The controversial Narrabri coal seam gas project in north-west New South Wales, touted to meet half the state's gas needs, has cleared its final hurdle and work will commence in 2021.
Key points:
- Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley says she was satisfied Santos' $3.6 billion proposal will 'safeguard the biodiversity of the Pilliga Forest'
- The controversial project has been subject to 10 years of pushback by locals
- Santos says the project is in the public interest and that assessments found it can be 'developed safely and sustainably'
Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley today gave her sign-off to the $3.6 billon proposal by energy company Santos, subject to a number of conditions to protect regional biodiversity, groundwater and local communities.
Ms Ley said she was "satisfied that the conditions and the staged nature of work in the area will safeguard the biodiversity of the Pilliga Forest".
The proposal for 850 coal seam gas wells in the Pilliga region has been a divisive topic for local communities with key concerns around potential groundwater and cultural impacts.
Ten years of debate
After a decade-long controversial debate the project was given conditional approval by the NSW Independent Planning Commission in September including a four-phase rollout.
Santos said it had all the assurances it needs to develop the project and will begin on the first phase in the new year.
This phase involves a 12–18 month appraisal drilling program, which will include expanding the water monitoring network.
"In accordance with the laws of NSW, the project has been through a rigorous assessment process based on the best available science, which found that the project is in the public interest and can be developed safely and sustainably," a spokesperson for Santos said.
"The laws of the land should be respected by all parts of society."
Mayor welcomes 'influx of industry'
Narrabri Shire Mayor Ron Campbell welcomed the news.
"What it does for us as a community, is it safeguards us," Cr Campbell said.
"Our northern NSW inland port, it is connected to what will be the inland rail by 2025.
"We envisage quite an influx of industry to Narrabri which will set us up … for generations to come through the Inland Rail and Northern NSW Inland Port.
"Country towns are dying right across Australia, when these opportunities arrive you don't just go 'we'll say no', let's look into it and that's what we did as a community."
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMibmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIwLTExLTI0L25hcnJhYnJpLWdhcy1wcm9qZWN0LWNsZWFycy1maW5hbC1odXJkbGUtd29yay10by1iZWdpbi1pbi0yMDIxLzEyOTE2NDg40gEnaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAuYWJjLm5ldC5hdS9hcnRpY2xlLzEyOTE2NDg4?oc=5
2020-11-24 08:11:00Z
52781204220037
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Environment Minister 'satisfied' Santos can proceed with Narrabri Gas Project - ABC News"
Post a Comment