Narrabri Gas

Yaama my name is Paul Spearim and I am just one of many Sovereign Custodians that are concerned about the envoronmental, social, economical and political impacts that this project will have on us traditional descendants of the Gamilaraay nation. Alone our traditional stories, song, dance, knowledge and trade that we had once maintained since Gamilu Bidi-Wii - Burruguu (creation) is slowly dissapearing in the dusty wind dried coal and poisoning our sacred waterways and underground water from csg. I and my children, my grandchildren and my direct family pleade that your organisation will see the santos project for what it is; and that is the 'Sole destruction of our ongoing connection to our sacred Gamilaraay Lands for ever'. #GamilmeansNO

My mother brought me up on the yarraman in the old days mum used to get the cab out too Yarraman micky Thomas number 5 go and drop us off Friday afternoon and we stay there till Sunday Living off the yarraman area one special part is the clay bed that lays under the yarraman That goes for miles home of the lung fish(bunyip) if these clay bed are fractured what will come of the north-west and surrounding infrastructures that use the yarraman-mehi rivers

Some of the reasons I object to this project:
Pollution of ground water.
Pilliga is a haven for wild life their habitats will be damaged.
Problem of disposing of the salt waste in an environmentally safe manor. Many areas already have an excess salt problem.
Invest in renewable energies, this is the way forward for the future.
Farmers will be compromised, they are the important future if we want to continue to feed ourselves as a nation.
Santos has a bad record of past pollution.

This is my submission to the Narrabri Gas EIS.

I strongly object to this project and believe and request that it should be rejected.

My reasons are as follows:

1. This project will extract over 35 billion litres of toxic groundwater, much of which will occur in the first five years. This water will need to be treated, and in the early years the process will generate tens of thousands of tonnes of salt. There is no safe disposal plan for this vast quantity of salt, which will seriously contaminate the land.

2. The project will necessitate the clearing of around 1,000 hectares of the Pilliga Forest, which will result in the fragmentation of the largest temperate woodland in New South Wales. A great deal of harm will be done to unique wildlife species.

3. One of the most serious consequences of the project will be a significant diversion of water from a recharge aquifer of the Great Artesian Basin. This is an important water resource relied upon by rural communities across western NSW, where water is a scarce and precious resource.

4. The project will lead to large deliberate and fugitive emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas that is many times more potent than carbon dioxide, and will significantly fuel climate change.

5. It will cause further trauma to the regional Indigenous community because the area of impact is crucially important to the spiritual, cultural and social life of Gamilaraay people.

6. This project is not justified: Santos' own coal seam gas export activities in Queensland have caused gas prices to rise and supply to become unpredictable. NSW should respond to this by investing in more reliable and ultimately cheaper renewable energy, not by letting Santos inflict more environmental, social and economic harm.

7. Such a project would cause economic upheaval in Narrabri and put important agricultural industries at risk. Additionally, the consequent light pollution would ruin the dark night sky needed by the internationally renowned Siding Spring Observatory.

8. It is well known that coal seam gas is harmful to health. Neither the NSW Government nor Santos has investigated or dealt with the serious health effects of coal seam gas now appearing in significant peer-reviewed research in the United States.

For all of these reasons, I urge the Government to reject this project and make the entire Great Artesian Basin recharge area off- limits to gas mining.

Thank you for considering my submission.

