Community groups have denounced Santos’ attempts to avoid water and environmental scrutiny for its polluting Narrabri Lateral Pipeline, which will clear a swathe of destruction through 30 km of the Pilliga Forest if built.
Santos’ plan for the pipeline appeared on the federal environment department’s website today, with the company arguing it should not be subject to a full assessment concerning its impacts on threatened species and water.
Remarkably, Santos identified 46 threatened species as having the “potential to occur” in the area the Narrabri Lateral Pipeline would impact, but then argued it should not be a “controlled” action that requires assessment and decision under Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
In addition to carving through the Pilliga Forest, the Narrabri Lateral Pipeline would cut through multiple farms between Santos’ planned 850-well gasfield and Baan Baa, where it would connect with the much longer planned Hunter Gas Pipeline.
The community now has ten days to respond. The Narrabri Gas Project poses a serious risk to the Great Artesian Basin, and the Narrabri Lateral Pipeline is clearly an integral part of that project, indicating it should be considered under the water trigger.
Shaine Maunder, who operates a mixed farming enterprise at Baan Baa with her husband Jack, would be impacted by the pipeline. She said, “Santos’ Narrabri Lateral Pipeline would cut a 30 metre wide corridor through two of our grazing blocks. We would lose that land permanently, which causes us to lose productivity from our cattle herd, due to reduced land.
"Farming is difficult as it is, but with the cost of living, every time farmers lose in situations like this, it only makes produce more expensive because we have less land to produce on. It’s extremely disappointing.”
Mullaley Gas and Pipeline Accord spokesperson and cattle farmer Margaret Fleck recently conducted a series of workshops for landholders impacted by the lateral and Hunter Gas pipelines.
She said, “The Pilliga Forest is home to a host of threatened plants and animals. If Tanya Plibersek is serious about protecting nature, she ought to require this risky gas pipeline to be properly assessed under national environment laws.
“We’re calling for the water trigger to be applied as well, given this pipeline is an integral part of enabling the Narrabri Gas Project which poses a major risk to the Great Artesian Basin.
“Farmers in this part of the world are totally dependent on the groundwater Santos puts at risk and are resolute in not allowing coal seam gas into their region.
“Despite relentless pressure from Santos, communities throughout this district remain staunchly opposed to the Narrabri Gas Project and its associated pipelines.
“Gomeroi Traditional Owners, supported by the NSW union movement, are continuing to fight Santos’ Narrabri Gas Project.
“Farmers who are forced to host coal seam gas infrastructure on their properties find it near-impossible to obtain third party liability coverage.
“Landholders don’t want high-pressure, dangerous gas pipelines dug into their farms, they don’t want them adjacent to their properties, and they don’t want industrial gasfields built anywhere near their homes and businesses.”
The referral comes shortly after the ten year anniversary of Santos submitting its yet-to-be built Narrabri Gas Project for assessment under EPBC laws.
ENDS