Narrabri Gas

I am deeply concerned about the impacts of coal seam gas exploration in the Pilliga region on ecosystem health and human health.

I am worried about the following possible impacts of coal seam gas exploration in the Pilliga:
- groundwater contamination in a region close to our agricultural food bowl (endangering human health and Australia's export potential)
- heavy metal pollution in aquatic ecosystems, the effects of which are well documented. Such as its disruption of neurological and physiological function of plants and animals.
- methane gas emission, a greenhouse gas 27 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
- the clearing of precious tree cover and habitat in the Pilliga region which will increase erosion, increase risk of bushfires, remove a valuable carbon sink and devastate numerous native species.
- Interference in the sacred lands and sites of the Indigenous Nation.

I truly believe it would be incredibly irresponsible and short-sighted for this project to go ahead. Whether the project has an environmental management plan or not, ecosystems are fragile and interconnected and the slightest disruption can have devastating, far-reaching and irreversible consequences.

Furthermore, as our world hurtles towards 2 degrees of global warming and higher, the release of methane gas during gas extraction is a serious concern. As a member of the generation that is to inherit this earth and this man-made problem, I am continuously frustrated that decisions are being made that exacerbates the catastrophic effects of climate change. With millions of climate refugees forecasted to be mobilised in the Pacific Islands and low lying areas of India and Pakistan, it is morally unacceptable to further invest in fossil fuel exploration. The cost of managing climate change will far exceed the profits made from this project.

I want to reach adulthood and raise children in a world that is not plagued by resource conflict, increased natural disasters and increased risk of disease. I want my children to be able to wander the streets of New York, scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef and the Pacific Islands, be able to visit glaciers and enjoy the thrill of skiing and snowboarding, be able to enjoy natural spaces and the full, beautiful biodiversity of this earth.

And I know you want the same for your grandchildren.

In 50-100 years from now, when we are in the midst of a potential volatile world, people will ask, what did you do to stop this from happening?

What will your answer be?

You are writing the future, and you will never be able to erase this decision from history.

To those considering the approval for the Narrabri Gas project,
My Name is Rachael Scott,
I am a 21 year old environmental science student and an avid nature lover.
I am deeply concerned about the impacts of coal seam gas exploration in the Pilliga region on ecosystem health and human health.
I am worried about the following possible impacts of coal seam gas exploration in the Pilliga:
- groundwater contamination in a region close to our agricultural food bowl (endangering human health and Australia's export potential)
- heavy metal pollution in aquatic ecosystems, the effects of which are well documented. Such as its disruption of neurological and physiological function of plants and animals.
- methane gas emission, a greenhouse gas 27 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
- the clearing of precious tree cover and habitat in the Pilliga region which will increase erosion, increase risk of bushfires, remove a valuable carbon sink and devastate numerous native species.
- Interference in the sacred lands and sites of the Indigenous Nation.
I truly believe it would be incredibly irresponsible and short-sighted for this project to go ahead. Whether the project has an environmental management plan or not, ecosystems are fragile and interconnected and the slightest disruption can have devastating, far-reaching and irreversible consequences.
Furthermore, as our world hurtles towards 2 degrees of global warming and higher, the release of methane gas during gas extraction is a serious concern. As a member of the generation that is to inherit this earth and this man-made problem, I am continuously frustrated that decisions are being made that exacerbates the catastrophic effects of climate change. With millions of climate refugees forecasted to be mobilised in the Pacific Islands and low lying areas of India and Pakistan, it is morally unacceptable to further invest in fossil fuel exploration. The cost of managing climate change will far exceed the profits made from this project.
I want to reach adulthood and raise children in a world that is not plagued by resource conflict, increased natural disasters and increased risk of disease. I want my children to be able to wander the streets of New York, scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef and the Pacific Islands, be able to visit glaciers and enjoy the thrill of skiing and snowboarding, be able to enjoy natural spaces and the full, beautiful biodiversity of this earth.
And I know you want the same for your grandchildren.
In 50-100 years from now, when we are in the midst of a potential volatile world, people will ask, what did you do to stop this from happening?
What will your answer be?
You are writing the future, and you will never be able to erase this decision from history.

