The State Government has opened the floodgates to coal seam gas mining in NSW according to Drew Hutton, President of Lock the Gate Alliance.
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He said the Minister for Resources, Chris Hartcher had renewed 22 coal seam gas exploration licences including many of the most controversial and hotly contested titles in NSW.
"Barry O'Farrell has let the Energy Minister off the leash and in one fell swoop he has opened the door to coal seam gas drilling across vast areas which include some of our most iconic landscapes," Mr Hutton said.
"This is a dark day for NSW and communities from all around the state have every right to feel they have been deceived by a Government that promised the world and has delivered nothing.”
The NSW Farmers’ Association is bitterly disappointed accusing the Government of caving in to the powerful mining and energy lobby on its much anticipated land and water protections.
Association president, Fiona Simson said: “What we and thousands of city and country people wanted more than anything else from this government was our land and water to be protected”.
“What did we get? We got an incomplete package with watered down water protections and a virtual green light for exploration and mining right across most of the state,” Ms Simpson said.
She said not only had the government broken an election promise - it had ignored the wishes of thousands of city and country people who marched to Parliament House on May 1. It had also ignored more than 1,500 submissions asking the government to do a very reasonable thing – protect our land and water.
The government released its final draft of its strategic regional land use policy package this week which sets out the framework for the assessment of all mining and CSG licences in the future in NSW.
Ms Simson said that after decades of lack of strategic planning in exploration and mining licences, the Coalition Government had made some important steps forward.
“But unfortunately, like many other governments, it has caved into the mining and energy lobby at the expense of our state’s natural resources,” she said.
“This issue is not just something that affects farmers. It has the potential to affect everyone in our communities. That’s why we’ll be continuing to fight hard for stronger protections for our land and water.”
The Government says the Strategic Regional Land Use Policy includes 27 new measures designed to provide greater protections for farmers and to better balance competing land uses.
Minister for Planning, Brad Hazzard said the package of initiatives provided comprehensive protection for valuable agricultural land and water resources, while allowing for the responsible development of the State’s resources.
“The previous government failed to protect our valuable agricultural land or deliver certainty for the resources industry. Since last year’s election, we have been working hard to strike the right balance to protect agricultural land, water and the environment, and believe this policy achieves that balance,” Mr Hazzard said.
The Strategic Regional Land Use Policy achieves protection and balance through:
Identification of Strategic Agricultural Land so that proposed projects must go through the new Gateway process, an independent, scientific and upfront assessment of the impacts of mining and CSG production proposals;
A new Land and Water Commissioner to restore community confidence in the processes governing exploration activities in NSW and to oversee land access agreements between landholders and miners;
·
An Aquifer Interference Policy that
uses science to assess and protect water resources across the entire State
;
The requirement for an Agricultural Impact Statement as part of the assessment of exploration proposals;
·
New Codes of Practice for the coal seam gas (CSG) industry, covering well drilling standards and hydraulic fracturing;
Standard land access agreements to ensure fair outcomes for landowners;
Additional compliance resources (40 positions) to ensure the tough new standards are met; and
CSG producers to invest in local communities through Regional Community Funds.
Mr Hazzard said that changes to the Policy had been made following an extensive period of consultation during which over 2,000 submissions were received and over 1,100 people attended public forums and information sessions.
Key changes made following the release of the draft Strategic Regional Land Use Policy and consultation with farmers, the resources industry, councils, environmental groups and local communities also include:
·
·
The “exceptional circumstances” provision that would have allowed certain mining or CSG projects to bypass the Gateway has been scrapped.
·
The amount of Strategic Agricultural Land mapped for protection in the Upper Hunter and New England North West regions has increased by 670,000 hectares to over two million hectares.
·
·
In the Upper Hunter, the Viticulture Critical Industry Cluster has increased from 53,292 ha to 107,135 ha, and the Equine Critical Industry Cluster has increased from 183,452 ha to 233,286 ha. In response to submissions, the Viticulture Critical Industry Cluster now includes grape growing areas around Denman and the criteria for the Equine Critical Industry Cluster now includes land up to 18 degrees in slope.
“Recognising that mining operations require investment certainty, the Gateway process will focus on proposals which extend beyond the boundaries of an existing mining lease or where a new lease is required,” Mr Hazzard said.
“All mining proposals, whether subject to the Gateway or not, will still go through a full merit assessment process – including community consultation – when they lodge a development application.”
Over two million hectares of Strategic Agricultural Land has already been identified across the Upper Hunter and New England North West regions, with mapping of the Central West and Southern Highlands underway and other areas of the State, including the North Coast, also to be mapped.
Minister for Resources and Energy, Chris Hartcher said: “We ha
ve spent the last 16 months introducing stringent new controls to regulate the industry and have considered feedback from the consultation process before any coal seam gas exploration licences are renewed”.
the CSG industry now subject to the strictest controls in Australia
NSW Deputy Premier, Andrew Stoner said the creation of a new Land and Water Commissioner to oversee the regulation of exploration activity right across the State, the creation of Regional Community Funds and the removal of the royalty holiday for CSG producers would restore community confidence in the processes governing CSG exploration and production activities.
“The Commissioner will provide independent advice to the community regarding exploration activities and will facilitate greater consultation between Government, the community and industry,” Mr Stoner said.
“The Strategic Regional Land Use Policy empowers landholders and communities, particularly in relation to exploration activity, and requires the mining and coal seam gas industries across NSW to meet higher standards.
“I would like to thank the farmers, miners, vignerons, horse stud owners and many other stakeholders who have contributed to the development of these policies, which sees NSW now boast the strongest regulation of coal seam gas exploration in Australia.”
Minister for Primary Industries Katrina Hodgkinson said: “The Aquifer Interference Policy is a critical step to protect our valuable groundwater systems from potential impacts of mining and coal seam gas exploration and extraction. This Policy works hand-in-glove with the Strategic Regional Land Use Policy to ensure we have the best available science and information protecting our water.”
The Strategic Regional Land Use Policy, Upper Hunter & New England North West Plans and Maps, Aquifer Interference Policy, CSG Codes of Practice, fact sheets and frequently asked questions are available online at:
www.nsw.gov.au/strategicregionallanduse
.
The list of proposed offers of renewal is available at:
http://www.resources.nsw.gov.au/titles/status-reports
.