The Pillage is a precious natural environment and must be protected for the future. CSG mining will ruin it. Please do not go ahead with that.

I object strongly to SANTOS' operations in the Pilliga on the following grounds:
. environmental destruction & effect on wildlife
. overuse & contamination of water, & leakage of eg methane
. deliberate distortion of the gas market for profit & to create local "shortage"
. extreme influence on the political process against community concerns
. the necessity of moving to a fossil free energy future

The Pilliga coal seam gas project is a disaster for our climate, local bushland and wildlife and for the Traditional Owners and farmers who call the region home. I oppose the Pilliga CSG Project for the following reasons:
1. It is safehaven 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.

2. 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.

3. It risks our clean water
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.

4. 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.

5. Bushfire risk will rise
Methane flare stacks up to 50m high would be running day and night, even on total fire ban days. The Pilliga is already prone to severe bushfires, this project will increase the risk of ignition.

I am strongly objecting to the Santos proposal for hundreds of new gas wells in the Pilliga.

1 A major problem is that the wells pass through the recharge area for the Great Artesian Basin. If contaminants pass into that area they will begin to contaminate a very vital water supply for a huge area of northern NSW and much of Queensland. I am sure that very little is known about the movement of water through that underground catchment, but if the water is contaminated it will be the death knell for hundreds of farms, and inland communities large and small.
2 What is the disposal method for the water? This is major problem, as is it's temporary(?) storage. Storage ponds have frequently leaked.
3 There will be much interference with the flora and fauna of the area,loss of bird habitat, decrease in bird populations and thus likely increasing pest colonies.

There are too many dangers for this project to go ahead.

Please stop Santos from proceeding with their reckless plans to frack the Pillaga. So much is potentially at stake: land, water, and wildlife. Corporate profits are not as important as a sustainable eco-system.

Based on all the available evidence, as well as untested assumptions on Santos' behalf, the Narrabri Gas Project is likely to be an irreparable environmental disaster affecting land and water. There are no likely benefits for anyone except Santos and their shareholders given that the fracked gas will be sold offshore as per current gas production. No lowering of prices for Australian consumers will result. Government should cancel current leases. No further exploration or development of CSG in this State, please.

This application represents one of the most damaging proposals for the natural environment ever to be considered by the NSW Government.
The proposal does not provide any solutions to the large volumes of toxic salts to be produced as a byproduct.
It does not provide any guarantees that the artesian basin itself will not be compromised.
The Pilliga is a vital and internationally recognised woodland habitat which should be preserved, not fragmented by coal seam gas mining.

I reject attempts to conduct or extend gas exploration or production of gas drilling sites. A primary reson is potential detrimental effects to the great artesian basin. Disturbance of water from the basin will have serious consequences

I oppose the plans of Santos to build 850 coal-seam gas wells in the Pilaga state forest. The Pilaga is the largest temperate woodland left in Eastern Australia. It must not be turned into an industrial wasteland.

To whom it concerns,
we the people of NSW demand that the proposal for drilling CSG wells in the PILIGA forest be terminated
completely. The chemicals used in the fracking process could
contaminate vast areas of our Artesian basin.
Please listen to the wishes of the people 1