Narrabri Gas

I believe this is a fundamental strategic development for NSW and the broader East Coast Gas requirement. This will provide stability to the region supporting residential and commerical requirements.

It is entirely hypocritical and unequitable for NSW to demand gas to be supplied to them from neighbouring states, but not to be a net contributior themselves.

I understand that Australia is making a transition in it's energy supply and there will be a need to have a mix of energy option. Coal seam gas is not the best option for Australia.

Much of the gas sourced at the moment is being sold to the international market - therefore such sourced material only benefits company profits, not local supply.

Coal seam gas will result in environmental damage to the Pilliga, an area of high terrestrial biodiversity value. The method of gas extraction, will result in high levels of habitat fragmentation, further increasing threats to local protected and threatened species.

I have been informed that the local Indigenous people, the Gamilaraay are opposed to it due to the potential impact of cultural significant landscapes. Therefore, I also support this objection.

Coal seam gas is a risky method of gas extraction with a high level of risk to underground water supplies. If aquifers are polluted or damaged, these cannot be rectified. Santos activityies even during exploration have resulted in numerous spills and incidents which will impact upon the local environment.

The production of coal seam gas ignores our international obligations to combat climate change. New coal seam gas extractions should not be permitted.

The Pilliga is an amazing landscape that belongs to all Australians. This is not the place for such activity.

1.It will extract over 35 billion litres of toxic groundwater, much of it in the first five years. This water will be treated and in the early years will generate tens of thousands of tonnes of salt, for which there is no safe disposal plan.
2.It will clear close to 1,000 hectares of the Pilliga Forest, fragmenting the largest temperate woodland in New South Wales, home to unique wildlife.
3.It will cause significant diversion of water from a recharge aquifer of the Great Artesian Basin, which is a water resource relied upon by rural communities across western NSW.
4,It will lead to large deliberate and fugitive emissions of methane, adding to climate change.
5.It will cause more trauma to the regional Aboriginal community because the area of impact is crucially important to the spiritual, cultural and social life of Gamilaraay people.
6.It is not justified: Santos' own Coal Seam Gas export activities in Queensland have caused gas prices to rise and supply to become unpredictable. NSW should respond to this by investing in more reliable and ultimately cheaper renewable energy, not by letting Santos inflict more environmental, social and economic harm.
7.It will cause economic upheaval in Narrabri and put agricultural industries at risk, as well as causing light pollution that will ruin the dark night sky needed by the internationally renowned Siding Spring Observatory.
8.Coal Seam Gas is harmful to health. Neither the NSW Government nor Santos have investigated or dealt with the serious health effects of coal seam gas now appearing in peer-reviewed research in the United States.
9. This project simply seeks to destroy communities across NSW in the name of providing cheaper energy to those who already have a reliable energy source

Santos Narrabri Gas Project I am deeply concerned that the proposal by Santos will be the cause of irrevocable damage not only to the Pillaga but to the Great Artesian Basin. We must do all we can to protect what remains of our environment and the precious habitats of our unique fauna and flora, so unique that they are not found anywhere else on the planet.. Australia's record for destruction is abysmal.
THIS PROJECT MUST BE STOPPED AT ALL COSTS!

Dear Sir/Madam --

I am writing to you in protest of the Narrabri Gas Project

Santos proposes to drill 850 new CSG gas wells in the Pilliga region. The local custodians of this area, the Gamilaraay people, are asking us to stand with them for "things beyond us" and say no to this proposal that threatens land and culture.

By all accounts, it's basically a bad idea - threatens the groundwater supply through pollution as well as threatening the recharge system, the flow of local waterways, bird habitat, large land clearing etc etc Santos has a history of spills and leaks of toxic CSG water and the drilling would produce 100 tonnes of toxic salt waste every day at peak production.

