Trampling Farmer’s Rights to Protect Farmland from CSG

“The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’- 
Ronald Reagan

Several days ago here in a post, “Protecting cropping land from mining, and farmers” I mentioned some of the nasties that were included in a Draft State Planning Policy for Strategic Cropping Land. A number of normal farming activities would be removed from local control and be subject to central government decisions.

Dale Stiler from ‘Just Grounds’ has sent in a link, which makes it clear that this is a whole lot more serious than the issues raised before. Now it appears that an incredible number of activities that farmers could be expected to carry out in the pursuit of diversification, will be illegal on land that is designated “Strategic cropping land.”

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Thoughts of Freedom - Australian Libertarian Society Blog

CSG Levy to Fund Groundwater Management

COAL seam gas (CSG) companies will fund the ongoing management of state groundwater resources, with a levy to be introduced next year.

Under the plan revealed by Queensland Environment Minister Vicky Darling (pictured) at the APPEA Water Forum in Dalby on Thursday, a levy on petroleum tenure holders would fund more than $4 million required each financial year for the Queensland Water Commission (QWC) to carry out its role in investigating and monitoring groundwater resources as the CSG industry continues to expand.

"It's only fair that the industry pays for the costs of ensuring the environment is protected," Ms Darling said.

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QCL

New Rigs Reduce Impact

A new drilling rig onsite at Talinga

NEW drilling equipment being used by Australia Pacific LNG at its Talinga development is designed to reduce the impact on landowners and their property and improve safety and efficiency.

The hybrid drilling rigs, supplied by a contractor, Savannah Energy, employ a flexible coil, allowing continuous drilling without the physical reconnection of steel pipe, which is a feature of conventional rigs, resulting in a faster turnaround time, increased safety for staff and less land disturbance.

This is the first time the purpose-built rigs have been used in Australia and have been deployed at Talinga, west of Chinchilla, following a two-year study by Australia Pacific LNG into global drilling 'best practice'.

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QCL

Fracking Expected at 10 to 40 Per Cent of Wells

THE controversial process of hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" in coal-seam gas extraction could occur at up to eight times the rates suggested by the Queensland government.

   

The Queensland Department of Energy has played down the extent of fracking by repeatedly stating that the process had occurred at "just 5 per cent" of coal-seam gas wells operating in the state.

Trevor Brown, vice-president of exploration at gas giant Santos, widely accepted to be at the forefront of the local CSG industry, said fracking was expected to occur at between 10 and 40 per cent of CSG wells.

Rob Millhouse, general manager of government affairs for CSG major QGC, said the group expected to frack about a third of its CSG wells. "We expect to frack about one-third of our wells, but between 10 per cent and 40 per cent would be right as a general rule," he said.

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The Australian

Blacktown Rally Says No to Coal Seam Gas

Photo: Peter Boyle.

More than 60 people assembled outside Blacktown Council on September 24 to protest plans to mine for coal-seam gas in Blacktown. Mining has already begun in the Blacktown area at Eastern Creek and threatens the integrity of the Prospect Reservoir, organisers said.

Den Hammond from the Blacktown Greens told the rally that Dart Energy was already mining coal-seam gas in Blacktown while AGL was seeking approval to mine also.

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Green Left

Rally: Byron Bay

Protect our Water - Stop CSG

Dear Passionate citizen of the Earth,

The time has come to put feet in the street with the CSG debate on the tip of Australia’s tongue.

On the 16th October, groups from around the country are gathering to protest Coal Seam Gas and the impact on our water and land. In conjunction with National Water Week, our aim is to show Australia’s concern, inform you of the facts and what you can do.
The details of the march and protest event to be hosted in Byron Bay are attached and Bsane is looking forward to seeing everyone for some fun, food, music, inspirational speakers and of course, participating in the surprise media stunt which will be circulated globally.

This is a family friendly event.

