Tuesday, March 6

Tighter controls for mining and coal seam gas drilling

Mining and coal seam gas drilling across farmland, wineries and horse studs will face tighter controls, under a series of new plans unveiled by the state government today.
 
Developments must now pass through a "gateway" process, under which an independent scientific panel will assess the impact of a project, before a company can lodge its development application.
 
The plan includes detailed maps of productive agricultural land in the Hunter Valley and the New England tablelands. Mining proposals in these areas will trigger examination by the scientific panel.
 
The plan also includes an "aquifer interference policy", which will govern water extraction from farming areas, and require independent scientific scrutiny.
 
The composition of the scientific panel is yet to be announced.
 
The policy covers areas within two kilometres of prime farmland.


Myall Coast Nota

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