Have your say on coal gas mining

VICKY GAILLARD believes everyone living on the Northern Rivers owes it to their children and grandchildren to protect the environment.

That is why she is encouraging anyone who is concerned about coal seam gas mining to make a submission to the NSW Government before its call for submissions closes on Friday.

The NSW Government is asking for input from the community on the directions and issues to be addressed as it prepares its coal and gas strategy.

Mrs Gaillard, a long-term resident of Keerrong where she keeps horses, said she held concerns that many people who potentially would be affected by the burgeoning industry were unaware of the opportunity to have their say.

“We have to do everything we can to stop it,” she said.

“Yet nobody seems to know about the call for submissions.”

Mrs Gaillard said her concerns about the industry were related to the potential for water contamination during the drilling process and by the use of hydraulic fraccing.

Fraccing is a controversial extraction method which uses chemicals and water under high pressure to split the coal seam in order for gas to be released. The technique can lead to groundwater contamination, as shown in the 2010 film GasLand which has had numerous Northern Rivers screenings in recent months.

“Once the water is contaminated you can’t fix it. Water is everything,” Mrs Gaillard said.

The Department of Planning is leading the preparation of the strategy with assistance from treasury, health, environment and Industry and Investment NSW, as well as community, industry and other stakeholder input.

Submissions can be made online at https://coalandgasstrategy.discussions.nsw.gov.au; or by post to Coal and Gas Strategy, Department of Planning, GPO Box 39, Sydney, 2001.