Please do not desecrate these Aboriginal lands by mining for coal seam gas.

The Narrabri Gas Project will be a great thing for Narrabri. Not only for employment, economic growth but for the upcoming generation. Gas is a needed commodity and it is the lesser detriment to the environment of all the fossil fuels. It is a fact of life we need a reliable energy source. Santos are preparing for a long term investment and it can only be a positive outlook for the town. The amount of farmers who live in the district are very minimal who are against it.

I believe that gas if a needed necessity. It I believe is one of the lowest fossil fuels that can be used. Santos have completed exhaustive testing to ensure the safe operations which is a good thing. If the project was to go ahead it would promote growth, be very good for the economy and certainly would employ a lot of locals.
To date living here in Narrabri Santos have certainly behaved in an extremely professional manner, not hiding anything, they have numerous tours, if asked will present any documentation that is asked of them and all staff here have bought into the local township and contribute both professionally and personally. I can only see positive rather than negative outcomes for this which unfortunately has been reiterated to the wider public of late and I must say by non locals. We live and work here and our opinions should be taken into positive consideration.

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.


¹SoilFutures Consulting 2014, Great Artesian Basin Recharge Systems and Extent of Petroleum and Gas Leases. http://www.gabpg.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/GAB-Report1.pdf
²http://www.smh.com.au/environment/santos-coal-seam-gas-project-contaminates-aquifer-20140307-34csb.html
³BirdLife International (2017) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Pilliga http://www.birdlife.org
⁴Marion Carey Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA), Air pollution from coal seam gas may put public health at risk The Conversation, November 20, 2012
⁵https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/oct/21/siding-spring-observatory-threat-coal-seam-gas-light-pollution
⁶http://darksky.org/first-dark-sky-park-in-australia-designated/
- See more at: https://www.wilderness.org.au/final-push-pilliga#sthash.AIQXIENM.dpuf

I would like to support the Narrabri Project as we moved here to Narrabri after moving from the coast. I am excited that I can go to university and come back home to live with my family after gaining a degree. My options will be further widened if Santos is here as I believe it will be a long term project that I could make my own home here. I have friends who are off the land and they do not believe that the gas project will be detrimental to their farms their parents are not worried at all, actually the opposite they are already co-existing with santos and run cattle, grow cotton and wheat. I play sport and Santos have been supporting our team since they have been here. I think it will be a good thing for the future.

I believe the gas project will be a great asset for both the economy and people of Narrabri. I am a local, attended primary and high schools here and there has always been some form of energy company here.
Having worked on farms around the district for many I have not heard a high percentage of farmers complain about the Narrabri Gas Project at all , actually quite the opposite.
My dealings with Santos to date have only been positive they have supported the town, local sporting bodies and have all settled here, purchased homes and contribute the local economy. It an only be a positive outcome. After all we need some form of energy and gas is the least of all the fossil fuels.

I live local at Narrabri and support the Narrabri Gas Project. Not only will it be beneficial to the economy, local children can study for a profession that will bring them back home to Narrabri and near family.
Gas is the least offensive of all fossil fuels, as a country we need fossil fuels to keep the nation moving it is that simple. Santos will not be here for a short period they are intending to be at Narrabri for many many years which will be great for the town and surrounding environs. The majority of Local farmers are not against the project as reported by others who do not live in the community. Farming and gas has co-existed for a very long time and will do far into the future.

I most strongly oppose the Narrabri Gas Project, the results of which will cause irreversible damage to the natural environment of the Pilliga and surrounding natural landscape. Alternate energy sources are now available on a scale that will provide for our needs. These sources are also on the cusp of really taking off and advancing in efficiency, cost effectiveness and output, the result of which will ensure our future energy needs are met and the natural landscape, which is vital to our quality of life and that of the living environment of earth, will survive, increase and recover from damage already done.
Please refrain from pleasing the wealthy moguls at the expense of everyone and every living thing that have to live on this planet.
This destructive exploitation is not necessary, and will only achieve short term pleasing of, and ingratiating politicians with the moguls who want to hoard more of the common wealth for themselves.
Please work for the good of all, and a greener, cleaner Earth. It's where we all live.

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 Area. 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.

The Narrabri gasfield poses a real risk to our two most precious water resources: the Great Artesian Basin and the Murray-Darling Basin.

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

Please don't allow this to happen, send Santos away!!!!

To whom it may concern.
I write in regards to Santos' proposal to create a CSG mining complex in the Pilliga area.

In reference to all existing research I to the effects of this particular project I wish for the proposal to be blocked and permission refused under the following reasons.

The project would extract over 35 billion litres of toxic groundwater and drill right through the recharge area of the Great Artesian Basin. It would generate tens of thousands of tonnes of salt waste, for which Santos has still not offered any waste disposal plans. This gasfield would fragment over 90,000 hectares of the Pilliga forest, industrialising the largest temperate woodland in eastern Australia.

These actions would strike long lasting and damaging effects I to the beautiful NSW landscape and the private industrialisation of this area would be at a detriment to the people, ecosystem, culture and longevity of places like the Great Arterial basin, causing a precedent for flogging off vast tracts of priceless environment for ultimately very little in return.

Please reconsider this application and do not approve Santos' application.

Yours truly,
Bryden Williams