Farmers' compo call to cover talks with miners

FARMERS' compensation agreements with miners could include payments for loss of social amenity and the time landholders spent negotiating.

A Land Access Review Panel report to the Queensland government has recommended that compensation arrangements should be included on publicly searchable land titles -- an Australian first -- to ensure buyers are aware the property has been subject to resource exploration or development.

Queensland Natural Resources Minister Andrew Cripps said many stakeholders had little confidence in existing processes to protect their interests.

"There is much work to be done across the resources sector to achieve its social licence to operate," he told parliament.

"The resources sector will play a critical role in Queensland's much-needed economic recovery but its strong growth must be balanced with the need to protect the interests of landholders, local communities and the environment."

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The Australian

Farmer fears coal threatens bore

ALPHA farmer Peter Anderson is concerned his almost 100-year-old bore will dry up after a report on the Alpha Coal project stated the mine could permanently alter ground water levels in the region.

The Coordinator-General's report on the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Central Queensland's Alpha Coal project states the mine has the potential to alter ground water heights, impacting on water bores.

"The current mining application has the potential to temporarily or permanently alter the groundwater table, which provides some water security during drought," it stated.

The report has Mr Anderson worried.

He said the region relied so heavily on bore water that any impact on the quality or availability of underground water stores would be disastrous.

"It'll have a horrendous impact if those bores were to go dry or the quality of the water was affected," he said.

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The Morning Bulletin

Qld boom threatened by farmers, miners standoff

A new report warns a standoff between farmers and miners over land use poses a major threat to Queensland’s resources boom.

The Brisbane daily newspaper The Courier-Mail quotes a Land Access Review Panel report that warns red tape is making it difficult to impossible for resource explorers to do business.

It also warns farmers, battling to protect prime agricultural land, are under siege from a wave of mining exploration.

The report says the impasse between the mining and farming sectors could bring mining exploration in the northern state to a halt. It identifies three key battlegrounds: parts of northwest Queensland around Mount Isa, the Surat Basin and central Queensland.

The report makes 12 recommendations to help resolve the impasse, including setting up an independent disputes panel.

It also says the government should review the scope of compensation for affected land holders, to possibly include impacts on farm business, time spent negotiating with mining companies, social amenity and the potential for loss of property value.

The conservative Liberal National state government’s Natural Resources and Mines Minister Andrew Cripps denied the report, commissioned by the previous Labor government and completed in February, had been buried.

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Eco News

Editor's Note:  I think we would ALL like to see this report.

Peaceful Protest : Casino

Come and lend your support to today’s peaceful direct action near Casino

This morning Lismore resident Davey Bob Ramsay, attached himself to a bull-dozer being used by Metgasco to build a new coal seam gas wastewater holding pond near Casino. This peaceful direct action was undertaken to highlight the threats posed by CSG wastewater to land and water on the Casino floodplain. Residents from across the region are invited to come and support him and the other protestors gathered at the site.

Where: Adjacent to the pond construction site on Pollocks Rd (see map below).

Take the Bruxner Hwy out of Casino heading towards Tenterfield. After 6kms turn left into Benns Rd, then after about 700m take the first left into Pollocks Rd.

When: Today 20th June 2012

Why: We’re protesting because the NSW Government promised to ban evaporation ponds 12 months ago but today Metgasco are building an open wastewater pond on the edge of our floodplain. We don’t take this action lightly but we can’t stand by while our Governments fail us and we see our floodplains, wetlands and farmlands threatened.  Casino is the beef capital of Australia and we don’t want that put at risk by coal seam gas. We are calling on the O’Farrell government to put a proper ban on open CSG wastewater ponds and to prevent any further construction of this pond

How: Please dress appropriately and be self sufficient in food and drink, and remember that this is a peaceful protest and any verbal abuse, aggression or other anti social behaviour is not appropriate.

Volunteers needed for CSG forum

THE Ballina Climate Action Network is organising a coal seam gas (CSG) forum to be held in Ballina next month.

The group currently is seeking volunteers to help with planning.

Tony Gleeson, from the Ballina Climate Action Network, said: "Most communities in the Northern Rivers have come out publicly and condemned coal seam gas as an energy option."

To get involved, phone John Heaton on 6628 7163, Neil Denison on 6683 4524 or Mr Gleeson on 0447 619 736.

Ballina Shire Advocate

Coal seam protester chained to bulldozer

Opponents of the coal-seam gas industry say about 50 protesters have gathered at a Metgasco work site near Casino where a man has chained himself to a bulldozer.

