I am writing this submission to voice my extremely strong objection to the Narrabri Gas Project.

The Pilliga makes up most of the area with the highest recharge rate for the Great Artesian Basin and to risk contaminating this irreplaceable asset is foolhardy at best and greed fueled insanity at its worst. Santos, who have already contaminated a fresh water aquifer and reported over 20 toxic spills are not worthy of the publics trust.

Not only the Gamilaraay Traditional Custodians are in opposition, but an average of 96% of people in the surrounding communities in the area are opposed to this project.

This development threatens endangered wildlife, will contribute to perilous climate change, and will adversely affect the health of those living in close proximity of the gas wells as we have seen and has been clearly documented in areas affected by this industry in Queensland.

The so called "benefits" to the economy and surrounding communities becomes a sick joke when compared to the potential catastrophes that could occur.

Again, I reiterate my strongest objection to this proposed project and hope that sanity and common sense will prevail and this industry will be banned, not just in NSW, but in the entirety of this most precious country.

Sincerely

John Graham

I am against the construction of the Narrabri Gas Project because it has been proven time and time again that coal seam gas fields cause serious environmental damage. Australian citizens who live on that land do not deserve to suffer the environmental cost of the project while the mining company profits. It also threatens the unique and vital Pilliga. I personally come from Ashford, just north of Narrabri, and I consider this an unforgivable incursion into the rights of nature to exist without human intervention for profit. Please don't build these 850 gas wells - it will destroy the region for longer than the 20 year envisaged project.

Why poison nature, which supports human and animal life, for the greedy profit of a few, when renewable energy will keep us all healthy.

I understand the local indigenous and farming communities object to the proposal. There are many alternative sources of energy that can be achieved without distruction of native environments which protect us all by keeping our biodiversity.
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.

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.

CSG fields contribute to climate change through the leakage of methane during the production, transport, processing and use of coal seam gas.

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.

I am sickened by Government 'leadership' pursuing fossil fuels/environment and water devastation while destabilising sustainable energy advancement.
We want our biodiversity. Ground water is sacro sanct.

This project threatens the provision of safe water in the area. it will add to climate warming, in my view and is theefore untenable. The Pilliga region is a precious asset to all australian and this proposal will severely damage it. I am vehemently opposed to this happening, as all thinking australians must be.

If this goes ahead, the sandstone under the Pilliga which filters ground water for the Great Artesian Basin will be compromised, at worse, poisoned. Creeks that flow through the Pilliga provide clean water for the Murray Darling Basin. These water sources are the lifeblood of farming communities throughout the southeast and inland Australia.

They must remain so. The Santos proposal is an obscene manifestation of "greed is good". I call on you to refuse it.

I am deeply concerned about the destructive over-exploitation of our life support system in Australia and world-wide. We have reached a point of imminent self destruction, I believe, and our duty now is harm minimisation. To destroy our ground water resources and the values associated with an intact, healthy landscape : bio-diversity, healthy farm land, clean air and water, etc., that is an act of violence against the people of Australia and the world. I have been living off-grid mostly on renewable energy for 30 years and even though we are a huge producer of gas, I am paying more than ever for the little I use. That is institutionalised corruption by a government of criminal mindlessness, incompetent, whose actions are irresponsible in the extreme. I don't care about politics, that is a mentral illness, not a science. Money is not a resource. I care about good management based on sound values. see http://www.lifesupportinternational.org .

The Narrabri / Pilliga gas project is a terribly destructive plan that must be abandoned for the welfare of present and future generations. I am in the process of making hydrogen from water for my household cooking - I am now down to about 50l of fossil fuels a month, heading for near zero, and I live 100km from the nearest supermarket. If a sixty eight year old age pensioner can do this, what is wrong with the billionaires of business and government? Gross criminal folly, that's what.

Capitalism's short-term profit motive is incompatible with long-term public health and safety, and/or long-term environmental health and safety, and/or animal welfare!

i object to this, we need to save as much forest as possible for rainfall, carbon sequestering and to house as many flora and fauna as possible for the health of our planet!
Please reconsider this long-term devastation for short-term goals.

I totally object to the proposed Narrabri Gas Project.

The Narrabri gasfield poses a real risk to our two most precious water resources: the Great Artesian Basin and the Murray-Darling Basin. We have seen the damage in the past by similar projects.

For example, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.