Resounding objections to all coal seam gas projects, including current proposal affecting Pillage region, has been continually put forward by traditional land custodians, community members and farmers. Studies of previous projects in the global community lend no support to the suggestion that coal Seam gas is essential or beneficial to any flora, fauna, or the human race. There is only the illusion of short term financial gain for corrupt short sighted businesses and politicians supporting this scheme.
The proposal has irreversible environmental impact - damage caused by installing the infrastructure is only the start of the devastation. Water sources and courses will be destroyed, altered, poisoned. Native wildlife will face habitat & food loss. A change in vegetation will pose increased risk of fires and further destruction.
What a sensible approach to current and future energy use should entail is a decrease in senseless energy waste through improved education and implementation of RENEWABLE energy on & off grid. There is ample supply of energy, food and resources in Australia. It is its use & distribution that is disproportionate, resulting in WASTE.

I object to the Narrabri Gas Project due to its adverse social impacts on the people of the State of New South Wales. This project will have an adverse effect on the human rights of the citizens of this state.

The enormous carbon footprint of this project due to large fugitive emissions of methane will significantly add to the risk of catastrophic climate change. This will affect people's rights such as: the right to life, health, subsistence, shelter and water.

I believe the State of NSW has a duty to protect its citizens and therefore ask that this project be disallowed.

There are so many reasons I object to this proposal, it is hard to know where to start. To name just a few...

Environmentally, there are so many obvious threats and risks - particularly to precious water resources in this area, with extraction methods highly likely to reduce water pressure and compromise the environmental integrity of springs and bores across a huge area. And that's not even considering the impact of spills and leaks (which Santos has a disgraceful history of)...

There are also well documented risks to local threatened and endangered wildlife species and habitats across the Pilliga.

And given that Santos has no solution for disposing of the salt waste from this project it will leave a toxic legacy in the local environment for decades to come.

And the bigger picture of course is that projects like this directly contribute to dangerous climate change through the leakage of methane - one of the most harmful greenhouse gases. Already one of the highest per capita greenhouse gas emitters in the world, the last thing Australia should be doing is approving projects that will increase our emissions.

Traditional owners, with responsibilities to protect their country, are strongly opposed to this project, so to go ahead and approve it in the face of this opposition is just completely disrespectful and morally wrong.

There is also very clear evidence of overwhelming opposition from the local community, including farmers and landowners. Why would the government put the vested commercial interests of a private company above those of so many other stakeholders, stakeholders who actually have a long-term interest in protecting their country and their communities, rather than a short term interest in simply profiting from its natural resources?

Finally, Santos has such an outrageously poor record with regards to environmental management that it simply cannot be trusted. The company has previously contaminated freshwater aquifers in the Pilliga with uranium, lead, arsenic and barium. Why in the world should this kind of record be rewarded with an approval to continue their business in this precious and fragile part of our country??

I urge you, in the strongest possible way, to reject this application.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to express my deep disquiet at the proposal to remove CSG from under the Piliga Forest.

There are many other ways to meet our country's power needs, including several renewable options like wind and solar.

CSG drilling has been a nightmare in Queensland and in the US. Groundwater has been contaminated, river beds can be ignited due to seeping gas and farmland is ruined. I do not think there is any justification for taking a chance on wrecking the Piliga Forest or the adjacent fertile farm land.

There is no gas shortage in Australia except that manufatured by inept management of resources.

the natural ecology and environment of the Pillaga natural Forest is a recreational and scientific research resource for many generations to come.

This environment has been a resource and a home to the indigenous people for thousands of years.

Allowing gas exploration and any gas extraction in this area is illogical.

Short term gain for massive long term destruction and damage cannot be countenanced.

Renewables should,could and will make Australia great.

The Pillaga Forest area is unique habitat, it belongs to the all the people of the world and to all the future people of the world.

Exploitation by gas companies when they do not take responsibility for the damage they cause, when they do not look to the future of humanity with timely research on alternatives, when they do not invest in anything greed and do not pay taxes,
is ludicrous.

Gas companies being willing to exploit the environment at such great cost in damage and pollution and threat to the water table, are all to clearly showing their lack of integrity and are unlikely to maintain the high standards of care they proclaim (never having done so elsewhere in the world)

This is a precious environment and they unique and pristine environments are fast disappearing all over the world.

It is a carbon sink, a tourist attraction and part of the indigenous peoples identity and part of Australia's worth.

Do not allow gas companies any where near it.

