Concern over coal mining

Gympie’s Jeff Douwes at the gate of the Kenya gasfield at Tara.

Contributed

A GROUP of Gympie residents has growing concerns about the expansion of coal seam gas (CSG) and coal mining in the region, and the country.

The recently released Regional Development Strategy and Draft Gympie Region Community Plan reveals the Gympie Regional Council is planning to advocate for an extended reticulation of ‘natural gas’ in the area. This area has also been proposed for a gas pipeline for CSG north from Gatton.

“There is nothing natural about the way this gas is extracted, refined and condensed, and vast areas of countryside as well as waterways are poisoned and turned into wasteland by its extraction,” said Adele Coombs, who is working with a team of others to plan information sessions and film screenings about rapid CSG expansion across NSW and Queensland.

“Coal seam gas and coal mining have disastrous toxic impacts on good farming land, precious waterways, and the health of whole communities.

“Most of the Gympie region has been granted licence for coal mining, right along the Mary River catchment,” she said.

“We want to work with other groups across Australia to advocate for a moratorium on CSG until its full impacts are investigated and properly regulated.”

An information session about the planned expansion of coal and CSG in the region will be held at 2pm next Sunday, July 17, 2pm at Kingston House, Channon St, Gympie.

Environmental scientists and farmers with CSG experience will be speaking, and showing recent films made in southern Queensland and NSW.

Refreshments will be available.

RSVP by phoning Adele Coombs on 0427 839 165 or email fairlierose@yahoo.com