Apart from the fact that the local Aboriginal population are against this project proceeding at all in their sacred lands - an objection likely to be overlooked as with most indigenous requests, when large profit is involved - there are genuine risks involved: another set of facts borne out by our own professional scientific watchdogs as per below.

RISKS: There have been numerous risks and problems identified with CSG gas-fields. These include encroachment on good farming land, disruption of other land uses and industries, clearing of bush-land, air pollution, contamination or depletion of ground or surface water, pollution of waterways, health impacts on workers and nearby residents, and damage to biodiversity.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS: according to a report prepared by the Institute for Sustainable Futures at UTS for the City of Sydney Council, water supply can be affected if the holes drilled into the ground are not properly sealed.

Aquifers can be contaminated by water and chemicals when a hole is drilled through them to reach the coal seam. Toxic materials are also contained in the coal seam and can leak out when it's cracked.

The National Water Commission says "the production of large volumes of treated waste water, if released to surface water systems, could alter natural flow patterns and have significant impacts on water quality, and river and wetland health".

During the first six months of 2011 there were 23 spills of waste water, four uncontrolled releases of waste water and three breaches of waste water storage during floods, according to Queensland's Department of Environment and Resource Management.

In 2010, two incidents relating to water contamination from BTEX chemicals were reported in Australia, even though in both cases the companies involved said they did not use BTEX chemicals in fracking fluids.

One of the greatest environmental concerns is preserving the waters of the Great Artesian Basin from contamination and depletion.

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.

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.

Protect our water. No coal seam gas..

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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