Narrabri Gas

I object to coal seam gas extraction and all associated infrastructure. Scare-mongering by the coal seam gas companies aims to frighten the uninformed public that coal seam gas is necessary to avoid gas shortages, when the truth is that any shortages will be caused by gas producers preferring to export gas rather than supply the domestic market because they can command greater prices overseas. Alternatively, we in Australia have to pay the same as overseas buyers and that has caused increased domestic prices. The gas companies should be compelled to supply the domestic market at reasonable prices before they can export any surplus gas.
Coal seam gas is unacceptable. Fresh drinking water is taken from our rivers and used to frack the coal seams. The resultant flow-back water is contaminated with benzene, ethylbenzene, xylene and toluene as well as methane and heavy metals. After the polluted flow-back water has surfaced, each well then produces large quantities of 'produced' water which again is contaminated.
Coal Seam Gas is being promoted by companies such as Santos as 'natural' gas which is deliberately deceptive and designed to mislead the uninformed public. 'Natural' gas is a term historically given to gas from oil extraction and is a product of the petroleum industry. This natural gas is also called 'conventional' gas and is marketed as LPG or Liquefied Petroleum Gas.
Coal seam gas has NEVER been referred to as 'natural' gas until recently as Santos attempts to deceive the public into thinking coal seam gas is harmless. It is not.
The fugitive emissions from coal seam gas extraction consist of btex chemicals plus methane. Methane is a more powerful contributor to global warming than carbon dioxide but those emissions are virtually undetectable except where the gas rises as bubbles in rivers....... the gas is escaping all over the gas field but is invisible except in rivers and streams. Fugitive emissions are not controllable , nor are they counted towards this country's emissions.
I have moved to Port Macquarie from Gloucester because the legacy left in that town by AGL's abortive experiments with csg have scarred that town, and its people, forever. Neighbour no longer talks to neighbour, friendships and marriages have broken under the strain and although AGL finally pulled out, the damage had already been done. Gloucester has been ruined as a tourist destination and as a desirable place to live. Everyone is unhappy except those who choose to deny the situation, several of my friends experienced mental health issues, and many people, including myself, chose to move away rather than remain in such an unhappy place, thanks to coal seam gas and its proponents AGL.
The state government must NOT allow the same destruction in the Pilliga which is a valued habitat for wildlife and, most importantly, a source of water to recharge the Great Artesian Basin.
The government must start putting the environment above destructive industries or we will have no environment fit to live in. Stating that there will be 'stringent oversight' is pointless, once the damage is done it will be irreversible.
Jane Stevenson
Port Macquarie.

1. It is safehaven for threatened wildlife
The Pilliga is one of 15 nationally listed `biodiversity hotspots' and is vital to the survival of threatened species like the koala, spotted-tailed quoll, black-striped wallaby, eastern pygmy-possum, pilliga mouse and south-eastern long-eared Bat.

2. Coal seam gas fuels dangerous climate change
Methane is by far the major component of natural gas, and is a greenhouse gas 72 times more powerful than CO². CSG fields contribute to climate change through the leakage of methane during the production, transport, processing and use of coal seam gas.

3. It risks our clean water
The Narrabri gasfield poses a real risk to our two most precious water resources: the Great Artesian Basin and the Murray-Darling Basin. The area of the Great Artesian Basin with the highest recharge rates is almost entirely contained within the Pilliga East forest.

4. The Gamilaraay Traditional Custodians are opposed
There are hundreds of cultural sites as well as songlines and stories connecting the Gamilaraay to the forest and to the groundwater beneath. Gamilaraay people are deeply involved in the battle against CSG, and have told Santos they do not want their country sacrificed for a coal seam gas field.

5. Bushfire risk will rise
Methane flare stacks up to 50m high would be running day and night, even on total fire ban days. The Pilliga is already prone to severe bushfires, this project will increase the risk of ignition.