Please forward to everyone you know and you are welcome to print out the attached flyer and distribute.

With sincere thanks,

Click Here To Find Out More Information About Rally 

New Mining Projects Threaten Queensland’s Food Bowl

It’s Carnival of Flowers time but, with worries over land security as the result of planned new mining projects, it’s not all rosy on the Darling Downs. Miriam Bauman reports.

Toowoomba’s 62^nd Carnival of Flowers was officially opened by Premier Anna Bligh last Saturday before the Floral Parade made its way through the centre of the city. (The Carnival ends today.)

Among the stilt walkers, bands, entertainers, and community groups was the Friends of Felton, www.fof.org.au , a community group opposing Ambre Energy’s proposal to produce fuel from coal on a 2000 hectare site at Felton. According to Friends of Felton (FoF) there wasn’t any local consultation by Ambre Energy prior to the release of the Initial Advice Statement in December 2008 that declared its intentions. It is apparent that Ambre made its decision to attempt a large open cut mine at Felton without any reference to the social and cultural history of the district, its demographics or the preferences and sensibilities of residents. These people are concerned about the impacts on both the community and the environment.

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Independent Australia

Question Without Notice Coal Seam Gas

Larissa Waters reporting on answers to her questions

Farmers Want Their Land Back from Obalapuram Mining Firm

Bellary (India): About 1,000 farmers from Andhra Pradesh today staged a protest in front of the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC), owned by the Reddy brothers, demanding that their land acquired for the company be returned to them.

The protesters, led by Hyderabad CPI MLA K Ramakrishna, razed three security sheds erected by OMC at its office in Obulapuram, 20 km from here, and also pulled down the sign boards of the company alleging it had also encroached their lands, police said adding they dispersed later.

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Firstpost.com

Supplementary Submission To Senate Standing Committee on Inquiry into the Management of the Murray–Darling Basin

August 2011

DAFF Supplementary Submission to Senate Inquiry:

–  Inquiry into management of the Murray Darling Basin

-  Impact of mining coal seam gas
Introduction

The demand for liquefied natural gas for export and energy production in Australia

has seen significant exploration and development of coal seam gas in Queensland and

New South Wales. Coal seam gas projects have the potential to generate positive

economic benefits for the Australian and state economies via large export markets and

foreign investment in the industry.

Export earnings from Australia’s mineral resources sector are projected to increase significantly over the short to medium term (ABARES, 2011).

The mineral resources boom in Australia has important implications for the

agricultural sector. Community concern regarding the potential alienation and loss of

agricultural land for mining purposes is an issue that has recently risen in prominence.

Concerns that mining activities, such as coal seam gas extraction, will negatively

affect groundwater levels, groundwater pressures and water quality are also gaining

momentum.

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Off Limits

Queensland's Labor Government is set to throw a protective cordon around prime farmland at the expense of gas and mining developments. Not surprisingly the resources sector says Anna Bligh's gone too far. Yet farmers in one of the state's best cropping areas are angry too that an exemption has already been given to a proposed coal mining project.

As Peter McCutcheon found during a visit to Queensland's Central Highlands, defining what constitutes prime farmland is proving just as difficult.

Read and Watch Video

ABC News

Kingaroy farmer Damien O'Sullivan's Property with a Neighbouring Abandoned Gas Project has Bore Water Contaminated for Second Time

NEW TESTS: Kingaroy farmer Damien O'Sullivan - pictured outside the Cougar Energy UCG plant - has had his bore water contaminated again. Picture: Liam Kidston. Source: The Courier-Mail

A KINGAROY farmer neighbouring an abandoned gas project has had his water contaminated for a second time.

   

Damien O'Sullivan was told by the Department of Environment and Resource Management this week that a bore on his property showed traces of the naturally occurring formaldehyde and the toxic thiocyanate which has been linked to underground coal gasification in the US.

