Narrabri Gas

Please ! Think of the future. Do t contaminate our water

I am most appalled by your precence and determinations to permit any further mining or fracking in the Pilliga Areas
The insanity and the disregard this impact will have in our Pilliga
Area will be irreversible for generations if not forever, for short term money grab that will honestly have no known benefits for any true Australian civilian ..
This is absolute vandalism and a complete foolishness with consequences that may be unforeseen and irreversible , therefore we the people are against your intents .
We wish to Save our wonderful fragile existence , we will fight for the justice Of rights against such abuse and bullying

I am against any coal seam gas in Australia or any other out dated way of using fossil fuels for energy. We are in a time of technology and many eco freindly ways to produce energy without harming the earth. For example.. solar, wind, water (hydro) the time has come to liok after the earth that provides us life, because you cannot count your money while holding your breath. Lets save this planet for the many generations ahead.

At the end of the day, you can't eat , drink or breathe money!!!

No Explanation should be needed as to why this proposal should be stopped. Just as any sane person knows not to drink toxic chemicals or take a bath in a tub of pesticide. Our precious country should be protected from the ongoing destruction and poisoning of the very source of Life on this planet.

Why are we still going down this fossil fuel path, it's a disgrace!

I object to this project going ahead. It presents a real risk of polluting artesian basin water plus Murray Darling feed streams.The locals don't want there area ruined (farmers & indigenous folk). The native environment will be damaged by the drilling and potential accidents could result in significant further damage. Please make sure this project does not progress.

BTW, while I am currently UK resident, I am an Australian citizen and I care about our country. I have had many happy holidays gliding at Keepit, walking in the Warrumbungles and touring the area. As a youngster I worked for the NSW WC & IC and spent time gauging rivers in the area. So I know the area well and I care about it's future.

Australia has an incredibly finite fresh water supply. It is well known that this supply needs to be carefully managed to ensure the supply is available for future generations. The drilling zone of this project is directly within the recharge zone for the Pilliga basin which is likely to impact the precious fresh water supply we have here.

It needs to be understood that this project, if approved, will only get bigger in scale and the impacts will only become more severe. Offset programs and detailed rehabilitation plans willl not mitigate impacts to the fresh water supply within the Pilliga. This drilling program cannot be allowed to proceed. Protect the State Forrest.

In the long term interest of our environment and wildlife, some of our most valuable resources right now supporting a healthy tourism and agricultural industry, we should step away from short sighted, single directional actions. The damage of fracking to the environment is non repairable. The benefits of fracking are short termed and only profit single companies.
There is absolutely no value in this project and therefore it should be stopped.

Lodge your objection to Santos' Narrabri Gas Project in the Pilliga.
Go to the Narrabri Gas Project page on the NSW Department of Planning website.
Choose `I object to it' in the dropdown menu and fill in your personal details.
Add your comment against the project. We have suggested some key points to be included in your submission below. Please consider using these points as a basis and expressing opposition in your own words--your own voice is more powerful.
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Suggested points for your submission

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.


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
⁴Marion Carey Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA), Air pollution from coal seam gas may put public health at risk The Conversation, November 20, 2012
⁵https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/oct/21/siding-spring-observatory-threat-coal-seam-gas-light-pollution
⁶http://darksky.org/first-dark-sky-park-in-australia-designated/

- See more at: https://www.wilderness.org.au/final-push-pilliga#sthash.KF406A44.dpuf

I beg you to think about the living organism that we all draw breath from, before you profit of it and damage it irreparably. Whether or not you believe in climate change, the facts speak for themselves and they prove we are slowly dooming ourselves to a watery world without plants, clean air and fresh water. Without these we are dead. You might not see it, but your grandchildren will - can you even imagine the suffering they'll go through first? It amazes me that the people making these decisions that affect us all - who must be very well educated to have been so successful - cannot grasp the most basic concept. Don't shit in your own nest. You arrogantly think you can bend our Earth and natural world to suit your profit margin - but you will one day discover that nature will fight back in ways your money won't buy you a thing.

In my view the risks relating to this project are significant and far outweighs the benefits, in particular to the local community. The impacts on the environment, including water, biodiversity and and soil, will be substantive and irreversible.

Stop poisoning our land our water. The farmers don't want it the traditional owners don't want it Tell me who does want it? Do they live on this land, NO. Turnbull wake up & stop being a Turncoat listen to the people of this land & protect our previous water & country.

Â* 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.

Â* 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.

Â* 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.


Â* 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.

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

Â* 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 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.

Â* 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.

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

Â* The Siding Springs Observatory, situated in the Warrumbungles and adjacent to the Pilliga, is under threat from the Narrabri Gas Project due to light and dust pollution. The area has been internationally recognised as a Â`dark sky parkÂ' and the 50m high gas flares proposed by Santos threaten the viability of the facility.

Â* 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.

Â* 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.

Please stop destroying the environment

After attending the protector site adjacent to the proposed coal seam gas site in Bentley, just outside of Lismore, two or so years ago many times i was filled with endless joy to see the overwhelming community support to resist coal seam gas in our beautiful country.

Then immediately after comes an announcement to attempt the same dangerous, proven toxic form of gas exploration in the same state, NSW, just a lot, lot further from the masses of people who make up the voters of this region in the lismore and byron shires at the Piliga State Forrest.

