To Whom it may concern,

I am strongly opposed to the Santos Narrabri coal seam gas project being approved.

This project will have long term and devistating environmental and social effects on this this region. This project should be opposed.

The NSW Government has a responsibility to act for the betterment of its people and environment.

Kind Regards.

The madness that is coal seam gas projects has to stop. The effect on water supply from this method of drilling is well known and the fact that santos is allowed to go forward with a project so close to such a major water supply is absolute obscene

Please put a stop to this

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.
- See more at: https://www.wilderness.org.au/final-push-pilliga#sthash.icAs2egJ.dpuf

Please, I beg you to leave this sacred land of ours alone!! There is no fixing or repairing this later.

To Whom it may concern,

On behalf of myself, the people who actually live in this country and all future generations of Australia, I sincerely request that this project be denied. We are openly destroying our earth for short term profit and greed - this is a thoughtless and greed-driven act of violence against our natural resources.
We have no certain awareness of the future impact of these decisions - other than the devastation of other natural areas with CSG.
Please consider this and stop this project. No one in their right mind (with full disclosure of all the information) would want this.
For our futures sake.
Your children and later generations will hold us all accountable and see this generation of destruction as both greed driven and thoughtless - as they try to reclaim the Earth.

Yours Sincerely,

Beáta Alföldi

Good Morning,

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.

Also, 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.

Furthermore, 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.

There are endless reasons why this should not go ahead. We have to stop putting big business ahead of the health of our communities and environment. It's an environmental disaster waiting to happen.

Studies on existing unconventional gas operations have linked them to respiratory illness' and water contamination.
Coal seam gas is redundant as a source of energy.
This project will be harmful to the enviroment and everybody around it.
Do the companies doing this really want to expose themselves to the litigation that will ensue after they've poisoned everything?

I would strongly suggest you cease all coal seam gas exploration and mining Immediately. You are currently polluting the Pilliga forest and water of the Great Artesian Basin. Your current practices threaten wildlife, drinking water and farming.

It is unfair that you have already damaged the area without full consent of community members. Coal seam gas mining is fraught with problems and unconventional methods that pollute the water and kill wildlife.

We cannot afford to pollute the Great Artesian Basin that is linked to many rivers and water sources that will undoubtedly be polluted also. Your methods are not safe for the wildlife in the area, nor for humans for drinking water in the future.

You do not have my consent to proceed. It is unlawful to risk our water with unproven methods. Fracking is unsafe and can cause earthquakes in the future. If there is an energy crisis you will need to look to renewables for a safe alternative, Solar with Tesla storage for example.

Frackng uses too much water, water that we need to produce food. It also leaves too much salt to process. It is unlawful to risk one of Australia's greatest water sources with untested and unsafe practices.

I do not consent to any wildlife habitat to be affected by clearing for mining. Fracking violates our basic human right to clean water. Many people have suffered enough trying to protect the land, suffering depression and suicide as a direct result of CSG. How many causalities will it take for the government to realize the profit is not worth the loss.

I am strongly opposed to this due to the overall negative affect for the environment and culture of the region.
Toxic leaks, high salt output, detrimental to the immediate and surrounding environment are too likely. The company has a past hjstory of not ensuring the protection avaints these risks.
The traditional land holders and local farming industry are both overwhelmingly opposed.

I oppose of the Narrabi Gas project in Piliga.