Narrabri Gas

I strongly oppose the project for the Narrabri Gas project area on the grounds of risks. The risks that result from well operated operations, but also likely accidents. The risks to natural habitat are obvious due to the development of work sites and access points. The risks to scientific advancement of our dark sky observatory are strong, as are the effects of storing toxic wastes including tonnes of salt.

Groups such as farmers, the Gamilaraay aboriginal people, local residents are opposed to the project for honorable reasons, such as impacts to health, destruction of habitat and impacts on business.

The elephant in the room is Climate Change. Allowing fossil fuel development is a counterproductive step in this dangerous longterm problem.

Please respond to common sense, not greed and reject this license for the Narrabri Gas Project.

I object to all coal seam gas projects in NSW in general and in the Pilliga Region in particular, Including the Narrabri Gas Project.

Australia has an abundance of gas already and does not need any more. Australia should be transitioning to renewable energy as a matter of urgency and phasing out all fossil fuels projects. Not developing new ones.

If CSG exploration goes ahead in the Piliga, it will almost certainly damage the Great Artesian Basin; this alone is of more value than all the gas that could possibly be produced.

In addition, valuable farm land will be destroyed, along with forests and wildlife. Fracking for CSG has proven over and over again to cause irreparable damage to the environment.

People living in areas that are developed for CSG will undoubtedly suffer greatly with loss of amenity, poisoning of the air and water, and ill-health. The value of their property will be diminished to the point where they will be trapped, unable to sell and move away.

I understand that 93% of people in the region, say that they do not want this CSG development to go ahead. This is a democracy and the will of the people will be violated if their land is subjected to CSG projects against their wishes.

This is bordering (in my opinion) lunacy. You would jeopardize your drinking water and land for gas - when there is a glut of it now and will be more as we all switch to solar, wind and other means of fuels?? Please do not desecrate beautiful, clear lands for this foolishness.

Thank you for reading this, and more importantly, for acting upon it.

I object to the Narrabri Gas Project

This project will damage precious natural water resources, including the Great Artesian basin and the Murray-Darling basin. The highest recharge are for the Great Artesian basin is within the Pillaga East forest and water removed for CSG extraction could reduce water recharge pressures and irreparably damage the flow of water to the surface across the entire basin. Furthermore, creeks from the Pillaga run into the Namoi River, part of the Murray-Darling system, and contaminants from the proposed 850 CSG drill sites are extremely likely to pollute this system.

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 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.

As well as contamination with heavy metals, between 17,000 and 42,000 tonnes of salt waste would be produced by the project each year. Santos has no solution for disposing of the salt.

CSG mining fuels climate change. Methane, the major component of natural gas, 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.

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 Area. 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.

Human health is also endangered by toxic 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 coordination. These impacts have been documented in human populations nearby to existing gasfields in Queensland, Sydney and in America.

There are hundreds of traditional Aboriginal sites in the Pillaga, which could be destroyed or damaged by Santos' project. The Gamilaraay traditional landowners are opposed to the project.

Ninety-six per cent of the hundreds of farmers and other residents across the region are also opposed to the project, and have made their feelings known with many protests against the proposed drilling.

Australia's premier optical astronomical observatory, 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 `dark sky park' and the 50m high gas flares proposed by Santos will threaten the viability of the facility.

Lastly, these methane flares would be running day and night, even on total fire ban days. The Pilliga is prone to severe bushfires and the project would increase ignition sources as well as extracting, transporting and storing a highly flammable gas right within this extremely fire-prone forest.

I am disgusted that Santos still wish to proceed with this proposal. If it goes ahead, it would destroy the integrity of the Pilliga Forest, a crucial place for endangered birds, mammals and plants, and an important recharge area for the Great Artesian Basin. My interest has been especially in birds - here are found healthy populations of Diamond Firetail, Brown Treecreeper, Hooded Robin and many more birds declining to the point of extinction elsewhere. Perhaps the proponents or their supporters do not know or care that you cannot keep chipping away at habitat without major consequences. Perhaps the proponents do not know or care that Australia was the place where the world's song birds evolved into the wonderful myriad of song birds found today. Many of these unique birds, our own fauna, are found here in the Pilliga and fighting for survival elsewhere. This proposal would push them further towards extinction.

