Anti coal seam gas movement gathering steam
1 Aug 11
Residents who missed the film screening on Friday 8th at the Community Hall can borrow copies of the DVD from the Post Office.
For those who know little about Coal Seam Gas, it is often referred to as unconventional Gas, or Coal bed methane and should not be confused with Natural gas.
It is methane gas found in coal seams. Methane gas is a greenhouse gas more than 20 times worse than CO2.
When burnt, methane produces 40% less greenhouse gas than coal, however the process of removing it from the coal seam sees a large amount of fugitive methane escaping into the atmosphere, so any perceived benefit is nullified. (1)
In NSW alone there are plans to drill 14,000 test wells into the coal seam.
It has been proven overseas that this results in the contamination of the water supply.
There are many hazads involved with the gas extraction and further information can be sought by visiting the websites below.
Southern Highlands residents have earnestly begun their fight against this form of mining. Hume Coal’s drilling activities have started in Sutton Forest.
Hume is a front for Korean Steelmaker POSCO.
According to the Southern Highland News article last week the company is drilling 30 boreholes in the Belanglo State Forest as part of 120 holes in the Sutton Forest Coal Lease.
On 14th July the Wingecarribee Shire Council voted unanimously for the third time to express their total opposition to new coal or coal seam gas mining in the Southern Highlands but this has been ignored by the company.
Contact Peter Martin Convenor
0418 800 111 Visit the website at www.shoocockatoo.com.
The Stop CSG Illawarra Group is another local community group campaigning for a moratorium on CSG mining, a Royal commission into all aspects of CSG mining and a ban on fracking. They can be contacted at
www.stop-csg-illawarra.org
GetUp is considering a campaign on CSG exploration.
It puts up several ideas for campaigns and asks members for an indication of which is/are to be preferred.
Votes are requested, and people are invited to join GetUp and cast their votes.
Go to http://suggest.getup.org.au/forums/60819-getup-campaign-suggestions/suggestions/1512631-stop-the-fracking-coal-seam-gas-industry?tracking_code=6ba68ca9af4177856d93eef18b8f6825.
Readers may also consider joining Lock the Gate alliance for $10.
Visit their website:
http://lockthegate.org.au/documents/
Sunday October 16, 2011 has been chosen as the National Day of Action on coal seam gas.
This marks the beginning of National Water Week so it's a very appropriate time for actions that highlight the importance of respect for, and careful management of, our irreplaceable water resources.
Our K.V group may be interested in undertaking some kind of CSG awareness raising activity on this date.
Contact the K.V Co-coordinator Jillian Naidu at: jillian.naidu@uformation.com
Christine Nobel
(1) Ref http://lockthegate.org.au/factsheets/