I am absolutely AGAINST this fracking project.

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.

I am making a submission on the Narrabri Gas
Project and I OBJECT to it for the following reasons:

* SantosÂ' EIS admits that the project will result in a loss
of water from the GAB recharge aquifer over time. CSG in Queensland has drawn down GAB
aquifers already. We canÂ't afford to risk this crucial resource.

* it threatens our groundwater supply with pollution. This contaminated water will work it's way into our rivers and streams and farmland polluting much more then the localised region. NOT OK!

* 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.

*Cultural heritage of the Pilliga - The Pilliga is a spiritual, cultural and social icon for Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people.
Fragmentation and industrialisation cuts people off from their
heritage and connection to country.

* Local farmers need clean water

* There is a major lack of detail: SantosÂ' EIS is very short on detail. It does not provide maps indicating where
these 850 wells and the lines and infrastructure that run between and around them will go. Santos is seeking a blank cheque consent for this gasfield on the promise that it will
decide where the wells will go afterward using a Â"Field Development Protocol.Â" No project has ever been assessed this way before in NSW and the constraints Santos propose are weak and subject to change later on. This is not an appropriate way to assess the largest
development project ever undertaken under the Environmental Planning and Assessment
Act and the Government must insist that Santos release details to the public about the placement of its wells, pipelines and some other infrastructure.

* This is a short sighted project with short term money gain for very few and major environmental and social impacts for the local community. NOT FAIR!.

* Climate Change - Santos' business plan is based on 4 degrees warming of the planet. This would be catastrophic for human civilisation and is far from Paris Climate Change Agreement. Peter CoatesÂ' admission of the 4 degrees plan contradicts his entire industryÂ's sales pitch that gas is part of the solution to climate change. If gas really is the transition fuel to a low carbon economy, and the Â"perfect partner for renewablesÂ", then why on earth does Santos not make the case for a 2°C pathway? I don't trust Santos with our climate

* CSG mining is dangerous and the actual impacts are not scientifically known yet.

* Fracking has been directly linked to a considerable number of serious environmental incidents including water contamination, earthquakes and fire. The process is already banned in France and other countries, including parts of the USA.

* We should be protecting the environment and our precious WATER and eco systems not destroying them. Renewables are so much more socially and environmentally viable. Say no to Coal & GAS.

* This will push local gas prices up. NOT OK

* This project will destroy forest. Santos propose clearing nearly 1,000ha of the Pilliga, including habitat for critically
endangered Regent honeyeater and for koalas, which are already in decline in the Pilliga. Spread across the whole forest, this clearing will fragment much larger areas of habitat. The gasfield will clear breeding habitat for Pilliga Mouse, which lives nowhere else, and breeding
habitat for other wildlife. It will fragment and degrade the forest. Without specific information about where the wells and lines will be located, a proper ecological impact assessment canÂ't be completed. Regardless, the Pilliga is a cherished natural and cultural icon and must be protected from becoming an industrial gasfield.

* there is 96% opposition from the local people who will be directly affected by this proposed project. The Government should NOT support this project with such a high volume of local opposition.

* we should be investing in climate solutions not more dangerous pollution

* Social and health impacts: SantosÂ' social impact assessment is three years old and utterly
inadequate. The compendium of health studies produced by the Concerned Health Professionals of New York shows mounting evidence for health damage by unconventional
gas operations, including water contamination and respiratory illness. The Government must insist that Santos conduct a proper health impact assessment including modelling exposure pathways, reviewing literature and engagement with the Narrabri community. In
Narrabri, this project will have negative impacts on cost of
living, the labour and housing markets. The latter is cited in as a benefitof the project but it will not benefit low income
renters. The effect of the project on cost of living in the Shire needs to be modelled, assessed and considered, as do the labour dynamics of the project. The project entirely surrounds Yarrie Lake, and Santos propose that wells might come as close as 200m from the Lake.

