NARRABRI GAS PROJECT FINAL ASSESSMENT DUE IN AUGUST

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.

Grafton Nannas Visit NARRABRI For NANNA CONFERENCE

Members of the Grafton Loop of Knitting Nannas Against Gas and Greed (KNAG) travelled to Narrabri for the third annual conference of the Knitting Nannas recently.  

Narrabri was chosen as the venue because of its proximity to Santos’ proposed gasfield in the Pilliga and adjacent farmland. 

The conference gave the Nannas an opportunity to learn more about Santos’ plans for the area.  This immense development of 850 gas wells will have a devastating  impact on the biodiverse-rich Pilliga Forest which provides habitat for a range of threatened species including Koala.  It’s not just the number of wells proposed but all the accompanying infrastructure such as roads, pipelines, vents and flares which mean that large amounts of the forest will be cleared.

So here we have land owned by the people of NSW – it’s OUR forest – which is going to be devastated so that Santos can make massive profits.

Forest clearing is not the only issue about Santos’ gasfield.  There are major concerns about contamination of the water table and impact on the recharge of the Great Artesian Basin. Santos also has a poor record in preventing and cleaning up toxic spills during operation of its pilot project. And then there’s the question of the disposal of huge volumes of produced water and salt.  Santos has not provided satisfactory answers to these and many other questions.

While final approval has not yet been given for this proposal, the Nannas are concerned about the NSW Government’s record in pushing destructive mining projects which are not in the long-term community interest.  It seems the big end of town is much more important to our politicians than the future health of our natural environment or productive farmland.   The Nannas want to see this change.

Nannas assembling for the walk through Narrabri