GASFIELD BUFFER ZONES FOR CAMDEN AND GLOUCESTER

Residents in the Camden and Gloucester areas have concerns about the proximity of coal seam gas wells to their homes.  Elsewhere in NSW most residential areas have 2 km buffer zones between them and gas wells.

 

In Camden there are gas wells within 200 metres of homes.  These wells were approved before the Government introduced the 2 km buffer zone in response to a long public campaign to keep wells away from residential areas.  Camden residents are concerned that cracks in walls and subsidence may be due to the proximity of the gasfield.

Their concerns about the gasfield increased on August 31^st when a well near Spring Farm homes leaked noisily for several hours forcing residents to call in the fire brigade.  AGL's comments following this incident are unlikely to have reassured local residents.

Last month the State Government gave AGL (the same company operating the Camden gasfield) permission to frack four gas wells less than a kilometre from homes.  (Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a process for releasing gas trapped in rock.)

An independent hydrogeologist, Professor Philip Pells, has warned of the high risk of fracking at Gloucester.  AGL's own hydrogeologist , John Ross, has also commented on  the high risk associated with fracking in these four wells.  

There is a major risk of aquifer contamination. Gloucester's position at the head of the Manning River means that any contamination could cause problems for the river and the drinking water for 75,000 people.

The approval of these wells is inconsistent with Government buffer zone policy. Why have a policy that you disregard?

The Lock the Gate organisation is calling on the NSW Government to provide the same rights and protections for Camden and Gloucester residents that everyone else in the state has.  

They are urging the government to do three things.  The first is to suspend AGL's approval to frack at Gloucester and to review all CSG approvals there.  The second is to decommission all existing wells within 2 km of homes at AGL's Camden gasfield.  The third is to investigate and prosecute all pollution incidents at AGL's Camden gasfield.

            - Leonie Blain

This article was published in the VOICES FOR THE EARTH column in The Daily Examiner on Monday 8th September, 2014.

COAL SEAM GAS (CSG) INFORMATION MEETING IN GRAFTON

The recently-formed Clarence Alliance Against Coal Seam Gas hosted an information meeting in South Grafton on Friday 30^th March. 

Drawing on his experience in Queensland, Drew Hutton, one of the founders and current president of the "Lock the Gate" movement emphasised the enormous threat that the Clarence Valley was facing as the coal seam gas miners moved into this area.  Hutton said that because of the attitude of governments, the CSG miners believed they were going to get a free ride.  However, the growing community opposition should be showing them it was not going to be as easy as they thought.

Drew Hutton addressing the meeting.        Photo: L Blain

The second speaker, Janet Cavanaugh, spoke about some of the major issues in CSG mining that are of community concern. These included:

• ·         Water issues – disposal of "produced" water pumped from wells; the risk to aquifers either through contamination by chemicals pumped into wells or through depletion.

• ·         Land use impacts – changes to rural landscapes as a result of mining infrastructure (e.g. roads, pipelines, holding ponds); clearing of vegetation and erosion impacts; noise from pumps, truck movements etc.

• ·         Carbon emissions – industry claims that CSG is more carbon-friendly than coal do not take into consideration the whole of life impact of this energy source.

• ·         Weak regulation in NSW – little opportunity for community input on mining proposals; very low returns to the state (which in reality is the people of the state) as there are no royalties for the first five years of a well's production and a gradual increase over the next five years.

• ·         What is happening to the gas – it is mostly for export

The third speaker was Brian Monk, a Queensland farmer from the Tara area near Chinchilla.  Monk, who refers to himself as a CSG refugee, spoke about his experience of CSG in his area.   One of his major concerns was the poisoning of groundwater with mining chemicals.  This poisoning resulted in his grandchildren getting welts on their skin when they were bathing. Another issue he highlighted was the failure of regulators in Queensland to implement effectively the regulations controlling the CSG industry. 

One of the audience commented that Monk's experience sounded like a tale from a third world country rather than something that could happen in Australia.

Sue  Higginson, Senior Solicitor from the Environmental Defenders Office in Lismore, spoke about property rights and other legal issues relating to mining exploration and production.

Janet Cavanaugh gave a second presentation about the situation in the Clarence Valley.  This will be the subject of another post in the near future.

COAL SEAM GAS UPDATE

New Local Anti-Coal Seam Gas Group:

A new Clarence Valley group opposed to coal seam gas (CSG) mining was formed  recently - Clarence Valley Alliance against Coal Seam Gas. The group has already held public information nights in the villages of Whiporie and Copmanhurst.  

On 30^th March (from 6-9 p.m.) it is holding a further information night at the South Grafton Ex-Servicemen's Club in Wharf Street, South Grafton. Speakers include Drew Hutton (National Convenor of Lock the Gate), Sue Higginson (senior solicitor from the Northern Rivers Environmental Defenders Office), Brian Monk (a CSG refugee from the Darling Downs), Peter Ralph (an author who will be launching his book No Fracking Way that day) and local resident Janet Cavanaugh.

Clarence Valley Council Resolution:

At its February meeting Clarence Valley Council passed a resolution stating that it did not support or endorse coal seam gas activities within the Clarence Valley.

The resolution stated that Council would continue with this policy until a number of measures were undertaken.  These included action by the State Government "to responsibly guide and regulate the Coal Seam Gas industry in relation to their activities" and the establishment of scientific proof that the impacts of the industry "will not result in any significant and detrimental environment outcomes

particularly in relation to aquifer water quality".

The resolution, which passed unanimously, was moved by Mayor Richie Williamson.

This was a follow-up to a 2011 resolution sponsored by Councillor Margaret McKenna which called on the State Government to place a moratorium on coal seam gas exploration and extraction until there were appropriate safeguards in place.

Non-Violent Direct Action Training Day in Grafton:

The Clarence Alliance Against CSG has organised a non-violent direct action training day which aims to teach people how to peacefully blockade. It will be held on Sunday 25 March from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Grafton Community Centre in Duke St, Grafton. Those attending are asked to bring lunch and to donate a gold coin to assist with the hire of the venue.