16 January, 2013
AGL’s fracking plans heighten environmental and health risks for southwest Sydney
The Nature Conservation Council of NSW today called on the O’Farrell Government to refuse AGL’s coal seam gas proposal in the Campbelltown and Liverpool areas and ban CSG in suburban areas once and for all.
“Revelations today that AGL has modified its plans to include fracking in southwest Sydney poses unacceptable risks to human health and the environment and must not be approved,” Nature Conservation Council CEO Pepe Clarke said.
“All types of CSG extraction are unacceptable in residential areas, but fracking poses considerably more risk to human health and groundwater systems than other methods.
“The O’Farrell Government should act to protect the health of the people of the Macarthur region and refuse the entire proposal once and for all.
“The government has an obligation to protect the state’s citizens and environment from the risks of CSG and mining, so it must ban CSG developments in residential areas.”
Mr Clarke said revelations that AGL now plans to use fracking, after it had assured the community that it would not do so, were consistent with a broader pattern of behaviour by mining and gas companies.
“Time and again resource extraction companies modify and expand their proposals, leaving the community with increased environmental, community and health impacts.
“This constant shifting of the goal posts makes it extremely difficult for people affected by proposals to assess the likely impacts and to respond effectively.
“Most people have limited time and resources to keep an eye on what these companies are doing so changes in proposals can be made without locals being aware of what is happening.”
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Coal and gas
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