Narrabri Gas

I Oppose the Narrabri gas project

I object to the Narrabri Gas Project because it disregards the wishes of the Gamilaraay Traditional Custodians of this land. The project poses a significant risk to Australia's largest groundwater aquifer, the Great Australian Basin, this alone is insanity as Australia is the driest continent on earth. The project threatens wildlife, human health, and the interests of farmers and locals in the region. Indeed, in this day and age it amounts to reckless vandalism of country.
We all need to wake up, CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL, we need to stop relying on fossil fuels and work to keep them in the ground. We need to concentrate on developing renewable energy resources because there will be no jobs on a dead planet and we owe this much to future generations of life on this precious planet.

I am completely against coal seam gas mining in NSW and throughout Australia. Sink holes all over the world are the deadly result of mining. This has been proven again and again, and yet governments continue to show a conflict of interest in dealing with these dangers of pollution of our waters, air and soil, corporate bullying of surrounding land owners and property holders, and life endangerment. All for the sake of money. This must stop if our children are to have a sustainable future.Stop Santos' Narrabri Gas Project for the sake of all Australians, especially for the sake of our children and our children's children after us.

This is the last remaining CSG proposal in NSW, and it's essential that it not proceed with the ruinous results to the land and environments experienced elsewhere where these type of developments have gone ahead.

I object to the proposed Narrabri Gas Project on the following grounds:
1. Human health is compromised by coal seam gas. As a health professional and a member of the Climate and Health Alliance, I have studied the peer reviewed medical and scientific literature relating to human health impacts of CSG and other unconventional gas mining. A range of hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds are 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.

2. Water: 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.

3. 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 have told Santos they do not want their country sacrificed for a coal seam gas field.

4. 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.

5. The Narrabri Gas Project has a long history of spills and leaks of toxic CSG waterÂ--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 barium². 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.

6. Threatened wildlife. The Pilliga is one of 15 nationally listed Â`biodiversity hotspotsÂ' 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 Area². 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.

7. 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 CO². CSG fields contribute to climate change through the leakage of methane during the production, transport, processing and use of coal seam gas.

8. 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 `dark sky park'6 and the 50m high gas flares proposed by Santos threaten the viability of the facility.

9. Salt waste. 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: 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.


¹SoilFutures Consulting 2014, Great Artesian Basin Recharge Systems and Extent of Petroleum and Gas Leases. http://www.gabpg.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/GAB-Report1.pdf
²http://www.smh.com.au/environment/santos-coal-seam-gas-project-contaminates-aquifer-20140307-34csb.html
³BirdLife International (2017) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Pilliga http://www.birdlife.org
4 Marion Carey Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA), Air pollution from coal seam gas may put public health at risk The Conversation, November 20, 2012
5 https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/oct/21/siding-spring-observatory-threat-coal-seam-gas-light-pollution
6 http://darksky.org/first-dark-sky-park-in-australia-designated/

There are just so many reasons to object to this proposal. More than ever we now need to protect our precious water and land. Raping the land to extract gas that will in turn fuel climate change may, in time, be considered culpable negligence.

1. The Narrabri Gas Project risks precious water sources, including the Great Australian BasinÂ--AustraliaÂ's largest groundwater aquifer.

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 areasÂ--potentially stopping the free flow of waters to the surface at springs and bores across the whole Great Artesian Basin.

Creeks in the Pilliga run into the Namoi RiverÂ--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.

Santos cannot be trusted to manage the project safely, it 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. The risks are just too great, especially with the company's dire record.

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 overwhelmingly 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 Pilliga is a haven for threatened wildlife, it is one of 15 nationally listed Â`biodiversity hotspotsÂ' 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 pipelinesÂ--damaging vital habitat and threatening the survival of endangered species.

5. Coal seam gas also fuels dangerous climate change, with
Methane being by far the major component of natural gas, 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.

6. 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 during 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 near existing gasfields in Queensland, Sydney and in the USA.

7. Thousands of tonnes of salt waste will result from the project and 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.

8. Risk of fires would increase throughout the PilligaÂ's tinder-box conditions. Methane flare stacks that are 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, and activities such as extracting, transporting and storing a highly flammable gas right within this extremely fire-prone forest would pose a huge risk.

And finally, the nationÂ's premier optical astronomical observatory is also at risk. Situated in the Warrumbungles and adjacent to the Pilliga, the Siding Springs Observatory is under threat due to the light and dust pollution that would result. The area has been internationally recognised as a Â`dark sky parkÂ'⁶ and the 50m high gas flares proposed by Santos threaten the viability of the facility.

There are just too many lives as stake, from too many risks that are unable to be mitigated. Even if I were not opposed to the entire industry on the grounds of climate impact, this project so clearly represents the wrong industry in the most vulnerable location. If this should be approved, action may need to be taken to bring to account those responsible for the inevitable damages the project will cause. I would suggest it is likely that this action could well extend to the individuals and authorities that facilitated the approvals.

I do not agree to the Narrabri gas project, as the local community has shown a 96% opposition to the project. Human health is compromised by coal seam gas, as documented in human populations near to existing gas fields. This means the 96% of adults opposed to this are fighting for the right, for their own bodies to not suffer. The children living in the community have no choice, and would also suffer. Adults and children would have their bodies effected by volatile organic compounds.