* Air quality: The air quality assessment fails to include health damaging fine particulate pollution with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less (known as PM2.5). With diesel generators at each well pad and at the water treatment and gas compression plants, there will be significant PM2.5 emissions. The air quality assessment and greenhouse section also fail to model the likely substantial escape of fugitive methane emissions.

* Climate change: recent research by the Melbourne Energy Institute shows that Australia may be dramatically under -
estimating the fugitive methane emissions from unconventional gas, including coal seam gas. ItÂ's not needed or useful as a source of energy: we have the
technology we need to replace gas with renewable energy sources.

* Dark sky: light pollution from flares, compressor stations and the water treatment plant will ruin the dark sky needed by the internationally renowned Siding Spring Observatory.

* ThereÂ's no justification: 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 gas produced at Narrabri might be as little as 4.9% of the volume contracted for sale out
of Gladstone. ItÂ's not going to bring down prices. In fact, it will force prices up, because unconventional gas like CSG is so expensive to produce and yields are so low. Research
undertaken by gas company AGL shows that gas from the Pilliga would be the most expensive gas of anywhere in the current east coast gas market. The number of jobs the
project will support once the construction is over is just 145. Weighed against damage to the land, and the Great Artesian Basin, this makes no sense. We need sustainable jobs, not
plunder for profit.

* Threats to water
* Leaking methane
* Health impacts
* Above ground footprint
* Seismic activity
* Insufficient research and community engagement

* I believe there should be:
A Royal Commission into all aspects of coal seam gas mining;
A moratorium on coal seam gas mining pending the outcome of the Royal Commission; and
A ban on fracking and similar coal bed Â`stimulationÂ' technologies and techniques.

* PLEASE REJECT THIS EIS

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. In a worst-case scenario, the water removed for CSG extraction could reduce water pressure in the recharge areas--potentially stopping the free flow of waters to the surface at springs and bores across the whole Great Artesian Basin.¹

Creeks in the Pilliga run into the Namoi River--a part of the Murray Darling Basin. This system is vulnerable to contamination from drilling fluid spills and the salty treated water produced from the proposed 850 wells.
- See more at: https://www.wilderness.org.au/articles/final-push-pilliga#sthash.YN7xHgla.dpuf

Consider the impacts of this proposal with the eyes of future generations. How do you think history will view a decision to favour financial profit for some over compromised water supply for all? Who will think you were smart to threaten with extinction other animals for the sake of providing energy for humans to squander in the name of lifestyle? Do you really believe a network of roads and holes is more valuable than a network of biodiversity? You do realise that trees do not a forest make.
Join us as a society in taking responsibility for the waste we create and make decisions with consideration for what we bequeath future generations. Find clever solutions to our perceived problems and stop offering quick fixes.

I can't believe that this government is seriously considering a coal seam gas project in the Pilliga forest. There are many rare and threatened plant and animal species in this region, which would be decimated by the infrastructure for CSG. Most concerning of all, this region has intakes for the Great Artesian Basin. there is no doubt that at the very least the extraction of water for CSG mining will deplete the Basin on which much of our agriculture relies, but even more terrifying than that is the serious risk that the fracturing of the rock strata will allow toxic water from the CSG process to enter the Artesian Basin, creating an irreversible agricultural disaster. Please do NOT allow Santos to pillage the Pilliga and destroy the heritage of present and future Australians.

To those considering the approval for the Narrabri Gas project,
My Name is Rachael Scott,

I am a 21 year old environmental science student and an avid nature lover.

I am deeply concerned about the impacts of coal seam gas exploration in the Pilliga region on ecosystem health and human health.

