Lock the Gate President Drew Hutton has warned the NSW Government that without expanded no-go zones the community opposition to coal and coal seam gas expansion will only grow.
Submissions close tomorrow for the NSW Government’s proposed 2km residential exclusion zone for coal seam gas.
"The residential exclusion zone is a good first step but it ignores the critical community concern when it comes to both coal and coal seam gas development, which is the threat it presents to farmland and water supplies," said Lock the Gate President Drew Hutton.
“Recent polling shows 75% of NSW oppose coal seam gas on agricultural land. Now is the time to guarantee our food security by preserving these areas through mining no-go zones.
“We are calling for both coal and all unconventional gas to be captured and for exclusion zone provisions to include all food producing lands.
"The Government must take this opportunity also to expand its proposed exclusion zones to protect our water catchment areas.
“This is what the Government promised before the last election and now is the time to live up to that commitment.
“The Government’s opt-out option for council’s is a loophole and unless it is matched with an opt-in to allow councils to expand the no-go zones, it should not be included in the new rules.
“The CSG industry is warning about a gas crunch and trying to blame the residential exclusion policy but it is the industry that has created the problem by building export terminals.
“The community is not prepared to trade its farmland and reliable clean water for the profits of mining investors and neither should the Government," he said.