Signed,

Some Key Issues:

It will extract over 35 billion litres of toxic groundwater, much of it in the first five years. This water will be treated and in the early years will generate tens of thousands of tonnes of salt, for which there is no safe disposal plan.
It will clear close to 1,000 hectares of the Pilliga Forest, fragmenting the largest temperate woodland in New South Wales, home to unique wildlife.
It will cause significant diversion of water from a recharge aquifer of the Great Artesian Basin, which is a water resource relied upon by rural communities across western NSW.
It will lead to large deliberate and fugitive emissions of methane, adding to climate change.
It will cause more trauma to the regional Aboriginal community because the area of impact is crucially important to the spiritual, cultural and social life of Gamilaraay people.
It is not justified: Santos' own Coal Seam Gas export activities in Queensland have caused gas prices to rise and supply to become unpredictable. NSW should respond to this by investing in more reliable and ultimately cheaper renewable energy, not by letting Santos inflict more environmental, social and economic harm.
It will cause economic upheaval in Narrabri and put agricultural industries at risk, as well as causing light pollution that will ruin the dark night sky needed by the internationally renowned Siding Spring Observatory.
Coal Seam Gas is harmful to health. Neither the NSW Government nor Santos have investigated or dealt with the serious health effects of coal seam gas now appearing in peer-reviewed research in the United States

I object to this action taken on the land

As a doctor with 30 years experience, I am deeply concerned with the adverse health impacts that may be caused should the Santos NW Gas project go ahead. There appears to be a growing body of evidence from the USA, and more recently from Queensland, that serious health problems will impact the people (and animals) living in the vicinity of CSG wells and processing plants.
I have visited some of the exploration wells near to Narrabri and witnessed some of the damage caused to the forest where accidental spills of the water brought to the surface has been stored.
It is my understanding that there is no proven way of safely detoxifying this water. To allow the project to continue would be not merely reckless but negligent. The health of the community must be given greater importance than the trivial interests of Santos shareholders.
Furthermore, Santos should be held accountable for the environmental damage they have caused in the exploration phase and made to pay for the remediation.

The risks are too great. The possible benefits very small.
I implore the NSW Dept of Planning and Environment to stop this foolish mistake before further damage is done.

I wish to make a submission objecting to Santos' Narrabri CSG Project.

My objections are based on the lack of detail provided in Santos' EIS, the lack of economic justification to outweigh the significant harm on the social, environmental and economic values of the Narrabri Shire and New South Wales, and the harmful effect of dewatering on the aquifer involved, which is part of the Great Artesian Basin recharge. The disposal of salt residue, which Santos says will take place in landfill, is also an environmental issue of concern.

Furthermore, as a Gomeroi woman, I am worried about the effect of this project on cultural heritage and the Pilliga, which is not only important in terms of biodiversity, being the largest temperate woodland in New South Wales, but also a spiritual, cultural and social icon for Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people. The project would deprive Gomeroi people yet again of their heritage and connection to country.

In addition, Santos' air quality assessment is inadequate and their social impact assessment out of date, with increased evidence showing health damage due to unconventional gas operations, including water contamination and respiratory illness.

Finally, this gas project is unnecessary. To fight climate change, coal seam gas must be replaced with renewable energy sources, for which the technology is clearly available.

Yours sincerely
Judi Morison

Unacceptable risk to Australia's largest aquifer especially with a history of over 20 spills and leaks. Decreasing the volume of water could disturb the balance of recharging which would be catastrophic. The salt produced is a major long term problem. The methane flare is a high risk for bushfires in an area where it would be a major fire with all the subsequent wildlife trauma and death. Methane leakage during production and processing plus usage of CSG will increase green house effect. The original owners don't want the risks involved when their history and sacred spaces are not acknowledged as valuable, would you want it in your back yard? The farmers don't want to risk the water supplies with contamination by salt and other substances. Just leave it alone please. Please!