I am worried about the following possible impacts of coal seam gas exploration in the Pilliga:
- groundwater contamination in a region close to our agricultural food bowl (endangering human health and Australia's export potential)
- heavy metal pollution in aquatic ecosystems, the effects of which are well documented. Such as its disruption of neurological and physiological function of plants and animals.
- methane gas emission, a greenhouse gas 27 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
- the clearing of precious tree cover and habitat in the Pilliga region which will increase erosion, increase risk of bushfires, remove a valuable carbon sink and devastate numerous native species.
- Interference in the sacred lands and sites of the Indigenous Nation.

I truly believe it would be incredibly irresponsible and short-sighted for this project to go ahead. Whether the project has an environmental management plan or not, ecosystems are fragile and interconnected and the slightest disruption can have devastating, far-reaching and irreversible consequences.

Furthermore, as our world hurtles towards 2 degrees of global warming and higher, the release of methane gas during gas extraction is a serious concern. As a member of the generation that is to inherit this earth and this man-made problem, I am continuously frustrated that decisions are being made that exacerbates the catastrophic effects of climate change. With millions of climate refugees forecasted to be mobilised in the Pacific Islands and low lying areas of India and Pakistan, it is morally unacceptable to further invest in fossil fuel exploration. The cost of managing climate change will far exceed the profits made from this project.

I want to reach adulthood and raise children in a world that is not plagued by resource conflict, increased natural disasters and increased risk of disease. I want my children to be able to wander the streets of New York, scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef and the Pacific Islands, be able to visit glaciers and enjoy the thrill of skiing and snowboarding, be able to enjoy natural spaces and the full, beautiful biodiversity of this earth.

And I know you want the same for your grandchildren.

In 50-100 years from now, when we are in the midst of a potential volatile world, people will ask, what did you do to stop this from happening?

What will your answer be?

You are writing the future, and you will never be able to erase this decision from history.

The proposal is the instalment of up to 850 gas wells on up to 425 well pads over 20 years, where
"To those considering the approval for the Narrabri Gas project,
My Name is Rachael Scott,

I am a 21 year old environmental science student and an avid nature lover.

I am deeply concerned about the impacts of coal seam gas exploration in the Pilliga region on ecosystem health and human health.

I am worried about the following possible impacts of coal seam gas exploration in the Pilliga:
- groundwater contamination in a region close to our agricultural food bowl (endangering human health and Australia's export potential)
- heavy metal pollution in aquatic ecosystems, the effects of which are well documented. Such as its disruption of neurological and physiological function of plants and animals.
- methane gas emission, a greenhouse gas 27 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
- the clearing of precious tree cover and habitat in the Pilliga region which will increase erosion, increase risk of bushfires, remove a valuable carbon sink and devastate numerous native species.
- Interference in the sacred lands and sites of the Indigenous Nation.

I truly believe it would be incredibly irresponsible and short-sighted for this project to go ahead. Whether the project has an environmental management plan or not, ecosystems are fragile and interconnected and the slightest disruption can have devastating, far-reaching and irreversible consequences.

Furthermore, as our world hurtles towards 2 degrees of global warming and higher, the release of methane gas during gas extraction is a serious concern. As a member of the generation that is to inherit this earth and this man-made problem, I am continuously frustrated that decisions are being made that exacerbates the catastrophic effects of climate change. With millions of climate refugees forecasted to be mobilised in the Pacific Islands and low lying areas of India and Pakistan, it is morally unacceptable to further invest in fossil fuel exploration. The cost of managing climate change will far exceed the profits made from this project.

I want to reach adulthood and raise children in a world that is not plagued by resource conflict, increased natural disasters and increased risk of disease. I want my children to be able to wander the streets of New York, scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef and the Pacific Islands, be able to visit glaciers and enjoy the thrill of skiing and snowboarding, be able to enjoy natural spaces and the full, beautiful biodiversity of this earth.

And I know you want the same for your grandchildren.

