23 April, 2012
Country and city unite to protect land, water and local communities
Sydney residents are urged to join a rally on 1 May to protect residential and sensitive environmental areas from damage by coal mining and coal seam gas [CSG] extraction.
The rally at 12pm in Martin Place will bring country and city people together to protect land, water and local communities from runaway coal operations, Chief Executive Officer of the Nature Conservation Council, Pepe Clarke said.
“One coal company, Dart Energy was granted a licence to explore for CSG in the Sydney Basin and St Peters was the first approval granted,” he said.
“St Peters residents only found out about this18 months ago but so far, the community’s efforts have delayed this bizarre proposal to drill for gas in a densely settled residential area,” Mr Clarke said.
President of Stop Coal Seam Gas Sydney Jacinta Green said she believed that if communities stand strong they can impose limits on the coal seam gas industry.
“In the 2010 renewal of Dart’s licence, the NSW government pointed to unfavourable media coverage as one of the reasons that Dart Energy had failed to meet the terms of conditions of their licence.
“At that stage we had barely scratched the surface of community concern. I believe it’s because of our efforts that drilling hasn’t gone ahead in St Peters,” she said.
“We see it as a massive win that we have been able to delay this project, but we are concerned that Dart Energy will focus on other areas of Sydney where they believe community commitment is not as strong.”
Ms Green said her organisation had approached the Minister for Resources and Energy Chris Hartcher for a meeting on many occasions.
“He still won’t meet us because he doesn’t have any answers,” she said.
“The Government’s draft land use plans do nothing to prevent coal seam gas drilling in our towns and suburbs.
“We know that this issue is bigger than in our backyard. Even if we stop it in St Peters, there is still the effect on groundwater and the potential for accelerated climate change so we are throwing 100 per cent support behind the rally on 1 May.”
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Coal and gas
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