My wife and I would like to lodge an objection to the Leewood Gas Project in Narrabri...Although we don't live on our property, as we are still developing the land for grassing cattle, we do visit it regularly and enjoyed the peace,tranquility and the remoteness of its location.
Our once peaceful and remote property runs along the western boundary fence of Leewood Gas Project......my wife and I were very obliging during the construction stages by allowing Santos access to our property while constructing the new 8" high chain mesh boundary fence.... and we also put up with the noise and dust from the machinery use to build the large dams that run along nearly the entire length of our property.... what do we get for this in return.....while my wife and children were driving along the boundary fence they noticed an employee from Santos filming them..(standing inside the Leewood site....)...when my wife approached him to ask why he was filming them he grunted that..... he thought they were protesters....??? My wife had to ask him twice for his name as he was very reluctant to supply it....he told my wife his name was Luke Jackson...he was wearing a long sleeve blue shirt the same as the Santo's employee's....We did call our Santo's contact and left a message on his phone....we never heard back....we have since made enquiries and have been told that Santos doesn't know who Luke Jackson is..my wife told Santos to check the daily log in books for all personnel who have to sign in to enter the Leewood site on the date we gave them....and yet we still haven't heard back....!!!
So not only have our family lost our once peaceful remote little oasis, we are now concerned about our privacy and security ...and we still don't understand how this EIS can be submitted when Santos hasn't even done a study of our Property's water ( Dam) supply and its surrounding area's.....we were told by our Santos contact that the EIS couldn't go ahead until our property was assess....and yet its been submitted.....!!!
No one has sat down with my wife and I to explain and show us how this entire Project is going to work, how its going to look or how we will be affected by the noise, traffic and environmental impact it will have on the surrounding Properties once it up and running....or be told that we could be under video surveillance while driving around our own property because of the fear of protesters.....!!!
Just because we don't live on the property full time we shouldn't have to surrender our own privacy and tranquility....not to mention the threat of the environmental disaster if one of those enormous dam leaks.....!!!

I as a Traditional owner of these lands of our Gomeroi nation group totally disagree with the proposed mining of our sacred lands and waters.Our livelihood is in complete danger if we are to disturb what is so precious to us all give us the respect to be heard take a moment to step back and look at the consequences of future actions as it can never be repaired.Im sure these companies have families and children grandchildren what sort of life will they have in their futures and to think that you have contributed to the very desecration of our environment and humanity.The Government is very much to blame is supporting such destructive actions their ministers will carry this with them for the rest of their living lives because of their decisions of political will for votes and money with total ignorance of environment,land and communities and people.

Given Australia is now the largest exporter of gas. HOW THE HELL are we in such a supply crisis that we have to possibly contemplate 850 coal seam gas wells in the heart of the Pilliga. So we destroy our environment, pollute our rare water resources and place fauna and flora in extinctions way? For what - political LIES and big business GREED?
Please use your common sense - the smoke and mirrors being put forward to you are just that - the empirical evidence is what they don't want you to ever see. Please SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT for us all - don't simply enhance Santos's balance sheet because of lies and obfuscation.

I am strongly opposed to this project for many reasons - mainly those of environmental degradation and impacts on human health. Upon these two basic considerations alone the project should be stopped. Short term monetary gain should not be privileged above the long term sustainability and survival of the local environment and its inhabitants, both human and animal.

We are aware from the misfortunes of other people living near Coal Seam Gas plants that Coal Seam Gas is harmful to health. We have seen the images of rivers on fire and children with inexplicable nose bleeds, rashes and other ailments. How can we let this breach of human rights to fresh air and water happen to our fellow Australians? Neither the NSW Government nor Santos have investigated or dealt with the serious health effects of coal seam gas now appearing in peer-reviewed research in the United States. How much will the taxpayer have to pay to care for people made sick from such projects? The human cost is one that should be factored in above profit.

As far as I understand this project will cause significant diversion of water from a recharge aquifer of the Great Artesian Basin, which is a water resource relied upon by rural communities across western NSW. How can we not value our sources of fresh water when we live on the driest continent on earth? Honestly, water is our most precious resource and Santos proposes to squander it for gas we don't need? Absurd.

I believe this project will also require the clearing of 1,000 hectares of the Pilliga Forest. In an era of climate change we cannot afford to lose natural habitat in this manner, on this scale. If we could quantify what this forest provides the area in terms of carbon absorption, oxygen provision, shade, habitat for native species, aesthetic beauty, soil retention for example - it would not be seen as disposable.

