Whitehaven Coal's newest mine extension has almost received wall-to-wall support, with 63 of 66 public submissions backing an expansion of the Narrabri Underground Mine.
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A local farmer's group, the Lock the Gate Alliance, and a "citizen science" organisation are all against the project.
The coal giant has applied for approval to extend the life of the Narrabri coal mine until 2044.
The mine, which opened in 2012, is currently due to wind up in 2031.
The consultation period for the new mine ended last week and public submissions about the Narrabri Underground Mine were made public.
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Many of the submissions collected by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment were by locals from Narrabri or Gunnedah.
Narrabri resident Ashley Howland said the project "will provide and opportunity to the local community for a generation."
But a group of 16 concerned landowners from Boggabri and Baan Baa said the project was less important than access to groundwater, which they said would be threatened by the new mine.
"The proponent, Whitehaven Coal, has proven time and time again that they cannot be trusted to do the right thing by the local people and the environment," the group submission said.
"They are unfit to hold a mining licence over such a sensitive groundwater area."
They condemned planning documents issued by Whitehaven as "severely lacking data" regarding impact on water and agriculture production.
Whitehaven has until March 8 to respond to issues raised in agency advice and public submissions.
The Planning Secretary told the company that "key assessment issues for your project" will include the scale of the project's scope one greenhouse gas emissions, groundwater issues and more.
Scope one emissions are those produced in the direct manufacturing process associated with completing the project, plus the direct emissions caused by mining coal.
In August, Whitehaven won approval to extend the already-approved Vickery mine near Gunnedah, despite concerns about its potential impact to the local water supply.
The Narrabri Gas Project, which received the largest number of negative submissions in the history of the existing planning system, won approval earlier this year.
Whitehaven Coal declined an offer to comment on this story.
Andrew Messenger
Politics, environment and energy journalist at the Northern Daily Leader. I also write about health, bushfires and occasionally music. I'm a Brisbane boy by way of Charleville and Hobart who now lives in in beautiful New England. Get me at andrew.messenger@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Politics, environment and energy journalist at the Northern Daily Leader. I also write about health, bushfires and occasionally music. I'm a Brisbane boy by way of Charleville and Hobart who now lives in in beautiful New England. Get me at andrew.messenger@austcommunitymedia.com.au
