Last week
protesters prevented further work on a coal seam gas (CSG) pond being
constructed by Metgasco west of Casino in the NSW Northern Rivers area.
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| Protesters near the Metgasco "holding pond" Photo: J Edwards |
CSG miners
construct ponds to hold water produced as part of the gas extraction process. Disposal
of this water, which contains an array of chemicals, many of them toxic, has
become an issue where CSG is being mined. This contaminated water poses a
threat to aquifers, streams and urban water catchments if it is not properly
contained. In the 2011 Queensland floods some of this “produced” water escaped
from its holding ponds leading to contamination of extensive areas. In the Pilliga woodland in central NSW on 25
June 2011 10,000 litres of CSG water leaked into the environment causing tree
and animal deaths. Eastern Star Gas
(taken over by Santos on 17 November 2011) failed to notify the state
government of the leak as it was required to do. Santos, after previously
denying that such a leak had occurred, finally confirmed it had happened in
January 2012.
Last year in
July the NSW Government banned construction of CSG evaporation ponds in
response to community concerns about the danger of overflows and leakage of
toxic chemicals from these structures.
In response
to the Casino protest, NSW Minister for Resources and Energy, Chris Hartcher,
stated on 21 June that the government
had not approved any evaporation ponds since its July 2011 ban, and that the
Metgasco pond was a "holding pond" approved by Richmond Valley
Council.
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| Photo: J Edwards |
Boudicca
Cerese, spokesperson for Lock the Gate Northern Rivers, said, "The
Minister tried to split hairs about the difference between an evaporation pond
and a holding pond, but no-one is buying it - a toxic pond is a toxic pond and
we don't want them.
"Management
of coal seam gas wastewater in the region is a ticking time bomb that
represents a real risk to our floodplains, waterways and farmland.
"It is clear from the Ministers' statement … that the NSW Government intends to allow widespread use of wastewater 'holding ponds' across NSW and the Northern Rivers."
"It is clear from the Ministers' statement … that the NSW Government intends to allow widespread use of wastewater 'holding ponds' across NSW and the Northern Rivers."
The
protesters have announced that they intend to continue their action against
Metgasco's "holding pond".
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| The Metgasco "holding pond" under construction Photo: J Edwards |