I submit that all CSG drilling is dangerous to the environment and should not be permitted anywhere. In the case of the Santos application to drill in the Pilliga Scrub, I submit the following specific reasons why I object to it and why it should not be permitted.
1. Methane gas is leaked during production and processing. This is not referred to in Santos' environmental impact statement and yet it is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change as much as, if not more than, CO2.
2. Santos will drill 24 hours a day everyday even when there is a total fire ban. This will increase the already dangerously high possibility of bush fires in the area..
3. Drilling will threaten the Great Artesian Basin and the Murray-Darling Basin. No amount of risk is acceptable to these water resources as once there is damage done there is no going back or repair possible.
4. Santos is aware of the opposition of the Kamilaroi people to the project because of disturbance and damage to their country generally and to the many cultural sites there specifically.
5. Drilling in the Pilliga will threaten the survival of at least six rare and endangered species who owe their current existence to the forest which is a listed biodiversity hot spot. existence.

The significant harm on the social, environmental and economic
values of the Narrabri Shire and New South Wales that this project will inflict needs to be
weighed against the economic justification for the project, but there is no such economic
justification. Santos is one of several large gas companies that threw the east coast gas
market and the industries that rely on it into turmoil by opening up CSG fields in Queensland
and contracting to sell more gas than those fields can produce to overseas customers. They
drove up the price of gas and are plundering supplies previously available to manufacturers
and power stations.

The NSW government should oppose Santos proposed CSG mining in the Pilliga.
While natural gas is cleaner burning than coal, its advantage is more than negated by the unregulated large amounts of methane that escape into the atmosphere in this form of mining. Methane is a 200x more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
In a dry country, becoming drier because of greenhouse warming, we need to conserve our valuable water resources. It is unthinkable that a responsible Government could allow any damage to the Pilliga which provides the largest part of the recharge into the Great Artesian Basin.
In the end the pittance we could receive in royalties from gas mining (and they are an embarrassment at present) would be insignificant compared to the value of the productive farming land we would lose.

There are so many valid reasons for this proposal to have been reject before it even got to this stage. It can only be that the NSW government and NSW Planning and Environment continue to pay lip service to the people of NSW whilst having a total disregard to the environment. How deep has big business penetrated our state government? Why, oh why does Planning and Environment continue to accept these Environmental Impact Assessments, commissioned solely to justify the unjustifiable. They pay little or no respect to truth or honesty. There is no integrity left in this process. No matter what claims are made in the Environmental Impact Assessment, none of the promises or mitigations will in any way safeguard my concerns as listed below. Any one of these 5 reasons below should have seen the end of this proposal before now. I sincerely hope that sanity prevails and that Santos' proposal is rejected.
1. It is safe haven for threatened wildlife
The Pilliga is one of 15 nationally listed `biodiversity hotspots' and is vital to the survival of threatened species like the koala, spotted-tailed quoll, black-striped wallaby, eastern pygmy-possum, pilliga mouse and south-eastern long-eared Bat.
2. Coal seam gas fuels dangerous climate change
Methane is by far the major component of natural gas, and is a greenhouse gas 72 times more powerful than CO². CSG fields contribute to climate change through the leakage of methane during the production, transport, processing and use of coal seam gas.
3. It risks our clean water
The Narrabri gasfield poses a real risk to our two most precious water resources: the Great Artesian Basin and the Murray-Darling Basin. The area of the Great Artesian Basin with the highest recharge rates is almost entirely contained within the Pilliga East forest.
4. The Gamilaraay Traditional Custodians are opposed
There are hundreds of cultural sites as well as songlines and stories connecting the Gamilaraay to the forest and to the groundwater beneath. Gamilaraay people are deeply involved in the battle against CSG, and have told Santos they do not want their country sacrificed for a coal seam gas field.
5. Bushfire risk will rise
Methane flare stacks up to 50m high would be running day and night, even on total fire ban days. The Pilliga is already prone to severe bushfires, this project will increase the risk of ignition.

Depletion and contamination of ground water sources, Unsatisfactory disposal of waste water,
Lax government inspection and supervision of previous wells and production. Failure to secure adequate 'Make-Good' bonds.. Insufficient tax paid by Company and dividends largely shipped off-shore.
If there is a genuine shortage of gas resources why do we export such large volumes of a scarce resource?..