Furthermore drilling these gas wells will lead to large deliberate and fugitive emissions of methane, adding to climate change.

The clincher of this argument is that the entire project has no merit economically. In fact it is evidenced that SantosÃ,Â' own Coal Seam Gas export activities in Queensland have caused gas prices to rise and supply to become unpredictable. NSW should respond to this by investing in more reliable and ultimately cheaper renewable energy, not by letting Santos inflict more environmental, social and economic harm.

I urge you to consider the real implications of letting this project go ahead. It is lose lose scenario for everyone except the shareholders of Santos - who will end up eventually paying to care for those whose health was damaged by their own enterprises.

I look forward to the announcement of this project being vetoed so that Narrabri and the Pilliga can remain a cherished part of NSW, not a trashed degraded Gasland.

Yours faithfully
Sascha Ettinger Epstein

I am in support of the Narrabri Gas project. I believe that Santos has done an outstanding job of learning and understanding the geology and hydrology of the area, communicating the science and tackling any issues or concerns. The gas plan will not affect local aquifers or the great artesian basin - anyone who says that it will is simply scaremongering. There is no plan to use fracking or harmful, toxic chemicals. The triple lined ponds use the latest technology and will alert to a leak long before there is the risk of a spill to the outside environment. Decisions like this need to be based on the science, not on community fear campaigns. Decisions need to be made on FACTS not on the influence of social media. The project has strong local community support - they want the jobs and growth that comes with this project, and are in the best position to decide whether or not it goes ahead - NOT fly in fly out protestors from the affluent suburbs of Sydney.

To the NSW Department of Planning and Environment
I object to this project
It will extract 35 billion litres of toxic grounwater. When treated this will generate tens of thousands of tons of salt for which there appears to be no disposal plan.
It will cause significant diversion of water from a recharge aquifer of the Great Artesian Basin which is relied upon by rural communities across western NSW.
It will put agricultural industries at risk and cause economic upheaval in Narrabri.
Coal Seam Gas mining is harmful to health of near by residents. Neither the the NSW Government nor Santos have dealt with the serious health effects of coal seam gas which are now appearing in peer reviewed research in the United States.
NSW should be investing in renewable energy, not by letting Santos inflict more environmental, social and economic harm.

I value my privacy. This supplementary submission is provided on the basis that my personal details will remain confidential.

In addition to my earlier submission I draw your attention to the article on the front page of today's Australian Financial Review - "Gas squeeze gets worse". I quote: "shortages ... in east coast [gas] supplies are much more imminent than are being assumed by government and some regulators" and "entire chunks of the local manufacturing sector face wipe-out".

This project is clearly essential for NSW. The Minister should approve this project without delay.

1. It is safehaven 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.

2. 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.

3. It risks our clean 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.

4. 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.

5. Bushfire risk will rise
Methane flare stacks up to 50m high would be running day and night, even on total fire ban days. The Pilliga is already prone to severe bushfires, this project will increase the risk of ignition.

1. It is safehaven 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.

2. 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.

3. It risks our clean 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.

4. 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.

5. Bushfire risk will rise
Methane flare stacks up to 50m high would be running day and night, even on total fire ban days. The Pilliga is already prone to severe bushfires, this project will increase the risk of ignition.

The Pilliga coal seam gas project is a disaster for our climate, local bushland and wildlife and for the Traditional Owners and farmers who call the region home.

I object to this application by Santos because:

1. It is safehaven 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.

2. 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.

3. It risks our clean 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.

4. 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.

5. Bushfire risk will rise
Methane flare stacks up to 50m high would be running day and night, even on total fire ban days. The Pilliga is already prone to severe bushfires, this project will increase the risk of ignition.

Hi,
Please don't mine any more in perfectly good farmland. Fracking releases waste into our waterways.
It is wasting our precious resources.
There are many more ways to generate energy.
My vote goes to the party that stops this.
Thanks,
Shaun Gorman