Narrabri Gas

I have toured the Pilliga with my family. We camped in a bush tourist park and bathed in its hot springs. We loved the bush and we're delighted to have close encounters with the wildlife. The trip to the Pilliga also caused us to stay in and spend money in the struggling rural towns on the way to and situated around the Pilliga. We surely can't be the only tourists to do the same. It bewilders me that you would even consider allowing Santos to extract Coal Seam Gas from this majestic places. Who's going to want to visit the place when there are tall Methane stacks burning, and tourists (and locals) are subject to the toxic pollutants at best causing skin and eye irritation. That will be the end of bathing in the hot springs as they feed from the Great Artesian Basin and will likely be contaminated with toxic fracking chemicals. Do you not realise how many farmers and rural communities rely on this Basin to water crops and livestock? I am astounded at the lack of respect for the opinion of the Traditional Owners who have cared for this beautiful area for thousands of years and who do not want the Santos Project. All this and when it's all done, what will we have? Acres and acres of toxic and salty water waste areas and no chance to return to the more sustainable industries of Agriculture and Tourism. The project is rationalised by the supposed benefits to the economy, and yet a quick review of the ATO's Corporate Tax Information page details Santos paid zero tax in 2014/15 on a 3 billion dollar + total income! Therefore the overwhelming risk to permanent contamination and devastation of the Pilliga, farming lands, rural communities and irreparable Great Artesian Basin could not be justified by the dismal economic gain.

More development with profits for few at the cost to the environment, culture and natural values of this special place

This is opposite to Save The Planet!

Please do not drill coal seams in this pristine beautiful place. The Pillliga must be left the way it is for the future of all Australian people and for the community that lives there and for overseas visitors that visit this region. Don't ruin more of our country. Be a leader for the environment not a destroyer.
Best intentions First.
Gail.
Tabourie

Stop drilling and fracking in sensitive areas. Leave something for the ones after us.

I am totally against the Adani mine! Australia needs to start working towards energy that is not going to completely destroy our coral reefs, an not to mention the wildlife that is going to be displaced! It is an absolute joke how our government knew- 30years ago- the damage being done to the environment but have proceeded to ruin the environment for generations to come!

No.

This Ian NOT sustainable. I want a future for our children

I find this preposterous. This area should be kept pollution free for our future generations!

Stop polluting Australia Santos

A documentary about fracking look at this technology and how ingenious it is.
However the environmental impacts far outweigh this type of sourcing. Lives will be lost and the cost to healthcare system will be huge.

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.

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

I Object to Santos' Narrabri Gas Project in the Pilliga.

1.Opposed by the Gamilaray Traditional Owners.
2.Risk to the great Artesian Basin and the Murry-darling Basin.
3.Risk to Wildlife.
4.Santos has already been responsible for Uranium,Lead,Alumium,Arsenic,Salt,and Barium Contamination.

Santos cannot be trusted with such a delicate and valuable environment and I strongly urge Government to reject it's proposal.

Your's Sincerely
Matt Potter.

I oppose the Narrabri Gas Project. I find that the resources obtained do not match the true cost.

The Narrabri Gas Project involves the aggressive development of a coal seam gas field that has no long term view for sustainability. It will negatively impact wild life and water sources and will forever change the immediate environment.

Stop ruining our environment for profit margins

WAKE UP! THIS IS A DISGRACE!

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.

WAKE UP!

I'm and disgusted by the lack of vision and planning for the future regarding our water security it has been shown time and again that coal seam gas extraction destroys the land and the ground water ! When will our politicians wake up and realise that foriegn companies don't care about us or or future they only want profit !!! Time to respect our planet our country and our people and invest in alternative means of energy !!!
Water is life

There is place for unconventional gas exploration in NSW and I wholeheartedly support a permanent ban on it to protect the environment. Victoria have set a precedent that NSW and the rest of Australia should follow.

I wholeheartedly object to the project and any further unconventional gas projects in NSW and Australia. Victoria has set a great precedent that NSW and the nation should follow in order to protect our environment for future generations.

Coal seam gas fuels dangerous climate change
Methane is 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.

Santos cannot be trusted. The company 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. There have have also been over 20 reported spills and leaks of toxic CSG water from storage ponds, pipes and well heads.

I am particularly concerned about wildlife. The Pilliga is home for many species of threatened wildlife such as the Koala, Spotted-tailed Quoll, Black-striped Wallaby, Eastern Pygmy-possum, Pilliga Mouse and South-eastern Long-eared Bat.

The forest is also 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.



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