Boudicca Cerese, from the Northern Rivers branch of the Lock the Gate Alliance, says the protest is against moves to build a waste-water holding pond on the site.

"(There are) issues with overflow, issues with liner failure, issues with seepage into alluvial aquifers," she said.

"All the issues that have been identified in the government's own draft aquifer-interference policy, in which they say that evaporation ponds are not useful for the storage of waste water."

Metgasco has previously reassured the community about the nature of the waste water produced by its exploration activities.

The company says it is basically salty water that could feasibly be treated and used in agriculture.

ABC News

Coal seam gas explorer shifts focus from Gong

Coal seam gas explorer Ormil Energy has shifted its attention from the Illawarra to Botswana, launching a takeover bid for a company with gas assets there.

Its target, Energy Botswana (EBL), is an unlisted Australian company that holds potentially lucrative coal seam gas licences in the African country.

 

The surprise move came after Ormil's controversial plans to drill 16 exploratory boreholes in the northern Illawarra ground to a halt.

 

The expiry of a key exploration licence earlier this year left the project in limbo.

 

MORE: Company's CSG plans bungled

Ormil blamed its joint venture partner Apex Energy for the "administrative oversight".

The company hopes its takeover bid will allow exploration in Botswana to begin quickly.

"Ormil is still confident in the potential of its New South Wales assets, but progress has been slowed by political conditions beyond our control," managing director Tom Fontaine said.

"With this merger, Ormil can use the strong existing EBL team combined with our CSG exploration experience to build value in EBL's Botswana assets while issues in NSW are resolved."

But Stop CSG Illawarra said it hoped the merger marked the end of Ormil's exploration activities here.

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Illawarra Mercury

Exoma Energy secures second rig, accelerates Galilee Basin drilling program

Exoma Energy (ASX: EXE) has mobilised a second rig to accelerate its drilling program in the Galilee Basin, Queensland, that targets coal seam gas, shale oil and gas as well as conventional oil targets.

The company had previously flagged that it was in negotiations for a second rig to drill some of the 18 to 22 wells it is planning to drill this year in conjunction with Chinese state oil company CNOOC.

The wells are designed to deliver a strategic understanding of the basic geology within the 5 permits under the CNOOC farm-in and are aimed at defining the most favourable areas in which to develop reserves.

Up to 13 wells will measure and map the distribution of CSG within the Permian Betts Creek and Aramac Coal measures.

These will also provide the technical basis to convert the estimated 31 trillion cubic feet of potential gas resources in 7 independent prospect areas into reserves during 2013 as well as identify production sweet spots for long term testing.

The CSG wells will also intersect the Toolebuc Shale and provide additional data on the shale oil & gas resource.

The next CSG core well, Culloden-1, is expected to spud early in the week of 25 June 2012.

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Proactive Investors

Metgasco in trouble for further breaches in CSG wastewater management

19 June 2012

Lock the Gate Alliance is concerned by new revelations about Metgasco’s failure to comply with government regulations in their coal seam gas wastewater management operations.

A government website reveals that in late May the company was issued two Penalty Infringement Notices by the Department of Trade and Investment, Resources and Energy (DTIRIS), for ‘Breach of Title Condition (Reporting) as they ‘did not comply with direction to report water quality and management details.’

The breaches are detailed on the Register for Reporting Enforcement Action in 2012 for non-compliance with the Mining Act 1992 or the Petroleum (Onshore) Act 1991 available at: http://www.resources.nsw.gov.au/environment/compliance-and-enforcement/dres-register

“These latest compliance breaches are yet another example of Metgasco’s disinterest in complying with the regulations governing the coal seam gas industry in this state,” said Boudicca Cerese, spokesperson for Lock the Gate Alliance Northern Rivers.

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Coal Seam Gas News

Boom 'at risk' as miners, farmers wage war

A new report warns the standoff between farmers and miners poses a major threat to Queensland's resources boom.

The Land Access Review Panel report warns red tape is making it difficult to impossible for resource explorers to do business, The Courier-Mail reports.

But it also warns farmers, battling to protect prime agricultural land, are under siege from a wave of mining exploration.

The report warns the impasse between the mining and farming sectors could bring mining exploration to a halt.

It identifies three key battlegrounds: parts of northwest Queensland around Mount Isa, the Surat Basin and central Queensland.

