Environmental groups welcome decision to halt drilling of 16 coal seam gas wells between Wollongong and Sydney

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Environmental groups welcome decision to halt drilling of 16 coal seam gas wells between Wollongong and Sydney

Posted Sat Jul 13, 2013 1:15pm AEST

Environmental groups have welcomed the NSW Planning and Assessment Commission’s decision to halt the drilling of over a dozen coal seam gas (CSG) wells.

Apex Energy was granted approval four years ago to drill and operate 16 CSG wells between Wollongong and Sydney.

The company wanted to extend its licence in the catchment for three years, but the commission rejected the application.

The commission ruled it would be “inappropriate” to approve the coal seam gas activities, as many of the wells fall within the Sydney water catchment.

Nature Conservation Council campaigns director Kate Smolski says community opposition played a significant role in the decision.

“I think it’s important that the [commission] is actually listening to the concerns of the community, the people that live in these areas,” she said.

Stop CSG spokeswoman Jess Moore says groups have been opposing the project since it was approved in 2009.

“This is huge win for the campaign to stop CSG and protect our water,” she said in a statement.

“It is the result of the extraordinary and tireless efforts of so many in the Illawarra community. It is the result of a powerful community campaign that has brought people together to stand up for what’s right.”

Apex Energy has been unavailable for comment.

Topics: oil-and-gas, industry, environment, mining-environmental-issues, lake-illawarra-2528, wollongong-2500, nsw

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