In 50-100 years from now, when we are in the midst of a potential volatile world, people will ask, what did you do to stop this from happening?

What will your answer be?

You are writing the future, and you will never be able to erase this decision from history."

As a father, husband and grazier who's family has lived on "Yera" for 100 years, I object to the Santos EIS. My family has made significant contributions to this area, from things such as starting the bus service from Edgeroi to town for the farming children, to contributing to the building of the Edgeroi hall, to my grandfather being a leader in developing new farming techniques. We have supported and lived within this community for 100 years and have every intention of remaining here. This will not be possible if Santos is allowed to continue with the irreversible environmental damage that has been the result of their practices. Their EIS does not show any ability, planning or scientific evidence to prove that there is no danger to the environment with the extraction of coal seam gas. They are being vague as to what they plan to do, how they plan to do it and how they will cope with the inevitable environmental consequences. They are not being forthcoming in the long term economic affect to the Narrabri region, nor how much they are receiving from the government whether it be in direct funds or in tax breaks.
It saddens me that our representatives are unwilling to listen to what the people that they represent want. We pay their wages with our blood seat and tears and it is time that they respect us and not big business who make donations to their parties.

The lack of detail: Santos' EIS is very short on detail. It does not provide maps indicating where these 850 wells and the lines and infrastructure that run between and around them will go. Santos is seeking a blank cheque consent for this gasfield on the promise that it will decide where the wells will go afterward using a "Field Development Protocol." No project has ever been assessed this way before in NSW and the constraints Santos propose are weak and subject to change later on. This is not an appropriate way to assess the largest development project ever undertaken under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act and the Government must insist that Santos release details to the public about the placement of its wells, pipelines and some other infrastructure.
There's no justification: 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 gas produced at Narrabri might be as little as 4.9% of the volume contracted for sale out of Gladstone. It's not going to bring down prices. In fact, it will force prices up, because unconventional gas like CSG is so expensive to produce and yields are so low. Research undertaken by gas company AGL shows that gas from the Pilliga would be the most expensive gas of anywhere in the current east coast gas market. The total number of jobs the project will support once the construction is over is just 145, with approximately 10% of those based in the Narrabri LGA. Weighed against damage to the land, and the Great Artesian Basin, this makes no sense. We need sustainable jobs, not plunder for profit.
Groundwater and the Great Artesian Basin: Santos' project is expected to remove 37.5GL of groundwater over the life of the gasfield, mostly in the early years. The coal seam needs to be dewatered to release the gas, but this aquifer lies beneath the Pilliga Sandstone, part of the Great Artesian Basin recharge. Santos' EIS admits that the project will result in a loss of water from the GAB recharge aquifer over time. CSG in Queensland has drawn down GAB aquifers already. We can't afford to risk this crucial resource.
Salt: The water removed from the ground by Santos will be treated, but this creates another problem: what to do with the salt? Peak salt production at Narrabri CSG will be 115 tonnes per day, or two and a half B-double truckloads per day. In the peak year, this would mean the creation of 41,900 tonnes of salt for disposal, which Santos says will take place in landfill.
Cultural heritage and the Pilliga: The Pilliga is a spiritual, cultural and social icon for Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people. Fragmentation and industrialisation cuts people off from their heritage and connection to country.
Biodiversity and the Pilliga: The Pilliga is also the largest temperate woodland in New South Wales. Santos propose clearing nearly 1,000ha of the Pilliga, including habitat for critically endangered Regent honeyeater and for koalas, which are already in decline in the Pilliga. Spread across the whole forest, this clearing will fragment much larger areas of habitat. The gasfield will clear breeding habitat for Pilliga Mouse, which lives nowhere else, and breeding habitat for other wildlife. It will fragment and degrade the forest. Without specific information about where the wells and lines will be located, a proper ecological impact assessment can't be completed. Regardless, the Pilliga is a cherished natural and cultural icon and must be protected from becoming an industrial gasfield.
Social and health impacts: Santos' social impact assessment is three years old and utterly inadequate. The compendium of health studies produced by the Concerned Health
Professionals of New York shows mounting evidence for health damage by unconventional gas operations, including water contamination and respiratory illness. The Government must insist that Santos conduct a proper health impact assessment including modelling exposure pathways, reviewing literature and engagement with the Narrabri community. In Narrabri, this project will have negative impacts on cost-of-living, the labour and housing markets. The latter is cited in as a benefit of the project but it will not benefit low-income renters. The effect of the project on cost-of-living in the Shire needs to be modelled, assessed and considered, as do the labour dynamics of the project. The project entirely surrounds Yarrie Lake, and Santos propose that wells might come as close as 200m from the Lake.
Air quality: The air quality assessment fails to include health-damaging fine particulate pollution with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less (known as PM2.5). With diesel generators at each well pad and at the water treatment and gas compression plants, there will be significant PM2.5 emissions. The air quality assessment and greenhouse section also fail to model the likely substantial escape of fugitive methane emissions.
Dark sky: light pollution from flares, compressor stations and the water treatment plant will ruin the dark sky needed by the internationally renowned Siding Spring Observatory.
Climate change: recent research by the Melbourne Energy Institute shows that Australia may be dramatically under-estimating the fugitive methane emissions from unconventional gas, including coal seam gas. It's not needed or useful as a source of energy: we have the technology we need to replace gas with renewable energy sources.