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9 News

Farmers respond to Arrow plan with push for 20-year CSG ban

QUEENSLAND farmers are calling for a minimum 20-year ban on coal seam gas projects on prime farm land, after concerns were raised of water and land contamination from a planned project that has provided few detail of its impacts.

The Queensland Farmers Federation response to Arrow Energy's plans for a fourth CSG to LNG project said the project has provided little assurance that the jealously-guarded Condamine Alluvium can be protected.

The alluvium is the groundwater source for much of the Western Down's irrigation and townwater supply and is within Arrow production area, as is the tourism and farming centre of the Scenic Rim.

The claims came as the State Government appointed members to its Gasfield Commission which has yet to have a defined role but is expected to be a gateway between the landowners and the Government and help restore confidence in the industry.

Included is farmer and vocal leader of the Basin Sustainability Alliance, Ian Hayllor, who once backed a moratorium on CSG but now believes the Arrow project can go ahead with strict monitoring and at a slower pace to make sure the science was right.

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Courier Mail

Gas power ‘hazards’ for Dalton, Gunning

THE communities of Dalton and Gunning fear health problems, such as an increase in cancer, heart and lung disease will rise if AGL’s 1500MW, $1.5billion open cycle gas-fired power station is approved by the NSW State Government.

If given the green light, the station – largest of it kind – will be built only 3km from the village of Dalton. According to the Upper Lachlan Environment Association (ULEA), AGL has publicly made false claims on ABC 7.30 Report stating: “There is no CO2, there is no particulate matter coming from this facility.”

 

In fact sheets distributed to the communities of Gunning and Dalton AGL claims: “Due to the relatively clean nature of gas-fired peaking power plants, there are not predicted to be any adverse health impacts arising from the Project.”

 

However, its environment assessment of the particulate matter produced from the proposed power station, AGL states: “PM10 is acknowledged as a pollutant of concern due to its ability to be inhaled into the lungs. Given sufficient time, however, PM10 will also settle out of suspension in the atmosphere.”

 

The current National Pollutant Inventory regarding PM10 states: “there is no threshold at which effects do not occur. The health effects include increased respiratory symptoms, aggravation of asthma and premature death.

 

The risks are highest for sensitive groups such as elderly and children.”

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Goulburn Post

PUBLIC MEETING - AGL Dalton Power Project NSW Planning Assessment Commission : Thursday 28 June

Due to overwhelming public concern in the AGL Dalton Power Project, the Commission will be meeting to hear public views on the Department’s assessment reports and recommendations, prior to determining the projects.

ALL MEMBERS OF PUBLIC INVITED TO ATTEND.
When:  Thursday 28th June, 2012
Where: Gunning Shire Hall, Copeland Street.
Time:    9.30am

Don't rush CSG production: Windsor

Australia should avoid rushing into extracting coal seam gas until science proves it's a risk-free source of energy, federal independent MP Tony Windsor says.

 

Mr Windsor, who sits on a House of Representatives panel on CSG and coal mining, said mining giant Santos's takeover of an Eastern Star Gas exploration project, at the Pilliga state forests, in northern NSW, had showed there were still unanswered questions about safety of CSG extraction.

 

Santos found more than 20 cases of pollution, including leaks and spills, which had occurred under Eastern Star management.

 

It reported them to the NSW government earlier this year.

 

"There were something like 21 issues ... failures of the system in the exploration phase, this is not the production phase," Mr Windsor told an ABC Radio National forum.

"People are quite rightly asking questions."

 

Mr Windsor, who represents the rural northern NSW seat of New England, said that if CSG mining were to occur in future, initial production should be kept away from prime farmland.

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Business Spectator

Editor's Note:  Funny how this article has appeared just after Mr Windsor has announced he will be contesting his seat at the next election.  The people's memories are long Mr Windsor...

Coal seam gas public meeting at Fern Bay : NSW

PLACARD: Fullerton Cove resident Julie Wood with family and friends in August last year protesting against Dart Energy's plans for the area

FERN Bay residents opposed to coal seam gas exploration in their area say it’s a stepping stone to gas development across the Hunter coast.

 

Residents’ spokeswoman Sue Walker said a meeting at Fern Bay Hall at 7pm tomorrow would discuss the activities of Dart Energy.

 

She said most people in her area opposed Dart’s test drilling, which they worried was a threat to the Tomago sandbeds.

 

A Dart spokesman said Hunter Water had reviewed its pilot project and confirmed ‘‘no risk’’ to Newcastle drinking water.

 

‘‘We have been transparent about what we are doing and we have been engaging with the community,’’ the spokesman said.

