With news Dart Energy is going to be drilling for gas in Eastern Creek there is avid interest in Illawarra residents who have been battling coal seam gas mining for months now.
Yesterday, 21 August 2011, approximately 200 concerned citizens in Thirroul Community Centre met one of the Gas companies in the area. Ormil Energy Managing director, Tom Fontaine, tried to reassure the citizens the company would not frack.
Fracking is a hot issue world-wide. One of the number of controversies over fracking is in the dangerous chemicals used in the process. Gas companies are tight lipped about disclosing the full list of chemicals and percentages used in fracking. Of the toxic chemicals known to the public, there are mounting concerns about the risks they pose to precious water tables. Once water systems are contaminated, the most vital resource we have is irreversibly lost.
Further, there are questions about the studies on fracking and fugitive gases. CSGM companies document their own and other independent reports, but those studies are deemed to be biased and invalid, lacking in critical scientific review. Essentially there is a demand for more credible studies. Hence, a growing chorus among Australians, such as Malcolm Turnbull, Sydney Residents against Coal Seam Gas Mining, Lock the Gate Alliance and ParraCAN, are calling for a gas moratorium. CSGM companies have lodged expensive media advertisment campaigns to assuage the public.
Taken from the Illawara Mercury:
"In none of the Illawarra areas will we ever frack a well, so I have no idea on why we're debating something ... that will not happen," Mr Fontaine said.
However, his talk left residents with little confidence, said Stop CSG Illawarra spokeswoman Jess Moore.
"Tom did nothing to give us confidence in the industry," she said.
"We've asked the company on numerous occasions to guarantee us there will be no fracking - they still haven't done that.
ParraCAN is very concerned about Coal Seam Gas Mining. Look for further news and actions from us.