To those considering the approval for the Narrabri Gas project,
My Name is Callan Cutcliffe
I am a 19 year old environmental science student and an avid nature lover. I am deeply concerned about the negative impacts of coal seam gas exploration in the Pilliga region on ecosystem health and human health.
I am worried about the following possible impacts of coal seam gas exploration in the Pilliga:
- groundwater contamination in a region close to our agricultural food bowl (endangering human health and Australia's export potential)
- heavy metal pollution in aquatic ecosystems, the effects of which are well documented. Such as its disruption of neurological and physiological function of plants and animals.
- methane gas emission, a greenhouse gas 27 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
- the clearing of precious tree cover and habitat in the Pilliga region which will increase erosion, increase risk of bushfires, remove a valuable carbon sink and devastate numerous native species.
- Interference and a lack of respect toward the sacred lands and sites of the First Nations' People
I truly believe it would be incredibly irresponsible and short-sighted for this project to go ahead. Regardless, of the environmental management plan which has no doubt been drawn up by biased and well lined pockets. Ecosystems are fragile and interconnected and such large scale disruption will have devastating, far-reaching and irreversible consequences.
The short term financial gain is minute compared to what this will cost us both financially and ethically in the long run.

The environmental risks posed by the proposed Narrabri Gas Project outweigh the possible benefits to the local or national community.

Santos has demonstrated again and again that they are irresponsible actors and allowing them to self-regulate is tantamount to no regulation at all. The whole industry has a history of non-reporting or late reporting of environmental infringements.

The largest temperate woodland in New South Wales will be decimated and the impact on endangered species such as Koalas, the Regent Honeyeater and the Pilliga Mouse must not be allowed.

The long term effects on the water basin of CSG are poorly understood and probably irreversible. The impact on the Great Artesian Basin is potentially devastating.

Add to that the possibility of methane escaping and exacerbating climate change and there is little to recommend this project.

We should learn from out mistakes and not continue to cause environmental damage when we can choose not to.

I strongly oppose this project.

Narrabri needs more industry and development to create jobs and growth, Agriculture is not enough of a base for future viability of the town. CSG is a resource like any other resource that needs to be well managed and well integrated in the natural landscape. Resources are what humans use to prosper and advance. Investment in industry and secondary industry is vital for small regional towns.

