Farmers and residents in northwest New South Wales have criticized Santos for its submission regarding the controversial Narrabri coal seam gas (CSG) project.
The company is accused of refusing to provide crucial information and commitments requested by the State Government and Narrabri Council, sparking concerns about environmental and community safety.
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Santos submitted a “Supplementary Response to Submissions” to 14 NSW Government agencies, addressing their requests for data and commitments related to the environmental risks posed by the proposed CSG project.
However, the company declined to comply with more than a dozen specific requests from the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), the Rural Fire Service (RFS), and Narrabri Council.
Local farmer Sally Hunter expressed her dismay, stating, “Santos has refused the RFS’s request to not flare gas during catastrophic bushfire conditions. This shows an extraordinary and reckless disregard for the safety of our community.”
Hunter also criticized Santos for rejecting the EPA’s request to assess landfill capacity for potentially hazardous salt waste and for ignoring Narrabri Council’s recommendation to obtain environmental insurance for offsite and long-term environmental harms.
Mullaley farmer Margaret Fleck echoed these concerns, calling Santos’ submission “arrogant” and dangerous. “It is frankly dangerous that this company wants approval for a coal seam gas field without respecting the Rural Fire Service advice on fire risk, without knowing how it will deal with large volumes of salt waste and without adequate insurance,” Fleck said.
She urged Planning Minister Rob Stokes and Deputy Premier John Barilaro to halt the project to protect local water resources and community safety.
The Narrabri CSG project, the largest and most objected-to major resources project in New South Wales, continues to face significant opposition from the community and various authorities. The Supplementary Response to Submissions can be accessed here.
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