Local farmers are AGAINST this proposal. They know that they cannot keep farming into the future with the pollution and loss of artesian water, and the dissection of land by the extremely intrusive gas wells and settling ponds. Locals fear the threat of bushfire in our changing world (climate change) when gas wells flare off in severe to catastrophic fire conditions. We have not even mentioned the dangers to human health, both physical and mental, from gas fields. These effects have been demonstrated clearly in Queensland; we certainly DON'T want them here in NSW.

We have heard a lot about energy security in the future. Australia is the largest exporter of gas in the world; how could we be "short" of it? We sell it off cheaply (far too cheaply) to China and elsewhere - why not keep more for ourselves, if it is so vital to our future. We MUST transition to an energy future free of fossil fuels - the public KNOWS this, the politicians fail to acknowledge this.

We want leadership from our government and politicians on biodiversity and conservation, and energy security in a future beyond fossil fuels.

I urge you to reject the Santos Coal Seam Gas proposal in the Pilliga forest on multiple grounds - human health, integrity of ground water and the Great Artesian Basin, biodiversity and conservation of unique animals and plants, bushfire risk, threats to farming from loss of groundwater and pollution, unwarranted transfer of public lands (State Forest) for private use and profit, and because it's a very bad idea, rejected by the NSW Government elsewhere.

Over 92% of locals reject these plans; we need a clear demonstration that this extraordinarily unpopular proposal, with multiple serious defects as outlined above, is REJECTED.

I am greatly concerned about any proposed CSG developments in the Narrabri region or anywhere else for that matter. Here in Queensland huge tracts of outback western Queensland are now covered by CSG operations. recent investigation has disclosed endless streams of methane gas escaping from these wells as well as bubbling up within our rivers systems. These methane gases flow freely into the atmosphere and are colourless and odourless. However, they are also greenhouse gasses which are many times more powerful in their greenhouse effects than carbon dioxide is. Far from being a good transition avenue between "dirty" coal and renewable energy sources, CSG is in itself a huge pollutant, even more so because these methane emissions are currently not even counted as a contribution to Australia's emissions totals.

CSG is ruinous for our environment. Please ensure that the above CSG development does not go ahead. The people of the region do not want this to go ahead and it is important that the Government listens to the will of the people.

I am speaking for the youth. The ones who want to save the planet and make sure its still around for our lives and our kids lives etc. There is more to life than money, if we chuck out all moral responsibility to care for the land for some plastic slips I am afraid I will be ashamed to be an Australian. The Aboriginal Peoples who lived in Australia before the Europeans would not even be able to think up doing this to our precious land. It is disrespectful and ignorant. What will happen to the vegetation and animals around Pilliga? Australia will turn into one big oil pit and then it will be too late to stop climate change. Soon it will be too late. We have to act now on stopping climate change not wait 10 years when we have 850 new oil wells in the Great Artisan Basin. Our generation does not want to be cleaning up the mess of our leaders today 30 years from now. Not as much as we already will.

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.

We object to this project.

This project will damage precious natural water resources, including the Great Artesian basin and the Murray-Darling basin. The highest recharge are for the Great Artesian basin is within the Pillaga East forest and water removed for CSG extraction could reduce water recharge pressures and irreparably damage the flow of water to the surface across the entire basin. Furthermore, creeks from the Pillaga run into the Namoi River, part of the Murray-Darling system, and contaminants from the proposed 850 CSG drill sites are extremely likely to pollute this system.

The Pilliga is one of just 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 Area. 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.

CSG mining fuels climate change. Methane, the major component of natural gas, 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.

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 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.

As well as contamination with heavy metals, between 17,000 and 42,000 tonnes of salt waste would be produced by the project each year. Santos has no solution for disposing of the salt.

Human health is also endangered by toxic 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 coordination. These impacts have been documented in human populations nearby to existing gasfields in Queensland, Sydney and in America.

There are hundreds of traditional Aboriginal sites in the Pillaga, which could be destroyed or damaged by Santos' project. The Gamilaraay traditional landowners are opposed to the project.

Ninety-six per cent of the hundreds of farmers and other residents across the region are also opposed to the project, and have made their feelings known with many protests against the proposed drilling.

Australia's premier optical astronomical observatory, 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 `dark sky park' and the 50m high gas flares proposed by Santos will threaten the viability of the facility.

Lastly, these methane flares would be running day and night, even on total fire ban days. The Pilliga is prone to severe bushfires and the project would increase ignition sources as well as extracting, transporting and storing a highly flammable gas right within this extremely fire-prone forest.

