Stop CSG Sydney released this statement on March 6.
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Stop CSG Sydney has welcomed the news that the NSW government has decided to cancel the coal seam gas licence covering most of metropolitan Sydney, known as Petroleum Exploration Licence 463. Now the water catchments need to be protected from CSG mining.
Stop CSG Sydney president Pip Hinman said: “Widespread community organising has helped deliver this outcome. The cancellation of this licence will give a big boost of confidence to the campaign to protect land and water, which has so far slowed the progress of CSG extraction in NSW.”
Hinman said PEL 463 was originally issued by the former Labor government, and renewed by the Coalition. It was due to expire in October.
“Clearly, the Baird NSW government is feeling the pressure. Opposition to CSG is widespread across the state. It has splintered the Liberal-National Coalition's base.
“The cancellation of PEL 463 is welcome – and not a moment too soon. But the community will not stop its work in protecting vital parts of NSW – such as the wholeof the water catchment area, the Pilliga and Gloucester – all of which remains under threat.
“We are also concerned that the NSW government is ignoring residents in Camden, in south-west Sydney, who have to live with AGL's CSG leaks, drilling under their houses and other threats from the industry.”
Stop CSG Sydney's public officer Louise Steer said: “The campaign started in 2010 when residents discovered a CSG test drill was to take place in St Peters – metres from schools, parks and homes. The community got together, organised rallies, film nights a human sign in Sydney Park and much more.
“The campaign to get the licence cancelled started in July last year when we found out Dart Energy was intending to sell the licence it had not worked to a UK company IGas Inc. The NSW government approved the sale last October.
“Stop CSG Sydney believes that this cancellation is a victory for communities across the state. It should have been done long ago, and IGas doesn't need $200,000 from the NSW state government as compensation.”
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