I object to Santos's plans for a coal seam gas field in Narrabri's Pilliga Forest. We are farmers who rely on river water and ground water for irrigation. After much research we have come to the conclusion that gas fields will have a negative effect on our ability to continue farming in this area. We are concerned about pollution to both these water resources. The draw downs forecast to the aquifers will effect every farm in this valley, this is our security, our reason why this is a great place to live and work. I have seen the changing landscape and community dynamics that CSG has brought to Queensland and do not want it in my neighbourhood this toxic industry has no place here or Australia.

Coal seam gas is harmful to health. Neither the NSW Government nor Santos have
investigated or dealt with the serious health effects of coal seam gas now appearing in
peer-reviewed research in the United States.

It will cause economic upheaval in Narrabri and put agricultural industries at risk, as well
as causing light pollution that will ruin the dark night sky needed by the internationally
renowned Siding Spring Observatory.

It is not justified: Santos' own coal seam gas export activities in Queensland have caused
gas prices to rise and supply to become unpredictable. NSW should respond to this by
investing in more reliable and ultimately cheaper renewable energy, not by letting Santos
inflict more environmental, social and economic harm.

It will cause more trauma to the regional Aboriginal community because the area of
impact is crucially important to the spiritual, cultural and social life of Gamilaraay people.

It will lead to large deliberate and fugitive emissions of methane, adding to climate
change.

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

It will clear close to 1,000 hectares of the Pilliga Forest, fragmenting the largest
temperate woodland in New South Wales, home to unique wildlife.

It will extract over 35 billion litres of toxic groundwater, much of it in the first five years.
This water will be treated and in the early years will generate tens of thousands of tonnes
of salt, for which there is no safe disposal plan.

Australia is unique for its natural landscape and needs to be protected. Safe clean water supply is very precious, & it is under huge risk of impairment due to the Narrabri gasfield proposal.
We must protect the free flowing waters for the people of the Pilliga and wider.
And in honour of the caretakers of the land, the Gamilaraay peoples. Stop this natural disaster before it goes further.

I am an irrigater in the Namoi valley down stream of the proposed Santos gas project and I object strongly to this development. I rely on clean water from high yielding bores for our livelihood and the liveihood of my four full time employees. This development threatens my business and every farmer in this valley who uses water. The risks are to great and no make good clause can compensate for loss of water and water quality.

While I currently reside overseas I write this submission as a long-term Santos shareholder. Even though it is against my investment interests I object to this project. The long-term toxic effects on the land, animals and human inhabitants of the region are not worth the short term gain to a few outsiders. I urge governmental decision makers to look beyond mere profit, taxes and minor incremental employment and preserve our environment to enrich our children and future generations.

I strongly object to The Narrabri Gas Project. The Narrabri Shire, an agricultural rural area that also is rich with native flora and fauna living side by side. I am very concerned about the underground and above ground water system, a source of life in our rural community, not only for agriculture but our abundant wildlife and natural vegetation. My husbands family have lived on the land in the Narrabri community for over one hundred years and our family hope to continue this way of life. I believe the Narrabri Gas Project will destroy out fragile Eco system.

this is a poorly thought out and potentially catastrophically destructive project that I strongly object to for the environment, economics and future generations

The world is in a transition away from fossil fuels in the hope that we can avoid significant global warming. CSG is not the answer - a small reduction relative to coal is not significant or sufficient. There are many better alternative energy sources.

The amount of damage done to our native bush and water supplies by CSG mining will last for centuries and is out of all proportion to a subsidised commercial mining activity that will last a few decades.

When the CSG is gone we will still have to take up the better alternative energy sources, but we will have to pay the economic penalties of being late into the market when Australia should be a world leader.

Although I do not live in the area where the project is proposed to take place, I firmly believe community and the environment, everywhere, significantly outweigh profits in terms of importance for the sustainable development of a healthy society into the future. A project that foresees the displacement of people from the land they and their families grew up on cannot have the interests of future Australians at heart.

Consider the investment on a long term basis, and the likelihood of an emissions trading scheme being put in place in the future- thus making it a very high risk investment. If you believe gas is an important commodity in Australia please consider the following http://www.earthpower.com.au/about_us.php and inquire into their collaboration with the Leichhardt Council; as society will always produce food waste. This is a much more sustainable investment, in every dimension of sustainability.