Council votes to halt drilling

Metgasco supervisors in Casino monitor a drilling rig being dismantled before it is located to another Casino site.

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• MP Cansdell stands by Metgasco

KYOGLE councillors have unanimously called for a moratorium on coal seam gas drilling until independent research is available spelling out the impact of the practice on water supplies, the environment and communities.

The decision brought a rousing burst of applause from dozens of residents and activists from the Nimbin Environment Centre and followed a closed meeting between councillors and representatives of coal seam gas drilling company Metgasco.

Cr Janet Wilson said she brought the motion to the council after hearing concerns from a broad sweep of the community about the impact of coal seam gas drilling, including from farmers.

Cr Wilson was concerned, at the very least, the rise of coal seam gas drilling rigs around the Kyogle Council area could damage the image of its “pristine” environment and its push to develop a sustainable tourism industry.

There were concerns from residents worried about being kept awake at night by drill rigs near their homes, and there were the concerns about the impact on groundwater.

Backing the motion, Cr Ross Brown said councillors needed more solid information on coal seam gas drilling, noting the information from the pro and anti sides of the debate at the moment was “quite divergent”.

Cr Wilson acknowledged the council had no control over the industry, but called on her fellow councillors to write to the State Government as a matter of “civic leadership”.

Speaking after the meeting, Mayor Ernie Bennett said the talks between councillors and Metgasco representatives before the meeting had gone well, but could not resolve the questions still surrounding coal seam gas drilling.

Cr Bennett conceded there were some people in the community who wanted coal seam gas drilling to go ahead, but there appeared to be a many people worried about the practice and, in particular, concerned about its potential impact on groundwater.