 

Newcastle Herald

Dart’s plans for coal seam gas in Fullerton Cove

A public meeting about Dart’s coal seam gas plans for Fullerton Cove will be held this week on Wednesday  20th June, from 7pm at Fern Bay Hall (map here). You can RSVP and read more details on Facebook. The location of the public meeting, and the site where Dart plans to drill for coal seam gas is about 20 minutes drive out of Newcastle CBD.

A drive through Fullerton Cove shows you that Dart Energy do not have a social licence to operate coal seam gas in the area, yet drilling looks set to commence within weeks.

Almost every home along the main road has a “Lock the Gate” triangle nailed to its front fence, declaring the property off-limits to coal seam gas.

The drilling is planned to take place within the Port Stephens local government area and in December the council contacted the state government expressing concern with the plans. The council resolved to urge that “no further exploration be permitted until such time as the impact of coal gas exploration is known.”

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http://www.kateausburn.com/

Metgasco's wastewater fine

CSG protesters (above) marching in the 2012 Casino Beef Week parade and (top right and above left) outside Metgasco’s office in Johnston Street, Casino, including Jasmine Whyte (above right) of Goonengerry. Metgasco (top left) CEO Peter Henderson, left, and external relations manager Richard Shields at the company’s Dobies Bight site, and Metgasco supervisors (above right, centre) monitoring the dismantling of a rig

METGASCO has been fined $5000 by the State Government for failing to provide information about its plans to dispose of wastewater produced by the coal seam gas extraction process.

The fines were revealed on a government web site which listed cases of "non-compliance" with the Mining Act and Petroleum (Onshore) Act.

The breaches related to petroleum exploration license (PEL) 16, which covered an area including Casino and north of the town, and license 426 which covered an area including Grafton.

A spokeswoman for resources and energy minister Chris Hartcher confirmed the government "issued a direction requiring Metgasco to submit a Water Management Plan, including details of all water holding ponds and water movements" on April 27.

"Two penalty infringement notices totalling $5000 were issued ... for failing to comply with all requirements of the direction," the spokeswoman said.

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Northern Star

CSG activist's gun threat

Adrian Nygaard, who also goes by the name Seal Basher post on Facebook

HE'S not terribly worried about a locked gate - Adrian Nygaard has a gun.

At least that's what you might think if you'd been following some of his Facebook activity of late.

Mr Nygaard, who also goes by the name Seal Basher, has taken to the social network in support of the coal seam gas industry and has branded those opposed to the industry as brain dead oxygen thieves.

Alongside a photo of himself with a pistol aimed to the side of camera, Mr Nygaard wrote on Sunday: "You picked the wrong people to go to war with!!! LMFAO (laugh my f'ing a*** off)".

A veteran oil and gas driller who has worked around the world, Mr Nygaard, 41, goes on to name anti-CSG campaigner Kim Core as a specific aim of his post.

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Daily Examiner

CSG 'coming to Victoria, and we are not ready'

An inquiry recommends the Victorian government establish a process to consult stakeholders about the future development of coal seam gas, but Victoria’s laws simply aren’t ready for this new form of mining, Samantha Hepburn from Deakin University writes.

Coal seam gas mining is rapidly expanding beyond the eastern basin states. The Inquiry into Greenfields Mineral Exploration and Project Development in Victoria recommends the Victorian Government establish a process to consult stakeholders about the future development of coal seam gas. But Victoria’s laws simply aren’t ready for this new form of mining.

Mining is a relatively small component of the Victorian economy. In 2009-2010 this sector contributed $5.9 billion (2%) of Victoria’s gross state product. The primary focus of the Victorian economy is agriculture, which covers approximately 60% of Victoria. Coal seam gas expansion is likely to have a significant impact on this sector in Victoria. Striking a balance between farming and coal seam gas mining will, however, be difficult. The intersection between mining and agriculture, and in particular the impact that coal seam gas mining will have upon food security, is a major concern.

The Minerals Council of Australia has previously noted that “mining and agriculture” have co-existed for 150 years and that “mining operations' water consumption by volume could be largely offset by minor efficiency gains in the agricultural sector”. The Victorian division of the Minerals Council has largely rejected the impact of mining on food security, saying it’s “not a real concern for Australia”.

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The Conversation

Samantha Hepburn, Deakin University

Maps: Australia's planned marine reserves

Australia is set to create the world's largest network of marine parks.

The network is made up of five main zones in offshore waters surrounding every state and territory.

