Narrabri Gas

I am deeply concerned at the potential lasting detrimental effects on the Great Artesian Basin. The short term limited benefit, if any, cannot offset this risk.

To whom it may concern,
This submission has been written to draw attention to the unacceptable impacts of Santos current plan with light pollution from their upcoming 850 gaswells and flares near Siding Spring Observatory. It is a simple solution, as recommended by the NSW EPA to enclose all flares, not just for emissions and cleaner burning, but also to reduce the amount of unnecessary light pollution from giant flames lighting the night sky.
Siding Spring Observatory is Australia's only unique science research facility using the largest optical telescopes for astrophysics and astronomy. First established in Coonabarabran NSW, on the Warrumbungle Ranges in the 1960's it was built here because of the dark skies in this region. While there is historic value of this site from telescopes established over 50 years ago, this observatory hosts the largest optical telescopes from national and international universities and research entities. Not only hosting the largest, this site hosts the second, third, fourth, fifth largest telescopes etc in Australia, playing a key role in science research across the Southern Hemisphere. Over 50 telescopes are listed across the site being used by over 30 universities, institutions and private businesses using cutting edge technology, with some of the most advanced telescopes being used is astrophysical research. Future plans include another 50 telescopes to be built on site within the next decade. All this is reliant on keeping the dark sky dark! If this area was to lose the dark sky, this observatory would not be replicated again in Australia, but moved elsewhere in the Southern Hemisphere.
From 2013 onwards light emissions from the Santos gasfield exploration have increased to the point that, just the Bibblewindi large flare and unmanned facility alone, creates more light pollution than the entire town of nearby Coonabarabran with over 3500 people residing there. Santos have listed plans to triple the amount of pilot flares and double the amount of large flares including constructing 50 metre high flare stacks, with an average 30 metre high flame above it. Nowhere do they list the EPAs recommended practice to enclose flares, as has been done in NSW areas such as Gloucester. Enclosing flares is the only acceptable mitigation to protect the scientific community from the unnecessary light pollution they plan to emit. Siding Spring Observatory already has to deal with light pollution from existing mining and regional towns. Even Sydney itself, from over 400kms away can affect research from its light glow. Santos are a lot closer than this. Every bit of extra light pollution is making it more difficult to continue the leading scientific research, and while each pollute in different levels, most consider they aren't doing any damage. But it's the combination with the existing light sources, adding a cumulative effect which is becoming worse as more pollution is created.
In summary, this is a simple fix in this case, as while Santos building infrastructure is willing to comply with shielded lights for buildings, they need to go a step further and enclose all current and future flares as the NSW EPA recommend. It is the only acceptable solution.
Thanks,
your name
Glenys Parslow

I strongly object to this project on environmental grounds. The proposed project will create unacceptable destructive impacts on native flora and fauna of the state forest and surrounding area as well as threaten the water quality of the Great Artesian Basin. Proposed mitigation measures are not sufficient and in no way assure the diminution of destructive impacts. The project should not be approved. Thank you.

How can you consciously mine this land, give away 9 billion litres of water and destroy the lives of Australian families. This is terrorism.

I am making this submission as I do not agree with CSG as it encroaches on good farming land, and disrupts other land uses and industries. This will mean there will be clearing of bush land, air pollution, contamination or depletion of ground or surface water, pollution of waterways, health impacts on workers and nearby residents, and damage to biodiversity.

This is not the right kind of fuel to build a nation and needs to be stopped before the aquifers are so affected that Australia will become inhabitable learn from the mistakes of other countries in the world where the waterways are dying along with the people who use them every day.

I object to the proposal because:-
Santos has a bad track record for spills and contamination of groundwater.
In the past the dept. of Primary Industry and the environmental protection authorities efforts to enforce approval conditions on miners have been ineffective.
The short term benefits of the project do not outweigh the risk of of very serious long term damage to the quantity and quality of groundwater.

Please see attached pdf

I am a Santos shareholder, but oppose their project in the Pillaga.

