groups and organisations in
Bylong, Rylstone, Kandos and Mudgee are
encouraged to apply for funding or in-kind
support for events, programs and initiatives
that support the community.
The first round of funding supported
community groups such as the Mudgee
Disability Support Service and Rylstone
Hospital Auxiliary.
The next round of funding will open early
next year, and KEPCO looks forward to
continuing to support local community
events and programs in 2016.
2015 Bylong Christmas
Celebration and BBQ
On Friday 11 December 2015, the Bylong
Hall Committee hosted the annual Bylong
Christmas Celebration and BBQ. The event
attracted more than 60 people, and
everyone was treated to a delicious BBQ
with sausages from the local Kandos
butchery and bread rolls from Rylstone
bakery.
Santa made a surprise visit arriving on the
back of the Bylong Rural Fire Service truck
with sirens blaring, and handed out gifts and
sweets to the local children.
Kids, and big kids alike, were treated to a
quick tour of a fire fighting helicopter that
made a last minute refuelling stop at the
sportsground.
Attendees also enjoyed a performance of
Christmas themed jokes and carols in the
Hall.
The event provided an opportunity for the
local community to get together and
celebrate the festive season, and a fun-filled
evening was had by all.
Santa handing out Christmas gifts at the
Bylong Christmas Celebration and BBQ
Kandos High School Principal James
Armitage, with KEPCO Australia’s President
& CEO Je Hyeon Kim at the school’s Annual
Presentation Day
Information on future
Community Investment Fund
application rounds will be
advertised in the next issue of
the community newsletter, in
local newspapers and on the
project website:
www.bylongproject.com.au
Bylong Coal Project Community Newsletter Issue 13 – December 2015 4
SUPPLIERS AND
CONTRACTORS
KEPCO is focused on achieving an efficient
supply chain while maximising regional
economic growth by affording local people
and businesses the opportunity to grow and
build their capacity to service the Project.
KEPCO has a Local Content Policy and
Indigenous Participation Policy, and is
preparing a Local Content Plan and
Indigenous Participation Plan to facilitate the
engagement of local and Indigenous
employees and suppliers.
KEPCO and WorleyParsons’ procurement
teams are currently working to define the
supply chain requirements of the Project. As
these become known, they will be
advertised through existing local networks
and chambers of commerce, as well as on
the Industry Capability Network (ICN)
website and with other relevant
organisations. The Project will require
employees from a range of professions such
as engineers, safety managers,
environmental professionals, heavy
machinery operators, skilled underground
mine workers and maintenance personnel.
Through the ICN’s Gateway service, the
Project’s procurement team has established
a dedicated information webpage for the
Project which will enable the summary
descriptions of all work packages to be
uploaded as they arise. For more
information, and to register your interest to
supply to the Project, please visit the
‘Suppliers & Contractors’ page on our
website: www.bylongproject.com.au
FARM MANAGEMENT
KEPCO is committed to maintaining
commercial and sustainable agricultural
production on the land it owns over the life
the Project. The company is undertaking
grazing and fodder cropping activities on
KEPCO-owned properties utilising
sustainable farming techniques including
reduced till farming and rotational grazing.
Our Farm Manager is currently running
more than 1,110 head of cattle on KEPCO-
owned properties, with a view to take more
than 1,700 cattle to market in 2016.
UPCOMING ACTIVITIES
We are currently preparing a Statement of
Environmental Effects to carry out further
hydrogeological and geotechnical studies to
supplement information provided in the
Response to Submissions, and support the
design of the mine infrastructure.
The application is expected be lodged with
Mid-Western Regional Council by the end of
this year, with the studies anticipated to
commence in early 2016, subject to
Council’s approval.
KEPCO will also be undertaking additional
surveys of the area above the proposed
underground mine to further define the cliff
lines and supplement the detailed
information presented in the project EIS.
This work will be carried out in January 2016
using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).
CHRISTMAS PERIOD
The Bylong Coal Project team will be taking
a break over the Christmas – New Year
period from 21 December 2015 until 4
January 2016. We will respond to enquiries
sent via email upon our return. For urgent
enquiries, the team can be contacted on
1800 BYLONG (295 664) between 9am and
5pm Monday to Friday (excluding public
holidays).
For more information, please
contact the Bylong Coal Project
team:
Phone
1800 BYLONG (295 664)
Office
367 Upper Bylong Road, Bylong
NSW 2849
CONTACT US:
On behalf of the Bylong Coal Project team, we wish you a
happy and safe festive season and we look forward to working with you in
2016. Cattle grazing on KEPCO-owned property