The thing we should all care for every part of our country because ultimately we will all suffer, particularly when i hear that forrest the size of the MCG, is being cleared every three minutes in Australia. How this does not disgust every single person in Australia and strike a cord to write a submission is simply because it is occurring behind the curtain of thousands of acres or perhaps hundreds of thousands of acres of the Piliga State Forrest five or more hours drive from most people's homes in the coastal population of Australia.

Why we arent moving towards renewable energy is obvious as there is far less money to be made then selling dangerous coal seam gas that has devestated parts of Queensland already, again away from the masses of people on the coastal margins of brisbane and the larger queensland towns.

Please listen to your people who you must listen to by law make decisions based on the largest voice of submissions being presented which sure will be from the opposition to this dangerous proposal.

At Bentley the proposal was upheld due to 'lack of community consultation'. What % of the NSW community and the Australian community is supporting this coal seam gas proposal at the Piliga State Forrest? I bet it is less then 50% of those aware of the issue and writing submissions either supporting or opposing the proposal.

I visited Beijing about 6 years ago and was heartbroken when realised i missed the sunset because i simply couldnt see it through the haze that must be a result of all the pollution the poor people are living with. What is the accebtable standard for measuring air quality in a chinese city? Is it the same standard as an Australian city or any australian town? Im sure the standards are different then why are we supplying a country like china with the fuel to push this air quality worse and worse for their people away from our country?

Why are we proposing a fuel such as coal seam gas that has already permanently runied the water below the ground in Queensland coal seam gas sites never to be repaired for our soil that feeds our people potentially poisoning our people, the soil never to be repaired, never, this is bonkers and it must stop for we have standards to uphold and you cant simply ruin land away 5 hours away from the people making submissions and ignore their requests, this is their community the NSW and Australian community we are setting a precedent for all future coal seam gas proposals and the majority of Australian voters say NO so this legally cannot continue.

Sincerely,

Paul Rees

Unnecessary and high risk in fragile ecosystems contained rare and endangered flora and fauna. Culturally sacred sites also exist. This area has significant biological, cultural and tourism value. The panel needs to stand up and make a statement that leads toward the bigger picture such as there are now viable alternatives to fossil fuel mining operations. It's a risk-cost benefit and unfortunately the risks are too high.

Fossil fuel is short term gain for long term disaster. Think of the future of our earth not the money in your pocket.

I strongly object to the The Narrabri Gas Project.

The area is a site for cultural sites of the Gamilaraay Traditional Custodians, an important area for stories and songlines, and these custodians are against the project in this natural area.

The majority of farmers and the local community are against this project.

I do not believe that Santos can guarantee safety of this project, given their history of spills and leaks of coal seam gas water.

This project puts at risk water pressure in water basins of the Great Artesian Basin and the Murray-Darling Basin, and water quality in the Naomi River via runoff from creeks.

The area this project will operate in is the Pilliga, a wildlife haven vital for survival of threatened species like the Koala, Spotted-tailed Quoll, Black-striped Wallaby, Eastern Pygmy-possum, Pilliga Mouse and South-eastern Long-eared Bat, and home to many important species. This porject would split up the Pilliga with its infrastructure, damaging habitat and threatening species.

We are at a turning point for climate change, and the introduction of another gas field is completely irresponsible. Coal seam gas fields contribute to climate change through the leakage of methane during the production, transport, processing and use of coal seam gas.

There are many other reasons including risk of human health, risk of fires, the issue of what to do with all the salt waste, etc. I am a member of The Wilderness Society, and I don't want to see big business interests destroy our wild places for their economic gain. There are too many risks in this project for it to be considered safe to approve. Please reject this application.

In an arid country such as Australia, water is a vital resource and needs to be considered as a priority to protect from contamination. Large corporations such as Santos should have the integrity to recognise this and many other issues that come hand in hand with unsustainable practices.

I am strongly opposed to the Narrabri Gas Project going ahead. I believe the decision to allow this project to begin does not take seriously enough the long term impacts of coal seam gas mining and exploration in the area.

I am most concerned about the potential effects of this project on the great artesian basin. This is an incredible natural resource that has helped to sustain many farming communities of this country for decades. In a world of increasing water shortages, any project that has the potential to damage such an important resource as the great artesian basin should not be given serious consideration.

Santos has already been shown to have polluted an aquifer in the area with traces of uranium, heavy metals and other toxic chemicals. There is no doubt that such breaches will most certainly happen again in the 20 year lifespan of the project. And this risk is just to high to make this project worth undertaking.

The local farming community, traditional Gamilaraay custodians and much of the people of this state are against this project going ahead. I hope that you consider that the short term (20 year) positive outcomes of this project (employment, gas exports) are severely outweighed by the risk to the health of the great artesian basin and the people in this region.

There are many other reasons why the Narrabri gas project should not go ahead (increased fire risk, threatened species, huge water usage and salt waste). However I have focussed on the risk to the great artesian basin as I believe the long term destruction posed by this risk alone should be enough to shut this project down.

I sincerely hope you take a longer term view (next 200 years or so) when making a decision on this project. I can't see how any of the short term benifits would make it worth the risk.