Coal Seam Gas

Coal industry bullies infiltrate Australian environmental group.

The environmnetal movement,  Landcare Australia is controlled by the fossil fuel and coal seam gas industry by a network of companies and organizations with controversial environmental ethics.

“We have to be aware of the possibility that some might want to partner with Landcare in order to greenwash what might otherwise be bad corporate behaviour.” Campbell Anderson,  Landcare in Focus Nov 2012, p12.

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WGAR News: Muckaty no Solution for Sydney's Radioactive Waste: Australian Greens

Newsletter date: 9 March 2014

Contents:

* Jon Altman, Tracker: Evidently: Mining is not forever

* Australian Greens: Muckaty no Solution for Sydney's Radioactive Waste
* Background to the proposed Muckaty nuclear waste dump in Northern Territory

* Emma Lancaster, The Wire: Gomeroi people call on Environment Minister to stop destruction of sacred sites [Featuring Dolly Talbott - Gomeroi elder and spokesperson]

* The Wilderness Society: Farmers and community stand strong to protect the Pilliga from coal seam gas

CSG drilling rig workers in Queensland exposed to radiation by Schlumberger

On Friday 28 February, four Weatherford drilling rig workers at a QGC coal seam gas (CSG) well site near Tara in Queensland were exposed to as yet undisclosed levels of radiation. They handled a radioactive equipment component left at the site by workers from another oil and gas services company, Schlumberger. The radiation source was not shielded and labeled as required by regulation.(1)

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WGAR News: Aboriginal Cultural Heritage under attack: The Wire

Newsletter date: 4 December 2013

Contents:

* The Wire: Aboriginal Cultural Heritage under attack [Featuring Steven Talbott, spokesperson for the Gomeroi Elders of Gunnedah]
* Tracker: Community members protest NSW C&H laws

* Stop Pilliga Coal Seam Gas

* Audioboo: Audio: Long awaited Aboriginal Heritage Bill disappoints [Featuring Legal officer for the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, Michael Mansell]
* Linda Seaborn, Green Left: Tasmanian Aboriginal community vow to fight heritage protection bill

Video: Campbelltown rally hears how Sydney's water catchments under threat from CSG

On Sunday around 300 residents rallied in Campbelltown in western Sydney and called on the NSW state government and Federal Government to protect drinking water and drinking water catchments, and for local communities to protect their farmland and water resources from Coal seam gas (CSG) development. Jess Moore from Stop CSG Illawarra spoke passionately and outlined the campaign to stop coal seam gas mining in Sydney's water catchments and the threat it poses to the millions of people who live in greater Sydney area. Here is her speech with transcription.

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Environment minister approves fossil fuel projects increasing carbon emissions 8% per year

Maules Creek and Boggabri coal mines, and the Gloucester CSG Field in New South Wales get conditional go ahead from the Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke increasing Australia's contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Decision strongly condemned by the local community and conservationists, with court challenge being flagged as possible.

Environment Minister Tony Burke has conditionally approved the Whitehaven Maules Creek open cut coal mine near Narrabri in the Leard State Forest as well as the four fold expansion of the neighboring Idemitsu Boggabri coal mine, and a major Coal Seam Gas field near Gloucester being undertaken by AGL Energy.

Related: Sydney's water supply under threat from BHP Longwall coal mine extension | Coal Seam Gas Field proposal for Pilliga Scrub withdrawn by Santos

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Coal seam gas field proposal for Pilliga Scrub withdrawn by Santos

The Adelaide headquartered mining and energy company Santos has withdrawn proposals for development of the Pilliga gas field near Narrabri in north western New South Wales.

Santos took over Eastern Star Gas' assets in the Pilliga Forest in 2011 with the intention of developing 550 duel coal seam gas wells and associated infrastructure. They were vigorously opposed by the local community and activist groups including the Wilderness Society. Conservationists have welcomed the withdrawal but are aware that further proposals may be submitted in future.

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Stop coal seam gas mining action: Sydney 18 August 201

There was a dramatic unfurling of a giant "Enough Is Enough: Stop Coal & Gas Expansion" banner by two activists who abseiled down the front of the hotel where mining company executives were meeting to plan the wholesale exploitation of NSW even at the cost of communities and the environment. This was the highlight the protest organised by Lock The Gate, an alliance of urban and rural groups opposing coal seam gas mining.
Text, video and picture by Peter Boyle

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Drew Hutton arrested at gas pipeline blockade

On March 29th Drew Hutton, spokesperson for Friends of the Earth and leading campaigner for the national Lock the Gate campaign, was arrested at the Tara anti-coal seam gas blockade. He appeared in court the following day after spending the night in custody where he was bailed to appear in court in April.

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