Alan Lindsay and Gordon Windeyer appeared for SHCAG before the Senate Enquiry into Coal Seam Gas, in Canberra on 9th September.

A transcript of their dialogue with the Senators can be seen on page 23 in this link … http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/senate/commttee/s302.pdf

In summary, Alan and Gordon expressed SHCAG’s representation of widespread and deep community concern about the prospect of both coal and CSG mining in the Highlands. In particular, they made the following points which are specific to the Highlands:

The water aquifer is directly above the coal seam, so cross contamination/loss of water supply is virtually certain
The Highlands has smaller sized/higher value-per-acre properties than most rural areas. This means the compensation for granting access to a miner to build one or two wells will be modest in comparison to the loss of property value that is likely to be caused by the intrusion of access roads, well(s), heavy vehicles and mining company personnel.”

An excellent analysis on CSG

http://tv.afr.com/video/170139?play=1

Australia has vast wealth in non-renewable resources. This has obvious potential for economic returns for the Australian people but it also poses some threats. Extractive industries are Australia’s primary industry and appear to have a very bright future, but what are the social and environmental repercussions of resource extraction, especially controversial methods which apparently sidestep the precautionary principle? This appears to be the case for coal seam gas (CSG) exploration, which looks to be a part of Australia’s ‘resource curse’.

Follow the link for further reading.

http://futurechallenges.org/local/yes-its-a-big-fracking-deal/

The board of the Sydney Catchment Authority is pushing to strengthen its powers to control coal seam gas exploration.

Documents obtained by the ABC reveal increasing concern among board members about the impact of coal seam gas wells on water quality in special protected catchment land in the Woronora and Illawarra areas.

The board has decided the full impact of coal seam gas projects needs to be spelled out before exploration can start.

The documents show it was only after Apex Energy’s exploration wells were approved by the state’s Planning Department that the authority’s board asked if access to protected drinking water catchments could be withdrawn.

The board has decided it will not approve access for a new well in protected land, which is about to be referred to the NSW Planning Assessment Commission.

Apex says the well is crucial for its $7 million project, and the company will appeal if it is refused.

Source: ABC http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-15/catchment-authority-resists-coal-seam-gas/2900798

Let’s get the view Counter on the Youtube page to 50,000 by the end of this week.

They Want CSG. Australia needs Clean Water and Food.

Watch this very alarming video.

 

Dear SHCAG supporter,

Attached please find our submission to the NSW Legislative Council inquiry into Coal Seam Gas.

Many thanks

Tim

Submission NSW Leg Council Final 0609112