Coal seam gas standards

GLOUCESTER Basin could be one of the first areas studied as part of efforts to set standards for coal seam gas projects.

Independent federal MP Rob Oakeshott has asked federal Environment Minister Tony Burke to make Gloucester and the Manning Valley ‘‘priorities’’ for the recently set up interim expert scientific committee on coal seam gas.

“There is significant community concern about the potential for coal seam gas wells to contaminate underground water, creeks and rivers throughout the Mid-Coast Water and Hunter-Central Rivers catchment,” Mr Oakeshott said.

“AGL’s coal seam gas wells in the Gloucester Valley were approved by the state government without any consultation with the water supply authority, Mid-Coast Water, with 50,000 downstream water users in the Manning who rely on the catchment for clean drinking water,’’ he said.

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Newcastle Herald