I object to this project based on the following.

1. It is safehaven for threatened wildlife
The Pilliga is one of 15 nationally listed `biodiversity hotspots' and is vital to the survival of threatened species like the koala, spotted-tailed quoll, black-striped wallaby, eastern pygmy-possum, pilliga mouse and south-eastern long-eared Bat.

2. Coal seam gas fuels dangerous climate change
Methane is by far the major component of natural gas, and is a greenhouse gas 72 times more powerful than CO². CSG fields contribute to climate change through the leakage of methane during the production, transport, processing and use of coal seam gas.

3. It risks our clean water
The Narrabri gasfield poses a real risk to our two most precious water resources: the Great Artesian Basin and the Murray-Darling Basin. The area of the Great Artesian Basin with the highest recharge rates is almost entirely contained within the Pilliga East forest.

4. The Gamilaraay Traditional Custodians are opposed
There are hundreds of cultural sites as well as songlines and stories connecting the Gamilaraay to the forest and to the groundwater beneath. Gamilaraay people are deeply involved in the battle against CSG, and have told Santos they do not want their country sacrificed for a coal seam gas field.

5. Bushfire risk will rise
Methane flare stacks up to 50m high would be running day and night, even on total fire ban days. The Pilliga is already prone to severe bushfires, this project will increase the risk of ignition.

Please do not allow any coal seam gas extraction. My arguments are:
1. Gas is a fossil fuel. For the past ten years, most of the world has understood that fossil fuels need to be phased out. I care about Australia looking stupid.
2. Gas is a fossil fuel as mentioned above. I have two children. Kill me if you like, but do not mess with my children's future. Do not permit any new fossil fuel extraction.
3. Gas is a fossil fuel. The world is turning away from fossil fuels, and the currently vibrant short term market will disappear as countries such as China seek to be good global citizens. It would be silly to wreck a natural area, knowing that Santos is creating a collection of stranded assets.
4. Coal seam gas is not proven to be safe, to our air, to our water, to our environment.

This is a formal objection to the Santos proposal to build 850 coal seam gas wells in the Pilliga State Forest.

The PSF is the largest temperate woodland left in the whole of Australia and a safe haven for threatened wildlife.

The traditional custodians do not want their country sacrificed for a coal seam gas field.

A coal seam gas field will pose a risk to the water of the Great Artesian Basin

Coal seam gas fuels dangerous climate change.

Methane flare stacks will increase the risk of bushfires.

The proposed level of light pollution is unacceptable and will have a major impact on the Siding Springs Observatory and also on visitors to the Warrumbungles, who come to enjoy the wilderness. I am aware that even the existing level of light pollution from current Santos operations has a negative impact on the important work undertaken by the Observatory.
A simple solution is to enclose all flares and install light shields; enclosed flares will also result in fewer emissions and a reduced impact on air quality.

CSG project in the Pilliga region

I oppose this project on the grounds that it poses a real risk to the clean water of the Great Artesian Basin and the Murray-Darling Basin.
The flare stacks would create a big risk of bush fires, especially on total fire ban days...
I am supporting the battle of the Gamilaraay people, the Traditional Owners of the region.
This project influences climate change - why approve this project, why support Santos?
Regards
Ingeburg Habicht

Cheap gas isn't worth risking our water table over. We have a clean country with clean air and water and land. Please don't destroy this at the behest of energy companies outback obmsje a buck. Australians don't want this!

CSG wells poison the atmosphere,
Cause global warming,
Possibly destroy precious fresh water supplies,
Vastly increase the risk of bush fires
Destroy the landscape and wild life
Pollute clean air as up to 500 different chemicals release into Our atmosphere.

Considering the above, Ban CSG, It is the only ethical responsible option.

As a grandmother I care deeply about the condition of the land which my generation has inherited and, sadly, is despoiling for our short term gain. Santos' plan for 850 coal seam gas wells in Pilliga State Forest is an example of such greed and generational theft.
The proposed huge methane flarestacks would greatly increase the risk of bushfires, land and water wildlife would decrease as the wonderful temperate woodland of Pilliga State would be converted into an industrial wasteland. The Gamilaraay traditional owners of this recognised Biodiversity Hotspot have said no to this proposal. Our Government should alsobe protecting our children's heritage by saying No to this outrageous proposal.