Click Here to Go to Maps

ABC News

Editor's Note:  I can't seem to find Gladstone on this map???

North coast catchment planning underway

The region's Catchment Management Authority (CAP) is seeking public feedback about environmental issues.

A series of meetings will be held this week from Port Macquarie to Tweed Heads to get input to a new Northern Rivers Action Plan.

Strategic planning co-ordinator Graeme Moss says the plan will cover everything from cane toads to coal seam gas.

He said it is vital to have a comprehensive action plan.

"I think one of the interesting things about the region is that it's very diverse and so it's a very complex area," he said.

"We'll be dealing with the usuals of invasive species, erosion issues, habitat degradation.

"But we'll also provide an avenue for starting discussion on really hot issues at the moment like coal seam gas."

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ABC Mid North Coast

Stanmore Coal's $500m Wandoan coalmine promises 500 jobs

THE southwest Queensland town of Wandoan is likely to be surrounded by massive coalmines after a fourth project released details of its $500 million scheme that will generate up to 500 jobs.

The Range Project by Stanmore Coal is expected to be a huge money-spinner for the state economy.

Its environmental impact statement, released late last week, said the open-cut thermal coal mine would add about $400 million to gross state product during construction and $15.6 billion during its 26-year life.

"The estimated total of taxation payments to all levels of government is $4 billion over the project life," the EIS said.

The plan is for workers to stay in fly-in, fly-out villages near Wandoan and the EIS said local business would benefit from new contracts while local workers would also have new opportunities.

It admitted there was a chance the skills shortage could be further increased by the development and there was a potential "draw-down" effect on some business and industries as labour was attracted to working in the resources sector.

There would also be disruption and the potential ending of some agricultural activities in the mine lease area, however, there was commitment to do progressive rehabilitation.

Four major mines are now planned for the tiny community and environmentalists claim about 100,000ha of quality farmland will be destroyed by the expansion.

Western Downs Mayor Ray Brown said planning was well advanced for the projects but he was worried an entire demographic would be wiped out because ordinary workers could not afford to live in towns such as Dalby and Chinchilla and affordable housing was at a critical stage already.

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Courier Mail

The Risk Of Cashing In On The Reef

It got nasty quickly when Greenpeace took out an ad in the Financial Times explaining the riskiness of mining projects on the Great Barrier Reef. Julie Macken on why investors need to know.

Last Friday financial analysts across India opened their copy of the Financial Times and saw a full-page advertisement asking if they were going to "sink your profits on the Great Barrier Reef". The ad was an investor alert suggesting the GVK/Gina Rinehart Alpha mine proposed for the Galilee Basin in Queensland may be a riskier investment option than they imagined.

It detailed the kind of risks that currently confronted the project, beginning with the fact that the project had become embroiled in a major public controversy. The ad explained to Indian investors how the clock had now been stopped on the environmental approval process for the project due to conflict between state and federal governments and that the project was seriously exposed to carbon and water related risks (both supply risks and impacts of the mine and rail line).

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New Matilda

Fracking wars hit the silver screen with supporters’ film ‘Truthland’

The heated war over fracking is returning to the silver screen.

Natural-gas industry groups Wednesday released their documentary film “Truthland,” billed as a factual response to the popular but controversial “Gasland,” an Oscar-nominated film beloved by environmental activists for its highly critical portrayal of fracking and its effect on small communities.

But “Gasland” also touched off an intense backlash from natural gas proponents, who argue that many of the movie’s claims and depictions - including the now-famous scene of a resident in the fracking epicenter of Pennsylvania lighting his tap water on fire because of high levels of methane - are misleading at best, and completely bogus at worst.

“This isn’t the first time something has been released that sets the record straight on the mountain of misinformation in ‘Gasland,’ ” said Jeff Eshelman, vice president of public affairs at the Independent Petroleum Association of America, one of the industry groups that bankrolled and produced “Truthland.”

“But it is the first time that these facts have been transmitted in such vivid detail, through such a compelling medium,” he said.

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The Washington Times

Deepak Chopra and Mark Ruffalo: Stop Fracking: Protect Water, Our Most Vital Resource

Actor and environmental activist Mark Ruffalo explains how the controversial practice of hydro-fracking threatens our health and that of our planet. The conversation with Deepak investigates how government policy has exempted fracking from the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, permitting the natural gas industry to inject hazardous chemicals and millions of gallons of water deep into the earth. Mark hopes to inspire millions to join the movement to protect our water and shift to a renewable energy economy.