To whom it may concern,
This submission has been written to draw attention to the unacceptable impacts of Santos current plan with light pollution from their upcoming 850 gaswells and flares near Siding Spring Observatory. It is a simple solution, as recommended by the NSW EPA to enclose all flares, not just for emissions and cleaner burning, but also to reduce the amount of unnecessary light pollution from giant flames lighting the night sky.
Siding Spring Observatory is Australia's only unique science research facility using the largest optical telescopes for astrophysics and astronomy. First established in Coonabarabran NSW, on the Warrumbungle Ranges in the 1960's it was built here because of the dark skies in this region. While there is historic value of this site from telescopes established over 50 years ago, this observatory hosts the largest optical telescopes from national and international universities and research entities. Not only hosting the largest, this site hosts the second, third, fourth, fifth largest telescopes etc in Australia, playing a key role in science research across the Southern Hemisphere. Over 50 telescopes are listed across the site being used by over 30 universities, institutions and private businesses using cutting edge technology, with some of the most advanced telescopes being used is astrophysical research. Future plans include another 50 telescopes to be built on site within the next decade. All this is reliant on keeping the dark sky dark! If this area was to lose the dark sky, this observatory would not be replicated again in Australia, but moved elsewhere in the Southern Hemisphere.
From 2013 onwards light emissions from the Santos gasfield exploration have increased to the point that, just the Bibblewindi large flare and unmanned facility alone, creates more light pollution than the entire town of nearby Coonabarabran with over 3500 people residing there. Santos have listed plans to triple the amount of pilot flares and double the amount of large flares including constructing 50 metre high flare stacks, with an average 30 metre high flame above it. Nowhere do they list the EPAs recommended practice to enclose flares, as has been done in NSW areas such as Gloucester. Enclosing flares is the only acceptable mitigation to protect the scientific community from the unnecessary light pollution they plan to emit. Siding Spring Observatory already has to deal with light pollution from existing mining and regional towns. Even Sydney itself, from over 400kms away can affect research from its light glow. Santos are a lot closer than this. Every bit of extra light pollution is making it more difficult to continue the leading scientific research, and while each pollute in different levels, most consider they aren't doing any damage. But it's the combination with the existing light sources, adding a cumulative effect which is becoming worse as more pollution is created.
In summary, this is a simple fix in this case, as while Santos building infrastructure is willing to comply with shielded lights for buildings, they need to go a step further and enclose all current and future flares as the NSW EPA recommend. It is the only acceptable solution.
Thanks,
your name

Where to

I strongly object to this application for CSG drilling as described in the above application.above. Already there is evidence of contamination in surrounding aquifers and in toxic leakage into the soil in the area.
The nature and the magnitude of this project poses an extreme threat to the environment and the community.
The advantages of economic activity are no where near worth the long term and immeasurable destructive and harmful side effects.
No CSG drilling project can be certain of avoiding these destructive and dangerous outcomes, no matter how reliable the reputation of the Company involved.
And Santos has a reputation for unreliablity and unaccountability.

I object to the Narribri Gas Project. Evidence is building about the detrimental health effects of coal seam gas. This project should not go ahead with this evidence building in the United States. The risks to human health,damage to agricultural lands, and climate change from methane emissions is not justified.
The pollution of ground waters is not acceptable, and the fact that water that could be used to grow food will be diverted from the Great Artesian Basin for use on this project is not acceptable. The generation of salt from the groundwater used will further damage the land as there is no acceptable disposal plan for it.
The Pilliga Forest is home to unique wildlife, and would be dissected by access roads, well pads, pipelines, and flares. Clearing close to 1,000 hectares of this important forest will fragment the largest temperate woodland in New South Wales and would badly affect the Great Artesian Basin.
Aboriginal people and all other people who respect the earth will be traumitised by this unnecessary damage to our mother earth.
The Narribri observatory is renowned for its ability to undertake research and bring tourists to the area: this is dependent on clear night skies. The gas project is likely to bring light pollution affecting the dark night sky.
With the volatility of commodity prices this reckless fossil fuel project cannot be worthwhile when all the negative points are given consideration. The people of NSW do not want coal seam gas in their state.

Stop rapeing our country , you come in and take our valuble minerals and leave our country ruined. Bugger off

I am the grandaughter of Gomeroi woman Nellie Reid. I believe it is my duty to object to disturbances of the Pilliga's natural environment especially to the damaging effects of coal seam gas mining. There is not doubt that this will drastically alter the status of the PIlliga forever. No one has the right to do that. Please will you cease these harmful practices and legislate for no further disturbances to this very special place?

Save The Piliga

Secretary
Planning & Environment,
Level 22 320 Pitt St Sydney NSW 2000,
GPO Box 39 Sydney NSW 2001

