12 November, 2013
CSG moratorium in Sydney’s drinking water catchment does not go far enough
The O’Farrell Government’s moratorium on coal seam gas (CSG) development in the Special Areas of Sydney’s drinking water catchment is a welcome acknowledgement of the threats that coal seam gas poses to drinking water.
“CSG 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,” Campaigns Director Kate Smolski said.
“If CSG is a threat to Sydney’s drinking water catchment, then it is a threat to water resources throughout the state.
“No matter where your water comes from, all residents of NSW should be protected from the dangerous effects of coal and gas mining.
“While CSG poses a serious threat to our drinking water supplies, longwall coal mining is already seriously damaging Sydney catchment’s Special Areas and the quality and volume of water flowing into the reservoirs.
“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 drain swamps that supply significant volumes of water, especially during droughts.”
“Premier Barry O’Farrell must honour his pre-election promise to protect catchments from mining development. [1]
“To truly protect our drinking water across the state, the O’Farrell government must ban CSG and coal mining in all drinking water catchments.”
[1] “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, Central Coast, January 2009.
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Coal and gas
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