Defend our Water from Coal Seam Gas

Armidale Action on Coal Seam Gas Joins National Day of Action on October 16

A large crowd demonstrated their support for the group raising awareness of the detrimental impacts of coal and coal seam gas mining on water supplies, local environments, and productive farms. This was particularly appropriate on World Food Day, Sunday October 16.

Sixty-one signatures supporting a moratorium on coal seam gas were collected, as well as over $130 in donations. Twenty-one people joined the e-mailing list to follow and support AACSG activities.

AACSG provided a platform for concerned residents of Armidale as part of the Lock the Gate Alliance’s national day of action, encouraging communities across Australia to protect our farmland, bushland and, above all, our water, from the threat posed by the coal seam gas industry.

An array of photos of bushland wildflowers and of coal seam gas operations in the Pilliga Forest just west of Armidale brought home the potential loss if this voracious industry is allowed to go ahead in the largest tract of temperate bushland left in Eastern Australia.

Eastern Star Gas (soon to be taken over by Santos) proposes a total of 1100 gas wells on a 500m grid, linked by access tracks and pipelines in 85,000 ha of native forest identified as one of 15 national biodiversity hotspots, home to many threatened species and a significant koala population. This will completely fragment and change the Pilliga forever. The Pilliga Forest is located on the southern rim of the Great Artesian Basin and any water pollution in the Pilliga Forest will affect the Basin.

Question such as What is Coal Seam Gas? What is Fracking? What’s the problem with Coal Seam Gas? are addressed in a flyer available from AACSG. The group will meet again at 5:30pm on Monday, October 24, venue to be confirmed. Enquiries welcome, contact Bea Bleile on bbleile@bigpond.net.au or {mobile prefix o-four}58 752 680 for more information and/or to join the group.