Santos should be all means be stopped from destroying the Australian landscape with their raping and pillaging techniques that show complete and utter disregard for the environment. The Liberal should hang their heads in shame for even allowing this to be considered. Australia is owned by the people, not BIG PROFIT MAKING BUSINESS. Don't mess with the Artesian Basin: once destroyed if can never be repaired. It's the lifeline for survival for nation and should not be interfered with for the sake of profits.

Praying that this does not go ahead!!!!

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. Basically, CSG is a "nice to have" but water is essential in this, the world's driest continent. To put at risk the latter in order to extract the former is a very questionable strategy.

As a student of Animal Ecology who has a great interest in the biodiversity of Australia, and the conservation of our native animals.
With this in mind, I would like to note that the Pilliga area is of great significance in terms of its biodiversity, and is home to many threatened native species such as the Pilliga Mouse, South Eastern Long-Eared Bat, Black-Striped Wallaby, the Koala, Spotted Tail Quoll, Eastern Pygmy Possum among others.
Some of these species are unique to the Pilliga, and the proposed gas project would threatened their very existence.
As you would know, the Pilliga is also the main recharge area for the Great Artesian Basin, which is vital to both farmers and wildlife.
As well, the huge amount of salt produced by the project, between 17000 and 42000 tonnes per year must be dumped somewhere. Does NSW want to be responsible for this waste?
As well, the naked flame associated with these gas projects is of great danger to the exceptionally dry nature of the Pilliga, therefore posing an extremely high fire risk to the whole region.
Aside from these, and many more individual reasons, I find it very hard to understand why, in 2017, we as a country do not invest in renewable energy.
Why would our government consider causing irreparable damage to the unique beauty of this beautiful country?
It's very sad.

I am against this because I believe in a diversion from fossil fuels and archaic environmentally destructive practices towards renewable energy. I care about the state of the environment in the areas around the proposed sites and the animals that live there. I'm sick of the indigenous people being pushed around on their land and would like to believe in their sovereignty never ceded. The site proposed to, being as special as it is with the water resources and natural resources.

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/

CSG is a really bad idea.
Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.

I, Marnix Peper, after taking in to account merely a handful of the many indisputable facts gathered by environmental science, have come to the conclusion that it is extremely important that this CSG should not go ahead; the proposal should be denied.
There are also the cultural aspects that will be destroyed if this project were to move forward. Furthermore, at large, the general community has opposed to it by 96% of votes from door-to-door polling. The waters of the Great Artesian Basin and the Murray-Darling Basin are a priceless resource for Australia and putting this great asset at risk is plain folly. Need I go on? Please reconsider allowing this multi-national company from swaying yourselves, the government. Regards, Marnix Peper.

The Pilliga forest is the largest intact woodland in eastern Australia, stretching across half a million hectares in north-western New South Wales. It is a unique ecological refuge, home to 25 nationally listed and 48 state-listed threatened species, such as the Pilliga Mouse, which rely on the Pilliga for survival.

The sandstone under the Pilliga is a vital recharge area for the Great Artesian Basin, and creeks that flow through the Pilliga provide clean water into the Murray Darling Basin. These water sources are the lifeblood of farming communities throughout the southeast and inland Australia.

Santos's plans to industrialise the Pilliga with 850 coal seam gas wells are a threat to this natural refuge, our precious groundwater, and the communities who rely on it. We also know that if we're to maintain a safe climate and keep global warming below 2 degrees, projects like this cannot go ahead.

Fracking has no place in such an environment. Santos know that 5% of their wells will fail and leak in the short term and eventually all their wells will leak poisoning the environment. Santos must scrap their plans to frack the Piliga.

Dear minister,
A big majority of the people in Australia don't want their land and water compromised by environmentally irresponsible mining companies like Santos. These companies will destroy the land,contaminate the water and then attempt to walk away from their destruction with impunity. Even if litigation ensues they will blame another entity or disappear into liquidation leaving the taxpayer with the bill. They can't be trusted .And at the end of the day why would you jeopardise the environment when renewables are so advanced ? Allowing these spivs carte blanche to frack the land means that the citizens of Australia have to spend their time continually rallying against your dangerous environmental policy making instead of attending to their own lives. Give us a break ,do the right thing for a change and tell Santos to f.... off.