Farmers have accused the O’Farrell Government of selling out the long term interests of regional New South Wales by not adequately protecting aquifers from coal seam gas extraction.
NSW minister for resources and energy, Chris Hartcher, yesterday released the NSW Government’s Draft Aquifer Interference Policy, which he described as a “suite of tough controls” designed to regulate the CSG industry.
However NSW Farmers says it has been stunned by the fact the policy allows activities that could cause permanent damage to the State’s aquifers to proceed without first requiring aquifer interference approvals.
“This draft policy released today could allow invasive activities such as fracking and test pilot production of coal seam gas to continue – on strategic agricultural land without the need for an aquifer interference approval,” NSW Farmers president Fiona Simson said.
“The O’Farrell Government promised the voters of NSW that its Strategic Regional Land Use Policy would restore balance and create certainty for the community – and protect our underground water systems.
“Today the NSW Government has failed!”
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