Submission by Kirsty Kelly, resident of Wee Waa located approximately 15kms from the Narrabri Gas Project, mother of 4 living and working in the Wee Waa Community which is reliant on bore water from the GAB to meet the needs of everyday life and industry.
Our main family income is also derived from work on an irrigated cotton farm reliant on Namoi River water and bore water from the water table and GAB.
I write to strongly object to the proposal to develop Coal Seam Gas extraction in the Narrabri Gas project on the basis that Coal Seam Gas has the potential to negatively affect: our water supplies; the unique landscape around the project; the health of flora, fauna and human inhabitants in and around the area; the Siding Spring Observatory; productive agricultural land; climate and the future development of renewable energy supplies within Australia.
I am also convinced that Santos cannot be trusted to ensure that negative impacts are prevented or reported when they occur.
Firstly The GAB, underground water and Namoi River are necessary to the survival of people in and around the project area and they should not be risked for the sake of an industry that will be relatively short lived. The GAB itself supports over 180,000 lives and 7600 businesses, with this number set to increase as populations grow within Australia.
We have evidence that water within the GAB will be affected by depressurisation which will in turn affect access. Page 65 of the EPBC referral states `an assessment of the Project indicates that the duration and wider geographic extent of depressurisation of groundwater head within the coal seams and adjacent strata will cause a significant impact to the groundwater resources of the Gunnedah-Oxley Basin'
Other areas with CSG have experienced water access issues, for example farmers have experienced dried up wells in the Chinchilla, Miles area.
With or without these proven issues, drilling directly through the Great Artesian Basin (our most precious inland water resource) in thousands of locations, changing water pressure, surface flows and chemical makeup in and around recharge areas is a risk that no-one should being willing to consider.
Australia is already the driest continent on Earth and the evidence found by scientists including Dr Susan Wijffels, co-chair of the global Argo project and a co-author on a study by CSIRO and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, California 2012, states that in Australia "The base climate is going to be drifting ... the dry areas are going to become even more water stressed and the wet regions will probably become wetter." Studies like these and increasing scientific consensus on climate change only serve to make the arguments for protecting our underground water even more compelling.

Page 18 of the EPBC states- `the project has the potential to have significant impacts on matters of National Environmental Significance' I agree with this statement and as such feel that the recent 7000 page EIS does not give justice to the significance of the impacts and long term ramifications of these. In fact the EIS reads more like a persuasive argument for CSG than a scientific document addressing potential impacts on environment and community. For example, Appendix J1 once again summarises the supposed economic benefits of the NGP within the Ecological Impact Assessment, despite the obvious truth that the supposed economic benefits have no bearing on an Ecological Impact Assessment.
The listed potential impacts to numerous native and threatened species of fauna including but not limited to Spotted Quoll, Greater Long Eared Bat, and Pilliga Mouse are concerning. Considering we do not know how these populations will respond to noise levels, vibrations from generators and drilling, fugitive methane emissions, light flares/fires and other pollutants, there is no way of assuring that significant negative impacts and outcomes for these identified important populations will not occur.
There are many risks to flora, fauna and water supplies identified in the EPBC and the EIS with no scientific and fool proof assurances that they can all be managed safely.
Agriculture is our strongest asset here in Wee Waa and is truly needed for the survival of all Australians. We have very productive soils for agriculture in this region with a reliance on ground and surface water due to low rainfalls. Damage to water or water access could cripple productivity.
Threats to land values, health and lifestyle from an expanding and invasive industry such as CSG will push up employment costs and drive experienced farmers, staff and families off their land based enterprises.
Boom and Bust scenarios such as those seen in Chinchilla can devastate small communities like ours and leave working families trapped with mortgages that will never reflect the true value of homes in remote and rural areas like this one.
Santos still proposes to burn off toxic gases on huge flares that will create light pollution that is more than likely to interfere with the Siding Spring Observatory's dark skies, is a fire risk and will impact on air quality and the health of those in and around the project and add yet another chemical source to cumulative atmospheric pollution.
Climate change is happening whether we accept it or not and accept and adapt we must. Adapting means cutting our atmospheric pollution and finding non-carbon based energy sources. Continued approval of new CSG and COAL developments hinders our transition to renewable energy resources and adds to the total amount of atmospheric carbon, methane, other warming gases and toxins. Australia should be leading the way in solar, wind and wave innovations and development and yet we consider selling out our communities and environments for dirty fuels to flog off as cheap exports.
Santos and their shareholders have no love of our unique landscapes, flora, fauna or people within our communities, they are investors with profit at the forefront of any decisions they will make.
To date, Santos does not have a satisfactory record of environmental management with a string of environmental incidents including; Pollution of Bohena Creek on 11 March 2010, Pollution of Bohena Creek on 25 November 2010; water pollution from Bibblewindi Pond 3- Feb. 11 2014 ; Fines for past reporting failures in relation to natural gas environmental pollution incidences and an oil spill at Lytton on 18 March 2003. SANTOS Gladstone LNG have also been fined $19,800 for the late reporting of 5 oil spills in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area- tabled in parliament in late October 2012, while an oil spill by Santos in May 2013 contaminated an area in South Western Queensland's Channel country with 250,000L of oil. These incidents should be seen as a warning that Santos cannot ensure other environmental incidents will not occur and Santos cannot be trusted to inform the public or governing bodies when they occur.

