Caroona Coal Action Group

                                                                                            Completed Santos Wells.

Rosemary Nankivell highlights dangers of CSM in this Northern Daily Leader article July 09. Environmental Hazards.

Methane gas exploration and extraction has caused irreparable environmental, social and economic damage across the world. This report shows how gas exploration destroys fresh water supplies slowly but surely and how much of the geological understanding claimed by gas companies is actually guess work. The same will happen to us if we don’t stop it now. Here's what's already happened at Narrabri (p.11-13)            

A project operated by Sydney Gas was stopped by ‘people power’ in the Yarramalong and Dooralong Valleys because of scientific concerns coal seam gas (CSG) extraction would ruin drinking water and agricultural supplies for the Central Coast.  An executive summary of their concerns is here...they are the same concerns we have on the Liverpool Plains.  [Full report here]

Gas mining is not a ‘clean, green’ alternative to coal, it too turns clean water into toxic water, land into deserts and leaves broken communities to pick up the costs during and when done.  It is not a sustainable industry.  Santos, for example, was part of the disastrous gas drilling project in East Java, the mud eruption of which could not be contained and has displaced over 50,000 people.  Reuters report here.  Santos clean up to cost 10x more.

Gas extraction will damage our own water supplies and those feeding into the Murray Darling Basin:-
•    by contaminating town water supplies, aquifers and stock bores
•    by extracting water with gas lowering the water tables
•    by creating vast quantities of waste water
•    by exploring along the stressed Hunter-Mooki fault systems

Experience shows that with gas extraction land values plummet, towns people and their environment become divided, polluted and sick.  As this report into exposure-related Human Health Effects of Oil and Gas Development makes clear "air surrounding oil and gas production areas is particularly vulnerable to toxic emissions.  Fugitive natural gas emissions may contain many contaminants."  It calls for much more research into the NOT green, NOT clean gas industry.  Don't be fooled!

If Gas miners come knocking on your door - here are some suggestions (see page 2).  Also see the NSW Farmers recommendations here, here and here, from their site  [http://www.nswfarmers.org.au/]

Be informed, DON'T let this opportunistic, poorly-regulated, environmentally damaging industry threaten our water, our food-producing ability, our environment, our communities and our next generation’s future.
SAY NO TO COAL SEAM GAS EXTRACTION!!  NOW!!

PS. Hear Canadian Ted Butler's Coal Bed Methane Blues song.  Lyrics like "Turn your paradise into mars" would be amusing if they weren't what happens with this NOT green, NOT clean industry.