The Government said that, while it is possible that the thiocyanate is a by-product of UCG activities, it is not used in the UCG process

Mr O'Sullivan was embroiled in the chemical scare at Kingaroy in last year when the bores and his cattle were found to have traces of the potentially cancer-causing BTEX chemicals. His bores have been monitored ever since.

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Courier Mail

Punching Back at Big Oil

When you challenge Big Oil in Houston, you can bet the industry is going to punch back. So when I wrote in the Houston Chronicle earlier this month that we should say no to the Keystone XL pipeline, I wasn't surprised when the project's chief executive weighed in with a different view.

The corporate rejoinder, written by Alex Pourbaix, president for energy and oil pipelines for the TransCanada Corp., purported to cite "errors" in my oped. Let's set the record straight, point by point.

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Robert Redford (Actor, Director, Environimental Activist) for the Huffington Post

Developers Given Cheap Offset Option

Mining companies and developers have been given the option to offset environmental damage at the cheapest cost to them under a new Queensland government policy.

Minister for Environment Vicky Darling said, however, it's there to complement existing leglisation that requires developers to avoid and minimise impact on the environment.

She said where the development is necessary and impacts cannot be avoided, the developer has the option to offset.

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NINEMSNEWS

Margaret River Faces Threats from Mining and Breweries

Margaret River wine producers are fighting a continuous battle to protect their region, as further mining proposals and new brewery developments encroach on vineland.

The Margaret River agricultural community is gearing up to protest against Canada-based Western Coal's exploration plans at a court hearing scheduled for 29 September.

Western Coal was granted an exploration licence in April to asses the viability of mining in the region, a decision which will be protested by Save Our Southwest, a coalition of dairy farmers, beef farmers, goat farmers, avocado growers, wine makers, grape growers, and 'everyone who lives in the Capes who depend on groundwater for our future', the organisation said.

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www.decanter.com

Environmental Scientists Look to Youth for Inspiration

                                        Coal Seam Gas ... The future or a threat? Photo: Glen HuntSixty young high-flying Australian scientists are being asked to find new ways to help policy makers save some of the nation's most vulnerable ecosystems.

The group will tackle some of the most divisive and politically charged environmental issues in the country, including coal seam gas drilling in Queensland and water allocation in the Murray-Darling Basin.

Flanked by senior researchers, the university and government scientists – from ecologists and economists to social scientists and mathematicians - will gather for a two-day think-tank in Brisbane next week.

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brisbanetimes.com.au

Brisbane Times

Labor in the Land of Katter

ANNA Bligh surprised many in the state political scene this week when she suddenly pulled up stumps "to run the Queensland government" for three days from Mount Isa.   

With the polls bad for Labor, hoping against hope to snare a sixth successive win against an ascendant, Campbell Newman-led Liberal National Party, Bligh seems willing to do any stunt -- like last month's cabinet meeting on Thursday Island -- to sandbag even a single seat. Labor spun this week's move to the mining mecca as just another example of a Premier determined to stay in touch with the regions.

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The Australian

Katter's pro-Farmers Stance may Split Vote in Queensland Election

FARMERS would get the power to shut the gate on gas and mining companies under a central campaign plank of Bob Katter's Australian Party at next year's Queensland election, which the Liberal National Party and Labor warned yesterday could end with a hung parliament.   

Just a day after Mr Katter's fledgling party was formally registered in Queensland, both major parties stepped up the rhetoric against it amid polling this month showing it could draw as much as 22 per cent of the vote.

LNP parliamentary leader Jeff Seeney said the new political entity could split the conservative vote, with the balance of power held by newly-elected candidates from the federal independent MP's party.

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The Australian

Secret Mine Deal 'Nonsense'

THE STATE Government has rejected as "nonsense" claims Treasurer, Andrew Fraser, negotiated a "secret mine deal" which would enable coal company Bandanna Energy to construct two mines in Central Queensland without being subjected to strategic cropping legislation.

