Greens promote CSG Bill
Green ban: (from left) Ward 1 candidates Natasha Watson, Ian Hill and Jill Merrin with Upper House MP Jeremy Buckingham.
GREENS MLC Jeremy Buckingham visited Darkes Forest yesterday to promote the Bill he recently introduced to the NSW Parliament which, if passed, will enforce a 12-month moratorium on coal seam gas mining.
"The Greens’ Coal Seam Gas Moratorium Bill will press pause for 12 months on coal seam gas development, including APEX Energy's plans right here in the Illawarra," Mr Buckingham said.
“This industry has not been proven safe and, as I have toured NSW talking with affected communities, it is clear that what is wanted is the entire industry stopped until a full investigation is conducted into the social, environmental, economic and health impacts.”
He said CSG mining had caused serious environmental impacts in the United States and Queensland.
“There is limited research that has been done into this industry, including on water quality and the levels of Greenhouse gas emissions,” Mr Buckingham said.
Greens Lord Mayoral and Ward 1 candidate Jill Merrin said CSG could not be considered a clean green transition fuel.
“Recent studies have found that methane leakages during production could make coal seam gas worse for the climate than burning coal,” she said.
"What we should be going for is renewable energy, not allowing a new fossil fuel industry to expand, particularly in such an environmentally sensitive area."
The Bill proposes a permanent ban on any coal seam gas activities in Sydney Catchment Authority's Special Drinking Water areas.
"The water catchments of Sydney and Wollongong have been damaged by long-wall mining, compromising both the quality and quantity of water available to these major cities,” Ms Merrin said.
“It is remarkable that the state government would allow another industry to threaten our precious drinking water supplies.”
