26 September, 2013
CSG ban in critical drinking water catchments is a win for common sense
The Nature Conservation Council of NSW has welcomed State Labor’s plan to introduce a Bill to ban coal seam gas operations in core areas of Sydney’s drinking-water catchment.
“The ALP’s commitment to ban CSG development in the Special Areas is a very welcome first step to giving Sydney’s drinking water supply the protection it deserves,” NCC Campaigns Director Kate Smolski said.
“Most people would be appalled to know that coal and coal seam gas development is permitted in these high-value areas of the catchment. The Labor Party’s policy banning CSG in these places is common sense and should be applauded.
“Coal seam gas extraction produces millions of litres of waste water contaminated with salts and heavy metals and must not be allowed in a catchment that supplies drinking water to more than four million people.”
The Planning Assessment Commission in July rejected an application by Apex Energy to sink 15 exploratory wells in the catchment because of unacceptable risks, but left open the possibility of approving similar applications at a later date. [1]
“There are several active coal seam gas exploration licences covering the catchment, and it is expected that companies will submit applications to drill in the not-too-distant future,” Ms Smolski said. “The best way to ensure this never happens is to impose a strict ban on CSG development in these areas.”
Ms Smolski called on the Premier Barry O’Farrell to honour his pre-election promise to protect catchments from mining development [2], and gazette the 2 kilometre exclusion zones around urban areas and critical industries it announced in February.
“To truly protect our drinking water across the state, NCC calls on the O’Farrell government to ban CSG and coal mining in all drinking water catchments and for the ALP to extend its ban to include longwall coal mining,” she said.
“If the impacts of CSG are unacceptable in drinking water catchments, then surely so are the impacts of longwall coal mines, which crack aquifers and drains swamps that supply significant volumes of water to the water supply, especially during droughts.”
[1] http://nccnsw.org.au/media/o%E2%80%99farrell-allows-drilling-sydney%E2%80%99s-drinking-water-catchment
[2] “The next Liberal-National Government will ensure that mining cannot occur ... in any water catchment area, and will ensure that mining leases and mining exploration permits reflect that common sense; no ifs, no buts, a guarantee.”
Barry O'Farrell, Rally at Woodbury Park, NSW Central Coast, February 2009.
Tags
Coal and gas
Let others know about this issue