There is no need for this project to go ahead.
It will not be of benefit to employment or to Australian society.
The money earned from this will all flow overseas.
The destruction of our environment is NOT RECOVERABLE!!!

Green energy will employ Australians and help save our planet.
We have only ONE PLANET and we have already done it much harm.............don't add to it.

Environmental destruction will be our down fall
Csg is environmental destruction and the people will not stand for this and santos will be called out and boycotted

there is no need for new discoveries of fossil fuel. we should be on the front foot with renewal energies. you have had more than enough time research and implement new strategies!!

its just not good enough anymore.

NO MORE EXCUSES

I and my family love to visit the Pilliga region for it's unique natural beauty and rare ecosystem. We have seen the damage caused by contamination from existing mining. This damage is not reversible, certainly in my lifetime. Remaining areas of natural flora and fauna are our children's heritage and stand to provide income for generations to come as visitors from within and without Australia increasingly seek to experience unique natural environments.

In addition the fragile water systems which sustain this area are vital to the ecosystems and to the farmers in the area.

To endanger these vital assets for short term gain, as coal seam gas mining has been proven to do, is completely unacceptable. Therefore I strongly object to this application.

Please say NO to CSG in the Pilliga! Santos mines should NOT be allowed to drill anywhere near our major artesian basins, natiinal parks or waterways - ever! It's bad enough that so many mines are ruining our beautiful landscape already! I support any government that stands with the majority of Australians calling out for no mining in our pristine national parks and wilderness areas. Stop putting profit over our futures! Wake up! On behalf of everyone I know that loves or country and wants to protect our land, I ask you to say NO to this mine approval immediately.

There are numerous reasons why I am totally opposed to GSG since researching the consequences this 'mining' of gas has engendered around the world, in the US, and more recently closer to home. I write my submission to voice my utter disbelief and concerns that Santos would consider going ahead with their risky business in the very sensitive Pilliga region of NSW.

Quite apart from compromising our water supply in the Murray/Darling basin, Santos would employ, I believe, methane flare stacks up to 50m high which would run 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 within this extremely fire-prone forest.

Little wonder that community surveys across this area (3.2 million hectares) show 96 percent opposition to CSG and hundreds of farmers in protest actions...

To conclude, will there be a future at all for huge swathes of Australia if companies continue with their potentially disastrous and outrageous actions against the environment and everything in it?

Is there no value placed on our country and its inhabitants, our survival and that of our children and grandchildren - water, food, lessening impacts of climate change?

Surely high time for employing some common sense instead of dollars and cents so often being the bottom line.

To whom it may concern. I stand with the majority of local people and with the farmers of the Pilliga region of NSW in the opposition of the planned Santos coal seam gas projects. We the people must stand up against the giants such as Santos in order to protect the wilderness, which if looked after will continue to give our children and our children's children a secure and clean place to live and enjoy long into the future. Please do not give Santos the rights to damage this fragile eco system.

Having grown up and my family still living on the boundaries of the Pilliga, I cannot sit by and watch anything that has the slightest chance of endangering it's beauty go ahead.

Although the evidence hasn't been conclusive to the damages coal seam gas processing will play, why would we take the risk on the one thing we cannot replace - nature.
This same lack of knowledge on the effects also highlights our lack of knowledge to the full extent of the effects, they may be even worse than what we foresee.

I understand the need for development and especially jobs in rural centres, but let's invest into something sustainable, that won't just provide money for polluting energy source's owners for the next 20 years but something that will ensure jobs for our local people, their children and theirs after for the next 100 years. And this could be something even more profitable, sustainable and have even less negative impacts than this current project.

Please let us just not look making money today and the short term gains, is this small opportunity for the next 20 years really worth putting millions of years of natural beauty at risk forever?

Protect our water. No coal seam gas..

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.¹

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.

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 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.

5. The Pilliga is a haven for 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 pipelinesÂ--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 nationÂ'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 Â`dark sky parkÂ'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 PilligaÂ'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.

I object to the Pilliga CSG proposed project for these reasons:
1. CSG is harmful to plant, animal and human life
2. CSG is not the best way forward for gas 'mining'
3. The indigenous, farm and local communities are against it
4. Santos has a terrible track record for diligence, care and safety of the environment.
Please do not pursue the Santos Narrabri Gas Project.