Whether
a massive coal seam gas (CSG) project in the north-west of the state receives
final NSW government approval will be known in August.
Santos’
Narrabri Gas Project, the first stage of which involves drilling 850 gas wells
south west of Narrabri through the Pilliga Forest and farmland, has been
referred for a final assessment to the NSW Independent Planning Commission
(IPC). The IPC panel will be conducting
a public hearing from July 20 – 24 as well as receiving written submissions.
More
than 23,000 submissions were received by the Department of Planning when the
EIS for this controversial project went on public exhibition in the first half
of 2017. Given the continuing concern about the project, there are likely to be many submissions to the
panel in the next few weeks.
Why is
there concern about a project that both the federal and state governments are
so keen to see approved? There are many
issues of concern – two of which are discussed briefly below.
A major
concern for many of the region’s farmers is the impact the development will
have on water– both in relation to local aquifers and also the re-charge zone of
the Great Artesian Basin. The CSG
industry uses significant volumes of water in its operation and also produces
large amounts of saline water which will need to be disposed of safely. Opponents of the development are well aware
of the major problems relating to CSG mining and water in the US and also in
Queensland.
Another
major concern is the impact of this massive development on the high
conservation value Pilliga Forest, the largest temperate woodland in NSW. There
will be significant clearing for roads, pipeline routes, well surrounds and
ponds for produced water. This fragmentation
of natural habitat will create problems for many local fauna species -
including threatened species such as Black-striped Wallabies, Koalas and
Eastern Pygmy-possums.
The IPC
panel’s determination will be of great interest to many people in the immediate
area of Santos’ development but also further afield - including here in the
Northern Rivers.
