Test well to be drilled in mid September 530m from Wollemi National Park
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| Putty wombats have their say |
It has been a busy week of phone calls, research and discovery. I spoke to Dart Energy’s geologist, Jason Needham who told me that Putty Option B is where they plan to drill a test well in mid September. This well is estimated to be 530m from the Wollemi National Park
I asked the NSW Government Trade & Investment to send me a copy of the approval document but was told that it was not available unless I applied through GIPA (Government Information Public Access which takes up to three weeks) or I could go to Maitland to view it but I was not allowed to copy it. Fortunately I found an easier source for the approval document but I will have to wait for the GIPA process for other documents.
I need these documents to help write a submission to the government. The Premier has been notified by letter that a submission will be forthcoming and he has been asked the following question -
What is the scientific evidence that coal seam gas mining will not affect the water table, aquifers and Great Artesian Basin
LINKS
National Water Commissions position statement on CSG (December 2010). The Potential risks to sustainable water management noted at http://www.nwc.gov.au/www/html/2959-coal-seam-gas.asp?intSiteID=1 would be enough to stop any responsible person from pursuing coal seam gas extraction.
Claytons Moratorium - On Friday farmers in the Bellata area, near Moree in north-west NSW, received a letter in the mail from coal seam gas companies Leichardt Resources and Planet Gas, formally serving notice that they would be seeking an access agreement to drill for coal seam gas on their land. http://www.lockthegate.org.au/
That area is one of the most beautiful parts of the country. We always used to drive the Putty Road to Tamworth & Narrabri when we lived in Sydney and the area with the honeycomb cliffs was always our resting point. It was not a ten minute stop, but at least an hour and we drove it because of that place. We always said we would return to explore the cliffs one day.
ReplyDeleteWhoever has recently watched the american doco "Gaslands" will realise that these developments have to be watched very carefully. There are great financial interests behind the exploitation of natural gas, but more importantly a great temtation to cut corners on safe practise-measures, with potentially devastating consequences for people and the environment.
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