Council wants coal gas moratorium

Hundreds of protesters walked the streets of Lismore CBD earlier this year, protesting against coal seam gas mining in the area.

Cathy Adams

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• Council rejects CSG moratorium

KYOGLE Deputy Mayor Janet Wilson is calling for a moratorium on coal seam gas exploration in the Kyogle local government area.

Cr Wilson has put up a notice of motion – asking the council to write to the State Government and demand a moratorium on coal seam gas drilling – which is expected to be voted on at Monday’s ordinary council meeting.

Until research was conducted on the impact of coal seam gas exploration on water, the environment, personal property and amenity, all drilling should be stopped, the motion said.

Although the State Government was responsible for legislation related to mining, Cr Wilson said local government had an important role to play advocating for its constituents.

“This motion seeks to engage (the) council in advocating for constituents to the State Government about the possible impact of coal seam gas mining on the environment, water and personal property,” the motion said.

At last month’s Rous Water County Council meeting a motion calling for a moratorium on coal seam gas mining across NSW was narrowly passed.

The council also voted to write to Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke, along with their Opposition counterparts (Tony Abbott and Greg Hunt), to raise the issue on a Federal level.

The vote was opposed by the Ballina and Richmond Valley representatives – Phillip Silver, Keith Johnson, Stuart George and Col Sullivan – and made it through only on the casting vote of Rous Water chairman and Byron Shire councillor Richard Staples.

The NSW Farmers Association has also called for a moratorium amid concerns about the environmental impact from drilling and extraction, particularly the risk posed to farmland and water resources.

The NSW Government is currently developing its coal and gas mining strategy. Its call for submissions into the direction of the strategy closed yesterday.

The Kyogle ordinary council meeting will be held in the Stratheden Street council chambers at 3.30pm on Monday.

The NSW Government is currently developing its coal and gas mining strategy.