Narrabri Gas

I understand why drilling gas would be supported (financially), however, the risk to wildlife, the environment and the people currently relying on the land is not fair.

The Narrabri gasfield poses a real risk to our two most precious water resources: the Great Artesian Basin and the Murray-Darling Basin.

There are hundreds of cultural sites as well as songlines and stories connecting the Gamilaraay to the forest and to the groundwater beneath.

Extensive community surveys have shown an average of 96% opposition to CSG.

Santos has already contaminated a freshwater aquifer in the Pilliga with uranium at levels 20 times higher than safe drinking water guidelines, as well as lead, aluminium, arsenic and barium. In addition, there have been over 20 reported spills and leaks of toxic CSG water from storage ponds, pipes and well heads. Santos cannot be trusted.

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.

The forest is home to over 200 bird species and is internationally recognised as an Important Bird Area. The Santos gasfield would fragment 95,000 hectares of the Pilliga with well pads, roads, and water and gas pipelines--damaging vital habitat and threatening the survival of endangered species.

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.

** Health effects.**
A range of hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds can be released into the air from coal seam gas operations, including flaring of gas wells. The effects of volatile organic compounds vary, but can cause eye, nose and airway irritation, headache, nausea, dizziness and loss of coordination. These impacts have been documented in human populations nearby to existing gasfields in Queensland, Sydney and in America.

The nation's premier optical astronomical observatory is at risk - The Siding Springs Observatory, situated in the Warrumbungles and adjacent to the Pilliga, is under threat from the Narrabri Gas Project due to light and dust pollution. The area has been internationally recognised as a `dark sky park' and the 50m high gas flares proposed by Santos threaten the viability of the facility.

Santos has no solution for disposing of the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of salt that will be produced. Between 17,000 and 42,000 tonnes of salt waste would be produced each year. This industry would leave a toxic legacy in NSW.

**Risk of fires would increase throughout the Pilliga's tinder-box conditions - Methane flare stacks up to 50m high would be running day and night, even on total fire ban days. The Pilliga is prone to severe bushfires. The project would increase ignition sources as well as extracting, transporting and storing a highly flammable gas right within this extremely fire-prone forest.

I am just a concerned citizen who doesn't want to see long term irreversible damage to groundwater, rivers and streams, our threatened native species and our rural human population who depend on groundwater for their livelihood.

Approving projects like these will just open the floodgates for inappropriate gas exploration across the country. There is no credible independent science that proves that this type of exploration does not damage the local environment or the groundwater below.

Until we have that science, we cannot take the risk

I support the Narrabri Gas Project because of the endless benefits it will bring to the area. I am impressed with Santos' professionalism and concern for the environment.

Australians say no to GSG. Fuck your tax avoiding Santos overlord. Water before profits.

Stop putting short sighted profiteering in front of the wellbeing of current and future generations of the world. Try and remember if we don't have an environment we don't have an economy

there should not be any csg worldwide let alone in our beautiful country

h

I am not in favour of coal seam gas . The reason for this is it affects ground water which is detrimental to the lands plants native species and people. People who have farming property get contaminated water which kills plants and animals.For this reason it is not acceptable.

I absolutely object to any CSG exploration or mining in this area as it will adversely affect not only important farming land but our precious water table.

We must take a step back and realise that we cannot continue on this destructive path - this is no coming back from the damage that would occur.

Please don't go ahead with plans to for the Narrabri Gas Project. Our land and environment is way more important!

The destruction of our water table is unacceptable for ANY reason!!!!!

Environmental vandalism to drill for gas extraction in one of the oldest and largest artesian basins in the world, a water-system that sustains much of the eastern seaboard of Australia.
To risk this for the short-term soon exhausted extraction of methane is foolish in the extreme

The Pilliga is part of the artesian water and pristine forest . Gas is old technology. The future is hydrogen energy, wind and solar. We are on the cusp of creating a new industry and export market to Asia and Europe yet we as a country are stuck in the past. Don't destroy the precious water resources and the farm and pristine forest, the largest forest of its kind left in NSW , don't wipe out the habitat of birds and animals in this significant and valuable area. Instead invest in the future, hydrogen. Make Australian a world leader in renewable technology and export hydrogen to the world . Don't be a future eater.

Chemicals used in Fracturing rock for coal seam gas risks poisons leaching into the underground water supply and above ground dams. The amount of water, pressure, and water quality of the Great Artesian Basin may be damaged. Australian farmers,in particular, depend on the artesian water supplies and dams . I prefer to see farms growing food rather than mining gas. Food and drinking water are essential to life of plants, animals and people. Gas is not.

I consider the foreseeable damage to people and the natural environment as totally unacceptable if this project should be implemented.

I object to the Narrabri Gas Project on the basis that it is short term gain for long term pain. The risks to the environment and farming are too great to allow this intrusive project to proceed.
The project will impact the important Pilliga region and beyond:
1. The environment is unique and iconic and should be maintained for future generations.
2. The region is part of the vital recharge area for the Great Artesian Basin. The sandstone under the creeks within the region provide clean water to the Murray Darling Basin. Coal Seam Gas water could easily contaminate the entire basin or wells could depressurise the basin.
3. Expert modelling is needed to scientifically check the claim of the developer that 850 wells would not affect the region or the Basin.
4. Renewable energy should be favoured instead of a limited resource that will have a detrimental effect on the environment for many generations to come.

We as a people DO NOT agree to coal seam gas in any part of our country. It is polluting, unethical and an immoral technology. It is your job as a governing body to speak for the people. Nothing more.

I strongly object to the Pilliga being opened to CSG mining for the damage this will do to the unique forest, its wildlife and especially the fragile aquifers in our area. Santos has already had toxic spills and the important farmlands in this region and its water supplies should not be endangered in this way. The soils in the Pilliga are particularly fragile and porous and mining in such soils is particularly risky. Further the methane emitted from CSG wells is far more damaging to the atmosphere than even CO2. The situation is so now disastrous in Queensland, with even the Condamine River on fire, and high levels of methane being emitted. To allow this sort of development is to threaten furture generations of farmers through increased global warming, which is already having a serious impact with more frequent and long term droughts in our area of the Central West. I urge the Government not to allow such massive exploitation to take place in this area for the risks both short and long term it poses to agricultural industries and the environment. I will not support any political Party that allows this development to go ahead. There has already been massive clearing in the Pilliga and the soils from this clearing will degrade with wind erosion very quickly due to their nature, The Pilliga is also an important koala habitat, and koalas are under increasing pressure as habitat is cleared, which will be exacerbated even further with the proposed changes to Native Vegetation Laws. The PIlliga must be protected. NSW must not make the mistakes that Queensland has made.