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The New South Wales Government plans to set up a panel of scientific experts to assist in the assessment of a coal seam gas project near Narrabri, in northern New South Wales.
The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Narrabri Gas Project has gone on public display for an extended period of 60 days, in recognition of the high level of public interest in the proposal.
The Director of Resource Assessments, Mike Young, said there would be a number of opportunities for people to have their say: written submissions would be accepted until the end of April, and there would be two information sessions in Narrabri in early March.
"We want to hear people's views — farmers, landholders, locals, Aboriginal groups, industry groups, councils," Mr Young said.
"Everyone is welcome to make a submission and all will be read and considered in our assessment."
Santos wants to develop an 850-well gas field over 20 years, in the Pilliga region.
When the EIS was submitted to Government, it said the project could proceed safely with minimal and manageable risk to the environment.
The Department of Planning and Environment said as part of its assessment of the project it would get independent advice from a panel of experts.
"These experts will be an integral part of the assessment process," Mr Young said.
"Much of the information is of a scientific and technical nature and we are keen to get the best independent advice possible in assessing this project.
"In addition, we will be working with other key NSW Government agencies and seeking advice from the Commonwealth's Independent Expert Scientific Committee."
'Dispassionate assessment vital' says Lock the Gate
Lock the Gate coordinator, Georgina Woods, welcomed the consideration of health impacts from the project.
She said there was a distrust of mining companies so it was important the assessment process was thorough and transparent.
"It is going to be important for the Government to take this process very, very carefully and treat the information provided by Santos dispassionately and not be out there as an advocate for CSG," she said.
Lock the Gate said it would be focusing on a few particular areas of the EIS, as it works through the 7,000-page document.
"We will be paying close attention to several matters that we know are of deep interest to the local community," Ms Woods said.
"What are Santos planning to do with the salt waste that will be produced from their operations? What is the health impact of this project? What is the impact on the Great Artesian Basin and the drawdown of important water resources that support farming communities around the north-west region?"
Santos said the project had the potential to supply half the state's gas needs.
Supportive group says EIS will address concerns
Narrabri-based Yes2Gas said it was excited with the recent progress on the proposal.
Spokeswoman Louise Tout said the publication of the EIS meant all the information was on the table.
"That's the great thing about the EIS is the people that have concerns around the Narrabri Gas Project, those concerns are going to be addressed," she said.
"Of course I think there are some people that regardless of what's in the EIS, they're still going to have concerns and that's fine."
She hoped local people would have the loudest voices in the ensuing debate about the project.
"Either way of the argument I think it's up to the Narrabri community to get on board and be involved in the project and the debate," she said.
Ms Tout welcomed the Government's plans for the expert panel.
"For a long time we've heard opinions from people who are uneducated in the anti-CSG debate, so we've got experts and scientists and educated people now who are going to review this EIS and I think that's wonderful."
Topics: oil-and-gas, industry, business-economics-and-finance, community-and-society, narrabri-2390
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