The Narrabri Gas Project involves the progressive development of a coal seam gas field comprising up to 850 gas wells on up to 425 well pads over 20 years, and the construction and operation of gas processing and water treatment facilities, including:
- a central gas processing facility for the compression, dehydration and treatment of gas;
- a water management facility for the storage and treatment of produced water;
- an in-field gas compression and water management facility; and
- water and gas gathering pipelines and ancillary infrastructure.
This project is potentially devastating to the artesian basin and Australia's limiting resource WATER. The wells are short lived, pollute ground water, cause subsidence, create the problem of disposal of highly polluted produced water and devastate the vegetation. They are energy intensive when Australia is already a major gas exporter. The gas produced is a fossil fuel and as such should stay in the ground. Solar and wind are obvious choices for this country, despite the dishonest propaganda to the contrary.

I have already emailed both my State and Federal MPs requesting that they do their utmost to prevent the devastation that will occur if this exploitation goes ahead. I will follow their efforts with interest.
There is already too much environmental destruction of the Murray/Darling river catchments, let alone the aquifers and the GAB.
The Narrabri Gas Project in the Pilliga should not be allowed to proceed in such an environmentally sensitive area.

I believe I have already voiced my opposition to this project, possibly in some former minutely different form, but here it is again before the PAC. Mining companies should be outlawed from re-submitting the same proposal ad infinitum.

CSG is bad for NSW and the environment in general.
We are the driest continent and our clean water resources and farm land are more valuable than gold or gas. Our environment and natural species are unique and similarly need the highest protections (and this means NOT COMPATIBLE WITH CSG EXPLORATION OR MINING.)

Here are further points that elucidate why this project is such a bad idea:
1. The Narrabri Gas Project risks precious water sources, including the Great Australian Basin--Australia's largest groundwater aquifer
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.

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 water--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 barium². 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 `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 Area². 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.

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 CO². 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 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 pollution⁵. The area has been internationally recognised as a `dark sky park'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 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.

This is another example of idiot gas/mining companies and politicians who are only interested in making money.
If this goes ahead - GOODBYE GREAT ARTESIAN BASIN. Dont worry AUSTRALIA eventually you wont have any fresh water to drink and irrigate crops thanks to these lunatics.
Have a look at what this sort of thing has done in America.
People over there can now set fire to their tape water and have illnesses galore.
SANTOS OUT - IF YOU DONT LOVE AUSTRALIA AND ARE PREPARED TO PROTECT ITS ENVIRONMENT - THEN LEAVE
It's no good having jobs & money if you cant drink the water, eat the food and breathe the air because of companies like this. Must take a lot of courage to wage war on the environment
Anyone with an ounce of decency and honour would object to this

CSG mining is bad for the environment, our native forests, farming lands and the water table. 93% of the community does not want it. The community comprises of National and Liberal party constituents as well as Labor and Greens constituents. They all say NO! The government has to listen to these concerned people. We have a obligation to our grandchildren to hand over our lands in a better state than we inherited it.
How can we be in a gas supply crisis (according to Santos and the Turnbull government) and at the same time be the world's largest export of gas...contradiction? Who is telling the truth?

Please do not allow coal seam gas exploration and fracking in the Pillagra Forest. It is valuable for its biological significance which include endangered species such as the grey crowned babbler. I travel to the Pillagra to observe its unique environment and birdlife. Why are we the largest exporter of natural gas in the world - yet degrade natural treasures in the name of a gas shortage? I believe that our nation will be better served by treasuring our natural environment rather than exploiting it.

I dunno

I am concerned about more gas fields which will affect the environment not create more jobs.

There is no reward in avarice

My family and my environmentally-aware friends are sick to death of seeing our country being slowly destroyed for its non-renewable resources. The latter are being sold at less than what they are worth while we are paying through the nose, for gas. Our vital underground water resources are being polluted with toxic chemicals and also used to wash coal ! What a disgrace ! Is this thinking about what future generations are going to face, not to mention the disappearing habitat for our birds and animals ? We do not need more immigration which will only put more pressure on our dwindling resources. Watching this country become a prostitute to corporations with the full complicity of governments, is heart-breaking and infuriating ! Where are the priorities ??Clearly not with the well-being of the people and the environment. Destroy the latter, and you destroy the human race, and for what, greed and short term profits ?!

Thank you for the opportunity to object to the The Narrabri Gas Project.

I object for many reasons but the two main one are the risk to our groundwater aquifer. In a country that is most made up of desert threatening our water supply is truly irresponsible and dangerous.

My second main abjection is the threat of damaging or putting further stain our precious and endangered wildlife that live in the area. Do anyone really want to contribute to more extinctions in our country?

Respectfully yours,

Meg Streiff

Please, see sense, respect the land, respect the future of austraians and all of humanity....
Do not out our supply of fresh water (and our very sustainable and existance!) at risk.
listem to the people, do not trust the rhetoric of Santos, it is their job to turn profits at any cost! they have no regard for the future or the occupants of this land, Australia or the world. There are real and reliable alternative energy sources. support them and jobs will appear!!! use you brian and listen to your heart. it is in your hands. you must choose life over money. thank-you, Helen

The Narrabri Gas Project puts the community and many essential natural resources at risk, including:
- impact on the Great Artesian Basin and Murray Darling Basin
- increased bush fire potential through continuous burning stacks
- disposal of thousands of tonnes of salt waste produced
- effects on local people's health with the toxins released into the air
- impact to wildlife in the area.
Santos does not have a good track record in any of the above areas. We must not sacrifice long term problems for short term gains.