Dear Sir/Madam
I OPPOSE THE NARRABRI GAS PROJECT ON THE FOLLOWING GROUNDS: FAILURE TO MITIGATE HAZARDS TO ASTRONOMY
Ref: EIS Appendix Q (GHD) and section 5.3.3; SSD 14_6456
Santos has failed to ensure that vital astronomical assets of the Commonwealth of Australia, and 50 other international research institutions, are not detrimentally impacted by the operation of a large gas field and gas processing equipment to the north of Siding Spring.
Over the years, major public funds have been invested in these world class facilities for astronomy. Australian taxpayers and science institutions are rightly deserving of protection of this asset.
There is no recognition of the cumulative impact of future expansion from PEL238 to other gas licence areas much closer to the observatory.
Santos has not proposed adequate mitigation measures to protect the observatory operations, particularly in not ensuring the clarity of the night sky from light pollution impacting negatively on visible light telescopy, and from not preventing an increase in chemical air pollution impacts on delicate instrumentation and mirror surfaces. It has also not recognised or mitigated chemical air pollution impacts on the Narrabri radio telescope facilities.
There is no recognition in the Santos EIS that air pollution (Chapter 18) at times will concentrate in certain weather conditions, such as during temperature inversions or cloudy, still nights and drift southward towards the observatory. Air pollution from gas fields is well-documented but has not been correctly identified in Chapter 18. It comprises methane, ethane, butane, and some higher hydrocarbons that can form ozone smog in sunlight, especially mixed with flaring combustion products like nitrous oxide. There is also hydrogen sulphide. This air pollution is not documented in the EIS by Santos. Gas field smog is highly corrosive on delicate instrumentation and can cause smog haze.
Santos have failed to propose adequate mitigation measures to minimise the impact of light pollution from flaring operations - in fact, no flare shielding is proposed. Two major flare stacks will likely operate continuously at Bibblewind and Leewood. Santos has under-estimated the likely continuous operation of these stacks and not proposed adequate shielding.
Santos has under-estimated the amount of light pollution and has contradictory statements in the EIS about the number of flares - at one point it is stated that there will be `up to 6' (5.3.3) pilot well flares, but in other parts of the EIS it is estimated over 25 pilot flares (Greenhouse Gas Chapter 24) will be operational at any time.
The NSW EPA recommends that flare stacks be shielded.
Chapter Q mentions the potential high light pollution impact of major flare events but `talks down' the frequency of such events. This is NOT the experience in the QLD coal seam gas fields. The Santos EIS does not reflect practical on the ground experience of coal seam gas field operations.
The reality of gas fields is that gas supply restrictions mean that gas flaring can occur whenever the market is not drawing gas from the Project. This means that flaring can be a constant feature of an operational gas field. Claims by Santos that flaring will be minimal are simply not supportable.
It is inconceivable that the negative impacts of the Project on Siding Spring would be acceptable to Australian and international astronomers nor to the Australian public who have heavily invested in these world class facilities.
I do not consider light and air pollution that will be caused by the Project has been effectively mitigated by Santos's proposed mitigation measures.
Yours sincerely
Tanya Lewis
42 Lambert Lane
BRUNKERVILLE NSW 2323

Herewith my submission on the Narrabri Gas Project. I object to the project on the following grounds:
The people concerned have a right to know details, e.g. maps, showing the proposed position of the 850 wells planned for the area.
I fail to see the justification for expansion of unconventional gas when a, the long term dangers of this process have not been fully explored and b. research and development of alternative power e.g wind and solar is starved of funds.
The fact that the Santos project is expecting to remove 37.5GL of ground water could have appalling repercussions on recharge of the Great Artesian Basin, a precious resource. No company has the right to endanger a water resource, especially in our dry continent.
The water removed will produce tonnes of salt, which is always bad for the farmers, and permanently degenerates the soil .
The Pillaga itself is a special place, of spiritual and cultural meaning to the Gomero/Gamilaraay people and of biodiversity for native wildlife. It is a criminal act to plan its destruction.
Water contamination, respiratory illness and reduced air quality will result from this development. No development would hazard the.
I ask that the above points be carefully considered and that no permission is given to Santos for this project.
Yours,
Margaret Thurecht

The natural refugees the Pilliga Forest is endangered by SantosÃ,Â' Narrabri Gas Project which plans to industrialise the Pilliga with 850 coal seam gas wells. This threatens the ground water and the counties that rely on it. It also threatens the environment more generally.
I oppose this project and wish it to not be given approval.

I am a humble mother and teacher aide. My son is a scientist however, and Santos must not build csg mines anywhere , yet alone near Narrabri and the Observatory.

