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Narrabri Coal Seam Gas

When the NSW Department of the Environment requested feedback on Santos’ Environmental Impact Statement in 2017, more than 23,000 individuals and organisations responded- the most of any project in NSW history- with 98% of respondents strongly opposed to the project. In spite of this outcry, in 2020 the project proceeded to the Independent Planning Commission (IPC), where opposition to the project was so strong the IPC had to schedule an unprecedented seven days of hearings with more than 400 people speaking before the Commission.

The IPC approved the Narrabri gas project in September 2020, despite receiving over 10,000 submissions on the project, the overwhelming majority of which were objections. The threat from CSG continues to expand in northern NSW, but communities are continuing the battle to protect land and water.

Following widespread community opposition, most of New South Wales is now free from the threat of coal seam gas, but under NSW Government plans released in 2021, over 1.2 million hectares of the state, stretching roughly from Bellata in the north to the western edge of Quirindi in the south, will remain open to potential Coal Seam Gas (CSG) exploration and development.

In 2022, Santos is expected to recommence coal seam gas exploration in the Liverpool Plains and the Namoi floodplain on four renewed Petroleum Exploration Licences (PELs). Our movement has held back coal seam gas in our region for more than a decade and we don’t intend to stop now. 

Carbon Minerals Ltd has already entered into an arrangement with Santos covering two of these PELs. 

What are the impacts of expanding CSG? 

About 277,000 hectares (46%) of the land included in the potential CSG development area on the Liverpool Plains is classed as Biophysical Strategic Agricultural Land (BSAL). BSAL is land with high quality soil and water resources capable of sustaining high levels of productivity. By way of comparison, less than about 4% of NSW’s total land area is BSAL.

If the scale of coal seam gas development and impacts approved for the Narrabri gas project were replicated across the entire 1.2 million hectare area, it might be expected to see more than 10,000 additional coal seam gas wells that could remove as much as 449 billion litres of groundwater. 

If the scale of salt waste expected for the Narrabri gas project were repeated across this area, it could result in the creation of 10 million tonnes of solid salt waste.

Replicating the greenhouse gas emissions expected from the Narrabri gas project across a further million hectares would mean creating another 1.5 billion tonnes of greenhouse pollution over 25 years - equivalent to three times Australia’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions in 2020. 

For more info go to: CSG Free North West NSW

 

 

Image: Coal seam gas production in Queensland

Stop Santos’ Narrabri Gas Plans in north west NSW

To: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Minister for Climate change Chris Bowen, NSW Premier Chris Minns.

Coal seam gas (CSG) proposals put land, water and culture at risk, and have been rejected by local communities in north-west NSW, including Gomeroi Traditional Owners and farmers. CSG will turbocharge climate change and cause more droughts, floods and fires. 

We know the path forward for NSW isn’t more gas, but less. Victoria and the ACT both have plans to get off gas by electrifying industry and homes, but NSW does not. 

We can make dramatic reductions in gas demand in NSW by supporting households and businesses to switch to renewables which would reduce energy costs and help with the cost of living, perpetually. 

We don’t need the Narrabri Gas Project or the pipelines that go with it – all it will do is drive up energy bills and destroy our region.

Stop CSG projects planned for the Pilliga forest and our foodbowl on the Liverpool Plains, and associated pipeline infrastructure that will stretch across the Hunter and north-west NSW - harming land, water and culture.  

Support renewable alternatives that have community backing instead and develop a gas substitution roadmap and energy efficiency measures for households and businesses to ease cost of living pressures and deliver real action on climate change.

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