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.

This is the last remaining CSG proposal in NSW, and it's essential we make our powerful opposition clear.

Here are 5 reasons to oppose the Pilliga CSG project:

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.

This CSG proposal is a bad idea. The waste products have not been dealt with properly elsewhere in Australia. Creating holes in the earth's layers and filling them with man made pipes and concrete elves a situation when the man made materials deteriorate, as they will eventually, water tablles are seriously at risk of contaminations and other hazards.
After CSG drilling breaks the layers, gases tend to escape via rivers and creeks and also into the atmosphere. This is well documented both in this country and in the USA. When the gas has been taken, who pays to repair the environment?

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 strongly object to the Pilliga coal seam gas project - just another act of vandalism which will: threaten wildlife, fuel dangerous climate change, increase bushfire risk, and risk clean water supply.

This is my personal plea to safeguard the health and environment of our beloved country Australia.

Our country stands in the vanguard of nations who will suffer most from the ravages of climate change. Water resources are limited and dwindling rapidly. The hotter it becomes the faster ground water evaporates.

CSG exploration,extraction and fracking draw large volumes of water. The industry make strong claims as to their adherence to laws, regulation and always act responsibly. Here in Australia and in many other countries around the world the industry has demonstrated that the opposite is the true fact.

Government agencies appointed to monitor this industry have been slow or failed to act where breaches ( many ) have occurred. This failure has resulted in the contamination of our Aquifers, flowing waters and land.

I contend that both major political parties have had their view/policies corrupted by industry lobbyists and political donations. The ICAC inquiry in N.S.W demonstrated that politicians from both parties had their snouts in the trough.

Fossil fuels gave us the expansion of the industrial revolution: the automobile replaced the horse. Now in the 21st century it's a no- brainer that clean cheap renewables will replace the fossils.

Government support for solar power and battery storage for homes would quickly return the cost and allow future savings of power cost to be spent into the domestic economy thereby inproving our GDP. Rather than see 80% of our resource profits going overseas.

Thorium fluoride reactors also provide a cheap clean risk free alternative which can be scaled up or down.

Please, give this great country a true viable future. Vote with your heart and what it knows to be true. Don't be expedient be a hero.

Dear Sir/ Madam,
Please do not go ahead with the proposed development of the coal seam gas field in the Pilliga State Forest.
This is a delicate and vulnerable area of land which will be susceptible to degradation and permanent destruction if methane gas is released into the environment - as has happened in America. Surely we can learn from their mistakes and others already made in Queensland.
The methane is not visible to the human eye and can cause major damage before it is even know to be leaking out.
This area is surrounded by valuable farm and grazing land. The destruction of the the water table that could so easily happen, when not if leaks occur, would be catastrophic to the surrounding farms and the livelihoods of the farmers.
The natural species of plants and wildlife found in this region would also be seriously depleted, if not completely destroyed - just by the digging and upset to the peace and tranquility of the area. As habitat will be destroyed, in this process where will the animals eg koalas go
There are also Aboriginal artifacts right through this area and they are of great value to the culture and history of our nation, to say nothing of the extreme value they are to their custodians.
As a nation of creative and intelligent people we must find another way bring eco friendly development to our country. As the gas is mostly for the export market, and we do not benefit much as a nation, as seen by the ever increasing cost of gas in Australia, as opposed to the much cheaper gas provided by us to other countries, there seems little point. Lets think of a better way to build our export markets and cease from this madness.
We have a country which we need to protect and guard from destruction. It is ours to share and enjoy and to leave in a good condition for future generations, just as the Aboriginal people did before we came here.
Yours sincerely,
Philippa Powell.

Coal Seam Gas(CSG) mining causes more problems than it will ever solve. No informed society would choose to damage the quality of life for our futures but that's what allowing new Santos CSG mines will do. Please base the decision to go ahead or not on a 50 + years impact study.

I wish to make a submission opposting the Pilaga Coal Seam gas project, which I consider to be a potential disaster for the following reasons:

1. It is safe 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.

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 hope you will take these points into accountbefore coming to any final decision.

Thank you.

Submission to the NSW Planning and Environment Department

In an era of dangerously mounting global warming, and with an urgent need for rapid transition to safer renewable energy sources, the Pilliga coal seam gas project would be grossly irresponsible and misguided. Such a project also would be a disaster for unique forests, bushland and wildlife and for the Traditional Owners and farmers who call the region home.


The Pilliga CSG project must not be approved to avoid the following hugely damaging consequences:

1. Coal seam gas fuels dangerous climate change.
Methane is by far the major component of natural gas, and is a greenhouse gas up to 70 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.

2. 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.

3. 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 anciently formed 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. The CSG project significantly will increase the risk of bushfire. 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.

A very dangerous and short sighted plan.