Extending the life of three coal mines will impact groundwater supplies and endangered species, conservationists and farmers say, with one of the expansions able to destroy hundreds of hectares of koala habitat.
Critics say the three coal mine expansions in northwest NSW and the Hunter region will emit 1.4 billion tonnes of carbon pollution across the lives of the mines - more than three times Australia's total annual emissions - and allow two larger mines to operate until mid-century.
