State Significant Development
Narrabri Gas
Narrabri Shire
Current Status: Determination
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The project involves the progressive development of a coal seam gas field over 20 years with up to 850 gas wells and ancillary infrastructure, including gas processing and water treatment facilities.
Attachments & Resources
SEARs (3)
EIS (71)
Submissions (221)
Response to Submissions (18)
Agency Advice (46)
Additional Information (8)
Assessment (8)
Determination (3)
Approved Documents
Management Plans and Strategies (46)
Reports (3)
Independent Reviews and Audits (2)
Notifications (2)
Other Documents (1)
Note: Only documents approved by the Department after November 2019 will be published above. Any documents approved before this time can be viewed on the Applicant's website.
Complaints
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Inspections
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Note: Only enforcements and inspections undertaken by the Department from March 2020 will be shown above.
Submissions
DARRYL COOPER
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DARRYL COOPER
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Nicola Tanks
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Nicola Tanks
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Name Withheld
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Name Withheld
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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 areasÃÂ,Ã,Â--potentially stopping the free flow of waters to the surface at springs and bores across the whole Great Artesian Basin.ÃÂ,Ã,¹
Creeks in the Pilliga run into the Namoi RiverÃÂ,Ã,Â--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.
2. The Gamilaraay Traditional Custodians are opposed
There are hundreds of cultural sites as well as songlines and stories connecting the Gamilaraay to the forest and to the groundwater beneath. Gamilaraay people are deeply involved in the battle against CSG, and have told Santos they do not want their country sacrificed for a coal seam gas field.
3. Farmers and other local community reject the project
Extensive community surveys have shown an average of 96% opposition to CSG. This stretches across a massive 3.2 million hectares of country surrounding the Pilliga forest, including 99 communities. Hundreds of farmers have participated in protest actions unlike any previously seen in the region.
4. The Narrabri Gas Project has a long history of spills and leaks of toxic CSG waterÃÂ,Ã,Â--Santos cannot be trusted to manage the project safely
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 bariumÃÂ,Ã,². 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.
5. The Pilliga is a haven for threatened wildlife
The Pilliga is one of 15 nationally listed ÃÂ,Ã,Â`biodiversity hotspotsÃÂ,Ã,Â' 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 AreaÃÂ,Ã,². The Santos gasfield would fragment 95,000 hectares of the Pilliga with well pads, roads, and water and gas pipelinesÃÂ,Ã,Â--damaging vital habitat and threatening the survival of endangered species.
6. Coal seam gas fuels dangerous climate change
Methane is by far the major component of natural gas, and is a greenhouse gas 72 times more powerful than COÃÂ,Ã,². CSG fields contribute to climate change through the leakage of methane during the production, transport, processing and use of coal seam gas.
7. Human health is compromised by coal seam gas
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 coordination⁴. These impacts have been documented in human populations nearby to existing gasfields in Queensland, Sydney and in America.
8. The nationÃÂ,Ã,Â'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 pollution⁵. The area has been internationally recognised as a ÃÂ,Ã,Â`dark sky parkÃÂ,Ã,Â'⁶ and the 50m high gas flares proposed by Santos threaten the viability of the facility.
9. Thousands of tonnes of salt waste will result from the project
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.
10. Risk of fires would increase throughout the PilligaÃÂ,Ã,Â'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.
- See more at: https://www.wilderness.org.au/final-push-pilliga#sthash.IcAQHRpo.dpuf
Mark James
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Mark James
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David Archer
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David Archer
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constituents and the public with this Apauling discraceful decision to once again allow multi nationals to detroy our land and our environment for the dollar not thinking about our chidrens future
DISRACEFUL MALCOLM
Mim Tsantis
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Mim Tsantis
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Sarah Hales
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Sarah Hales
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Jessica Newton
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Jessica Newton
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Michael Ryan
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Michael Ryan
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Karen McMullen
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Karen McMullen
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Name Withheld
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Karen Ferguson
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Karen Ferguson
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Say NO to CSG in the Pilliga!
Name Withheld
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Name Withheld
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Alex Moffat-clarke
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Alex Moffat-clarke
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The Pilliga is an important recharge area for the Great Artesian Basin and impacts that cannot be mitigated will follow from any deep drilling of wells in this strata. This will have vast impacts across the GAB and is one very good reason that approval should not be granted for this proposal.
John Gerrard
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John Gerrard
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Lisa solomons
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Lisa solomons
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ben bowman
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ben bowman
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Hope Brett-Bowen
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Hope Brett-Bowen
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Ledline
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Ledline
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The last thing we need is to have such a stunning part of Australia raped, tortured and left for dead which is exactly what will happen.
We don't need coal seam gas wells and we will stand to protest this shocking consideration.
Do not allow this or any other area be subject to the terrible mistakes that have been made worldwide with this technique.
Renewable energy is the future not fossil fuels.
Set this country up to thrive in future, not suffer.
Name Withheld
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Name Withheld
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We must think of our future generations and protect the Pilliga.
We must think of our environment, both now and for the future.