Coal Seam Gas Mining

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Coal Seam Gas Mining

• Rotary
• 13/7/11

Not in my back yard Not in ANY back yard!
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Who are we?

• The LOCK THE GATE Alliance
• a national alliance
• over 90 community, industry and environmental
  groups,
• over 1,000 registered members supporters
• We are concerned about the devastating impact
  that certain inadequately assessed and
  inadequately-regulated fossil fuel extraction
  industries are having on our short and long term
  physical, social, environmental and
• economic wellbeing.

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Who are we?

• The Northern Rivers Guardians
• Educate and inform the community about
  Appropriate Development 
• Lobby and work for Appropriate Development in the
  Northern Rivers of NSW.
•  Lobby and work against inappropriate
  development.

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Appropriate development

• Is sensitive to environmental needs
• Accounts for community priorities, values and
  needs
• Supports economic growth that complements the
  local area

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A POSITIVE CAMPAIGN

• We are campaigning FOR
• Independent assessment of CSG mining and its
  impacts
• Appropriate land use management policies and
  strategies
• Protection of sensitive environmental areas
• Respect for community priorities and values
• REAL community involvement in decision making
• Support for agriculture and tourism industries

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Rotary 4-Way-Test

• Is it the TRUTH?
• Is it FAIR to all concerned?
• Will it build GOODWILL and better FRIENDSHIPS?
• Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

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Coal Seam Gas Mining

• What it is
• Coal Seam Gas is also referred to as
• Coal Bed Methane
• Unconventional Gas
• It is extracted from the coal seam by drilling
  through layers of rock into the coal seam and
  then forcing the methane to become separated from
  the coal and rise to the surface through the
  well. Water rises with the methane.

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Fracking What is it?

• Fracking Hydraulic fracturing.
• Water (with additives) is pumped under pressure
  into coal seams to release the methane gas that
  is attached to the coal.

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Who is concerned about CSG mining besides NRG?

• Tweed, Lismore, Kyogle, Ballina Byron Councils
• Rous Water
• Regional Development Australia Northern Rivers
• Destination Tweed (was Tweed Tourism)
• NSW Canegrowers Association
• Combined Tweed Rural Industries Association
• NSW Farmers Association
• National Farmers Federation
• Caldera Environment Centre various other groups
• Thousands of local residents
• Many thousands across Australia
• Millions around the world

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CSG mining in Australia
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CSG mining in NSW
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CSG mining in Northern NSW
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CSG mining in Northern NSW
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CSG mining in Northern NSW
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CSG mining in Northern NSW
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CSG mining in Tweed Shire
Existing Exploration Lease
Application lodged
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CSG mining in Tweed Shire
Existing Application
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What are the issues?

• Environmental
• Land use conflicts
• Economic/industry conflicts
• Community issues

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Environmental issues

• Water (water table, Aquifers, water quality,
  artesian bores, spillage of contaminated water)
• Leakage
• Climate Change Impacts
• Conflict with environmental values (National
  Parks, World Heritage, Cultural heritage)

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The pond at Dyraaba has a lining made of
builders plastic that is ripped in places and
overflowed in the January rains. Reports of a
possible third leaking test well, at the same
site at Dyraaba, have added to concerns ...
Metgasco tailing pond at Dyraaba near Casino
Words Picture from NR Echo Feb 2011
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From a Cornell University Study

• The greenhouse gas footprint for shale gas is
  greater than that for conventional gas or oil
  when viewed on any time horizon, but particularly
  so over 20 years. These methane emissions are
  at least 30 more than and perhaps more than
  twice as great as those from conventional gas.

Methane and the Greenhouse-Gas Footprint of
Natural Gas from Shale Formations By Robert W.
Howarth, Renee Santoro, and Anthony
Ingraffea Cornell University, April 2011
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Economic / Industry issues

• Agriculture
• Tourism
• - eco-tourism
• Other industries

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Land use issues

• Mining vs agriculture
• Landowners control over land
• Impact of drilling on individual landholding and
  neighbours
• Impact of drilling on land values

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Community issues

• Community values and priorities
• Public health
• Local government exclusion
• Community say on development
• Land values

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What are we calling for?

• A moratorium on all coal seam gas mining pending
  the findings of a Royal Commission
• Fully and independently assess
• the science behind this technology and
• the impacts on -
• communities, health, environment, agriculture
  and other industries

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Developments here and overseas

• Local government Calls for a moratorium from
• Tweed, Lismore, Ballina, Byron Kyogle Councils
  and Rous Water
• Destination Tweed, Northern Rivers Tourism RDA
  Northern Rivers
• NSW government
• New Policy some limited changes
• Approvals process 60 day freeze
• Australian / Queensland governments
• Supportive of CSG
• Port facilities at Gladstone
• Sales to China South Korea
• Overseas
• France BANNED
• England SUSPENDED after earthquakes
• South Africa BANNED in sensitive areas

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Community action

• Giving the community a chance to express concerns
• United Community Gathering (Murbah)
• Stand in the Sand (Byron Bay)
• Community meetings
• National Day of Action
• Continue to build the alliance
• Lock the Gate Alliance
• Community Groups
• Industry groups (esp Agriculture, Tourism)
• Local government
• Political/legal action
• - Lobbying
• Mining companies
• Local members (State Federal)
• State and Federal Ministers
• State and Federal Opposition spokespeople
• - Court action

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National Day of Action

• Co-ordinated action across NSW
• Start of National Water Week
• Rallies in Sydney and rural/regional communities
• Sending a clear message to state and federal
  governments

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What can you do?

• Learn more about the impact of coal seam gas
  mining
• Lock your Gate to the mining companies
• Talk to friends, neighbours and family about the
  issues
• Join Lock The Gate Alliance or the Northern
  Rivers Guardians or any local group and become
  active in the campaign
• Donate to the campaign
• Email / Write to the mining companies telling
  them they are not wanted here and why
• Email / Write to state and federal ministers and
  opposition spokespersons
• Contact your local state and federal MPs
  expressing your concerns and calling for a
  moratorium / ban

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Where to get more information

• Lock the Gate Alliance
• www.lockthegate.org.au
• Northern Rivers Guardians
• www.northernriversguardians.org

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