I write on behalf of my husband, four children, myself and the many locals who do not have time to submit a response. I appeal to the government to reject this development on the basis that the project; poses identified risks to significant water resources, threatens biodiversity, risks the health, lifestyles and incomes of members of our community, jeopardises agricultural production therefore food security and impedes our transition to renewable energy supplies while increasing greenhouse gas emissions contributing to perilous climate change.

Yours Sincerely
Kirsty Maree Kelly 18.5.2017
B.Teach

I object to the possibility of destroying farmland and future.

Corporate greed resulting from a pathetically disorganised energy market.

You are killing our land and our people.

I support the development of the Narrabri Gas Project (NGP) as it will increase the overall supply of natural gas into the market.
The lack of gas supply options and total supply has and continues to lead to higher prices, which in turn has led to gas supply issues particularly on the east coast of Australia.

The comprehensive and detailed EIS and Development Plan submitted by the proponent offers many risk mitigation plans for the protection of the flora and fauna.

Given that the actual footprint of the gas wells, pipeline and processing plant are miniscule in relation to the total area, it is incomprehensible that many of the scare stories and myths pedalled by the anti fossil fuel activists are anywhere near realistic.

We all use fossil fuels throughout our daily lives, and the barriers to development of this and other associated or like projects by the activists are just nonsensical when there are no other viable, abundant alternatives to replace fossil fuels. To remind, fossil fuels (petroleum products) are the basis for such things as bitumen (we all like bitumen compared to dirt roads), plastics (we all like to use our plastic credit cards, mobile phones and PC's etc) pharmaceuticals (plastic syringes included) and so on.

Natural gas is the reason the USA has reduced their emissions by around 20% over the last 10 years, and in Australia, renewables are not viable to take over from coal fired power stations, despite the desperate claims of the renewable energy lobbyists and their associates in Lock The Gate and other such thoughtless groups.

Natural gas is essential for the economic health of the NSW State, with around 300,000 employees depe4ndent on reliable gas supply.

The NGP is one of the most positive projects in the State, it will materially contribute to the gas supply options in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, it will bring much needed employment opportunities into the Narrabri district and a Community Fund of around $120 million to assist with many local business and community projects.

NSW needs alternative gas supply sources, and Narrabri is a wonderful opportunity which the NSW Government and its Planning and Environmental Departments ought to support.

As a consequence, the NSW Planning and Environmental Department should say "Yes2Gas'.

Thank you

Chariya Kuhlberg

I support the project for the much needed employment opportunities Narrabri needs

Employment opportunities in the area will increase with this project

Fracking needs to stop as it poisons the land, and water which cannot be reversed. Stop raping our land and destorying lifes .