A letter written by Mr Fraser said the government would consider an "altered transitional framework", because while the terms of reference for the company's Environmental Impact Study (EIS) at their Springsure Creek and Arcturus projects were not executed by DERM until June 2, they had been "practically completed and prepared" for consideration by May 31, when the strategic cropping framework was announced.

Some Central Queensland newspapers reported the contents of the letter amounted to a "secret deal".

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QCL

Ukrainian Billionaire Sees Limited Future in Australia

GENNADIY Bogolyubov, the globe-trotting Ukrainian billionaire who controls Australia's biggest manganese mine, recalls an austere childhood in the former Soviet Union when electricity and new clothing were considered luxuries.

Those Communist-era hardships were a distant memory when the oligarch shelled out millions this week to charter a 250-seat Boeing 767 to fly to Australia to assess new investment opportunities.

He and his right-hand man, Oleg Sheiko, had plenty of leg and elbow room on the flight from London: they were the only passengers on the Ukraine International Airlines plane.

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The Australian

Farmers Demand Land Sale Restrictions

FARMERS want tougher restrictions on foreigners buying Australian land, demanding any sale over $2 million to pass a national interest test.

Foreigners now have open slather on farmland, providing the price is below $231 million.

Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show they now own more than 12 per cent of land used for agriculture in SA compared to the lowest interstate rate of 0.8 per cent in Victoria.

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Weekly Times Now

Every Family Needs Food Security

By Kathy McLeish

There's nothing like taking a good step back to gain a better view of anything and this trip has been no exception.

While visiting an Ontario farm show, I came across a booth promoting farmers. The brightly coloured stand was decked with posters, stickers and t-shirts declaring 'Farmers feed cities.' It mirrors a Queensland campaign to raise awareness with city folk that their food is produced by farmers and doesn't simply materialise on a supermarket shelf. The Australian catch-cry is 'Every family needs a farmer.'

Along with almost 300 journalists from more than 30 countries, I've come to Canada to attend the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Congress and over four days of discussions, presentations and field trips it's been eye-opening to see Australia's rural issues in a global context.

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Overflow Blog - ABC Landline

New Landholder Fighter

Denice Campbell is heading up the latest group to resist the resources boom

THE grassroots movement of landholders across Queensland fighting multinational resource companies has a new player on the block.

Fourth generation wool producer from the Barcaldine district, Denice Campbell, is part of the Galilee Basin Alliance, the latest people's group to unite against the burgeoning coal and coal seam gas industries.

Although the Galilee Basin has yet to produce a crumb of sellable coal, plans for the region show a future very different from the peaceful, secluded lifestyle enjoyed by families for generations.

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Central Qld News

Farmers Back Windsor Bill on CSG

The NSW Farmers Association has thrown its support behind a proposal to allow the Federal Government to step in when the actions of a mining or coal seam gas company threatens vital water resources.

Federal Independent Tony Windsor has introduced the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Mining, Petroleum and Water Resources) Bill to Parliament.

In a press release issued this morning NSW Farmers President Fiona Simson says having had time to consider the Bill in detail, it reflects the growing community concern about the impact of mining and coal seam gas on water reserves.

“Water is the lifeblood of regional NSW. It underpins the production of food and fibre, our businesses and communities,” she said.

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Beef Central

WestSide Corporation Limited Launches Galilee Basin Grassroots Exploration Program

Sydney, Sep 23, 2011 (ABN Newswire) - WestSide Corporation Limited is pleased to advise that the Company's Galilee Basin exploration program has commenced with the spudding of the Glenlyon 1 exploration well within ATP 974P in north western Queensland.

Glenlyon 1, sited about 70km south of Richmond, spudded at 15:30 hours on 22 September 2011 and is now drilling ahead.

The target horizons in Glenlyon 1, which are expected to occur from about 1,000 metres below surface, will be cored for testing to determine the gas content and composition of the coal seams intersected.

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ABN Newswire