To whom it may concern,
This submission has been written to draw attention to the unacceptable impacts of Santos current plan with light pollution from their upcoming 850 gaswells and flares near Siding Spring Observatory. It is a simple solution, as recommended by the NSW EPA to enclose all flares, not just for emissions and cleaner burning, but also to reduce the amount of unnecessary light pollution from giant flames lighting the night sky. I am so sick of the lies surrounding our energy debate. We do not even need this industry and we all know it exists to serve a tiny minority of investors and business interests. It is damaging to the country we all rely on and completely out of touch in the current situation we face with severe climate impacts clearly linked to the burning of fossil fuels. Things are worth much more to nus the Australian people than hollow profits which go off-shore anyway! We need to preserve the things unique to us such as the Dark Sky Park and this gas-fieldd will all but destroy it. I visited here as a child with my parents and I daresay few will visit in the future to marvell at the flames and stench of the gas flares.
Siding Spring Observatory is Australia's only unique science research facility using the largest optical telescopes for astrophysics and astronomy. First established in Coonabarabran NSW, on the Warrumbungle Ranges in the 1960's it was built here because of the dark skies in this region. While there is historic value of this site from telescopes established over 50 years ago, this observatory hosts the largest optical telescopes from national and international universities and research entities. Not only hosting the largest, this site hosts the second, third, fourth, fifth largest telescopes etc in Australia, playing a key role in science research across the Southern Hemisphere. Over 50 telescopes are listed across the site being used by over 30 universities, institutions and private businesses using cutting edge technology, with some of the most advanced telescopes being used is astrophysical research. Future plans include another 50 telescopes to be built on site within the next decade. All this is reliant on keeping the dark sky dark! If this area was to lose the dark sky, this observatory would not be replicated again in Australia, but moved elsewhere in the Southern Hemisphere.
From 2013 onwards light emissions from the Santos gasfield exploration have increased to the point that, just the Bibblewindi large flare and unmanned facility alone, creates more light pollution than the entire town of nearby Coonabarabran with over 3500 people residing there. Santos have listed plans to triple the amount of pilot flares and double the amount of large flares including constructing 50 metre high flare stacks, with an average 30 metre high flame above it. Nowhere do they list the EPAs recommended practice to enclose flares, as has been done in NSW areas such as Gloucester. Enclosing flares is the only acceptable mitigation to protect the scientific community from the unnecessary light pollution they plan to emit. Siding Spring Observatory already has to deal with light pollution from existing mining and regional towns. Even Sydney itself, from over 400kms away can affect research from its light glow. Santos are a lot closer than this. Every bit of extra light pollution is making it more difficult to continue the leading scientific research, and while each pollute in different levels, most consider they aren't doing any damage. But it's the combination with the existing light sources, adding a cumulative effect which is becoming worse as more pollution is created.
In summary, this is a simple fix in this case, as while Santos building infrastructure is willing to comply with shielded lights for buildings, they need to go a step further and enclose all current and future flares as the NSW EPA recommend. It is the only acceptable solution.
Enough of the greed, it is time to make decisions we can all be proud of and live with.
Thanks,
Tiffany Paterson.

To whom it may concern,
This submission has been written to draw attention to the unacceptable impacts of Santos current plan with light pollution from their upcoming 850 gaswells and flares near Siding Spring Observatory. It is a simple solution, as recommended by the NSW EPA to enclose all flares, not just for emissions and cleaner burning, but also to reduce the amount of unnecessary light pollution from giant flames lighting the night sky.
Siding Spring Observatory is Australia's only unique science research facility using the largest optical telescopes for astrophysics and astronomy. First established in Coonabarabran NSW, on the Warrumbungle Ranges in the 1960's it was built here because of the dark skies in this region. While there is historic value of this site from telescopes established over 50 years ago, this observatory hosts the largest optical telescopes from national and international universities and research entities. Not only hosting the largest, this site hosts the second, third, fourth, fifth largest telescopes etc in Australia, playing a key role in science research across the Southern Hemisphere. Over 50 telescopes are listed across the site being used by over 30 universities, institutions and private businesses using cutting edge technology, with some of the most advanced telescopes being used is astrophysical research. Future plans include another 50 telescopes to be built on site within the next decade. All this is reliant on keeping the dark sky dark! If this area was to lose the dark sky, this observatory would not be replicated again in Australia, but moved elsewhere in the Southern Hemisphere.
From 2013 onwards light emissions from the Santos gasfield exploration have increased to the point that, just the Bibblewindi large flare and unmanned facility alone, creates more light pollution than the entire town of nearby Coonabarabran with over 3500 people residing there. Santos have listed plans to triple the amount of pilot flares and double the amount of large flares including constructing 50 metre high flare stacks, with an average 30 metre high flame above it. Nowhere do they list the EPAs recommended practice to enclose flares, as has been done in NSW areas such as Gloucester. Enclosing flares is the only acceptable mitigation to protect the scientific community from the unnecessary light pollution they plan to emit. Siding Spring Observatory already has to deal with light pollution from existing mining and regional towns. Even Sydney itself, from over 400kms away can affect research from its light glow. Santos are a lot closer than this. Every bit of extra light pollution is making it more difficult to continue the leading scientific research, and while each pollute in different levels, most consider they aren't doing any damage. But it's the combination with the existing light sources, adding a cumulative effect which is becoming worse as more pollution is created.
In summary, this is a simple fix in this case, as while Santos building infrastructure is willing to comply with shielded lights for buildings, they need to go a step further and enclose all current and future flares as the NSW EPA recommend. It is the only acceptable solution.
Thanks,
Alan Arnold PhD, FRACI, CChem