I am absolutely opposed to the insane proposal to unleash the very dangerous & extremely poisonous CSG into this pristine & very vulnerable area of the Pilliga State Forest...

I grew up in this region... it breaks my heart to think something so disastrous could happen here! Water is precious... we all need it... increasingly our waters are drying up...& being poisoned across the world... it is even more urgent that we protect what we have...especially as the area of the Great Artesian Basin with the highest recharge rates is almost entirely contained within the Pilliga East forest

The Pilliga is one of 15 nationally listed `biodiversity hotspots' and is vital to the survival of threatened species like the koala, spotted-tailed quoll, black-striped wallaby, eastern pygmy-possum, pilliga mouse and south-eastern long-eared Bat. I have been privileged to see these awesome creatures in this forest...

The science tells us wherever CSG is it kills off everything in it's path... Please make the moral decision ...the right decision...stop CSG in Australia for good!!!!
I implore you... nothing is more urgent now in this time we live in!
.

I object to the Narrabri Gas Project as I am against the use of coal seem gas in general.
The Narrabri gasfield poses a real risk to our two most precious water resources: the Great Artesian Basin and the Murray-Darling Basin. The area of the Great Artesian Basin with the highest recharge rates is almost entirely contained within the Pilliga East forest so the coal seem gas project also threatens our wildlife. After seeing the devastating effects of coal seem gas in the US I know what risks are involved in using coal seem gas. The risk that our precious water will be polluted are just too high.
We are in Australia, a country with plenty of sun, wind and waves. Let's be responsible and use renewable energy sources instead of dangerous coal seem gas!

The two main reasons for my opposition are:
Coal seam gas fuels dangerous climate change
Methane is by far the major component of natural gas, and is a greenhouse gas 72 times more powerful than CO². CSG fields contribute to climate change through the leakage of methane during the production, transport, processing and use of coal seam gas.
And
It risks our clean water
The Narrabri gasfield poses a real risk to our two most precious water resources: the Great Artesian Basin and the Murray-Darling Basin. The area of the Great Artesian Basin with the highest recharge rates is almost entirely contained within the Pilliga East forest.

This is a submission regarding the Narrabri Gas EIS:

I object to this project for the following reasons:

1. It will clear close to 1000 acres of the Pilliga Forest, fragmenting the largest temperate woodland in NSW adding to extinction threats to wildlife already under pressure from climate change and human intervention.

2. It will cause significant diversion of water from a recharge aquifer of the Great Artesian Basin, a water resource relied upon by rural communities across western NSW.

3. It will lead to fugitive emissions of methane, adding to climate change.

4. Santos cannot justify this project because of savings as its own coal seam gas export activities in Queensland have caused gas prices to rise and supply to become unpredictable

5. It will cause economic upheaval in Narrabri and put agricultural businesses at risk.

6. It will cause light pollution that will ruin the dark night sky necessary for the internationally renowned Siding Spring Observatory.

7. The impact on health of coal seam gas mining on local populations has not been investigated or dealt with by the State Government nor Santos, despite serious reports on this subject now appearing in peer-reviewed research in the United States.

8. It is time for the NSW State Government to seriously address its policies on encouraging and permitting coal seam gas mining on agricultural land and in the remaining areas of bushland, such policies adding to climate change and ever more devastating bush fires.

I most certainly object to this project.

I am opposed to this development for the following reasons.
1: Development of this gas field will cause severe fragmentation of the pilliga habitat and therefore significant harm to this natural environment
2:the practice of gas flaring will severely increase the fire risk in this environment. this will risk the natural environment of the pilliga, the surrounding farmland and rural communities
3: This project will endanger the whole world due to increased production of CO2 emissions from commercial/industrial gas use and significant fugitive emissions of methane.
This project endangers life on earth and should be prevented