APEX Energy’s controversial plans to drill for coal seam gas in Sydney’s drinking water catchment are in doubt, following the expiry of one of the company’s two licences to explore the area.
Apex was granted approval to drill 15 exploratory boreholes on Woronora plateau, nine of which are covered by the expired licence, by the previous government in 2009. The state government approved a 16th borehole late last year.
Eight of the boreholes underpinned by the expired lease are located within the metropolitan special area, off limits to the public because it is part of a catchment used to supply drinking water to Sydney.
The approval of the first 15 boreholes, issued by the Department of Planning and Infrastructure, was based on the assumption that the two petroleum exploration licences granted to Apex by the Department of Resources and Energy, numbers 442 and 444, would continue to be held by the company.
This is no longer the case.
Apex has lodged a new PEL application, number 138, to try to reclaim its capacity to explore the area, but this approval is certainly not a given because a competing application for the same land has been lodged by the NSW Aboriginal Land Council. The land council’s application does not allow drilling.
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St George & Sutherland Shire Leader
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