Saturday 20th of April 2024
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farmers versus coal seam gas...

in the toilet bowl again

On Sunday 1st November, the Bolt Report had a guest who was conferring with Andrew Bolt about the farmer who took his life because of his battle with mining companies. The case was used by Bolt to bash the ABC yet again. Bolt was asserting that we "did not know" why the farmer took his own life and we should not blame the CSG mining companies for this fellow's despair. But according to Mr Bolt we should bash the ABC for assuming it was the fault of the miners. 


The ABC never apportioned blame to this suicide. They only related the key points. Farmer fights CSG company; farmer is distraught/depressed because of it; farmer takes own life. The ABC is only reporting what the members of the farmer's family think who squarely place the blame of CSG mining. 

I have no idea where Bolt gets his information from. May be he knows something about farming and CSG we don't. Bolt is the ultra right wing sceptic by excellence. If something smells of global warming science or of opposition to (or investigation of) ultra right wing views — right wing views which demand unregulated adventure in enterprises — it must be awful lefty politics. In Mr Bolt's mind, these "leftist views" views need to be demonised as much as possible, by asking LOADED questions with a self-contained ultra right wing answer egging in it.

For all I know, there was many good reasons for this old farmer — and other farmers — to fight the miners. And his family vow to fight on. http://www.smh.com.au/environment/family-of-late-anticoal-seam-gas-farmer-george-bender-vows-to-fight-on-20151027-gkjv3o.html

It's not an ABC thing. 

CSG "mining" is full of grey areas. 
But for Mr Bolt it's a black and white issue. Miners do not damage the land or if they do it, it's in the national interest and for the glorious good god of greed... So for Bolt, the ABC is to be blamed for stirring the pot. Mr Bolt stirs shit... For him, miners should mine wherever they want as they have been allowed since yonks and the farmers who suffer issues with CSG exploitation on their land, should cop it sweet and take the (very little) compo cash.

Mr Bolt, the reasons why many farmers, including land owner Alan Jones, object to CSG mining are many. 
One of the main issues is water and the regulation thereof. Once the CSG exploitation is on the way, or even being "explored", the water resources for the farmer dwindle a fair bit. Quite a lot in fact. CSG uses a lot of water, a resource which to some extend SHOULD NOT PART OF MINING. Water should be a FARMING PRIORITY. Water is scarce enough in this dry country for farmers to make a living. 
Another issue is the mega-pollution. Please refer to the list of commercial toxic and environmentally damaging substances posted on this site, including hospital grade anti-bacterial products used in INDUSTRIAL quantities by the CSG mining companies. The water table drops and the water often gets toxic. The water from CSG mining is also loaded with detergents that are not biodegradable and are used in MASSIVE quantities.
One of the other issues is the complicated pipe-grid of CSG exploitation. This grid often stuffs the farmers ability to use their machinery efficiently. Have you seen a CSG exploitation grid from high up? Yes? Because the fracking only breaks the coal seam for less than a hundred metres around one bore-hole, exploiting CSG needs many wells in a patch of land to make it viable. It's ugly and very inconvenient. And a lot of these wells leak. the cement that encases the wells can crack. Methane can leak into the rock strata and leach into the ground to the surface. Water gets polluted some more.
CSG was developed on grand scale with the help of the US Obama government. In the USA, they call it shale gas. 
A technique which has been developed and could mitigate this issue of many bore-holes is called "horizontal drilling". But it could be more expensive than drilling vertical holes. As well it is possible that horizontal drilling may be more damaging to the water table and eventually make as much damage to the water resources that any other form of drilling.
CSG has major problems. Farmers know the land. As a farmer, letting CSG on one's land is a bit like prostituting your daughters for little profit, while reducing the ability to fix the broken windows of the brothel. 
Too many right wind red-neck might like this as a way to make cash, but it is not what we need.

Gus Leonisky
Your local expert on international issues...

 

silent on the most contentious issue

HijackedWhile Origin has issued a statement expressing sadness at the Bender's family loss, the Queensland Resources Council on Tuesday warned that his death was being "hijacked"."Since George's death that public debate has been hijacked by some people, professional anti-gas activists, certain politicians and a Sydney shock jock - who are far from pure in their motives," Michael Roche, the council's chief executive, said in a statement. Radio presenter Alan Jones earlier this month pressed Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to examine Mr Bender's case."We are saddened by his death but we are not going to join in the claims and conjecture about his tragic passing and his state of mind," Mr Roche said.

Gloucester viewVigils for Mr Bender held around the country, though, have helped to place the CSG industry in the spotlight."The latest incident will be strongly considered" by the Gloucester community, said John Rosenbaum, mayor of the NSW town of Gloucester, where energy giant AGL wants to develop a large CSG field."At this stage, I believe it will not go unnoticed within our council," Mr Rosenbaum said.Gloucester Council has previously objected to some of AGL's activities by kicking the company out of its regular "dialogue" with other government agencies over the CSG industry.AGL was recently allowed back into the most recent meeting held last week.Councils in NSW have only limited oversight of mining activities in their regions, and last week lost the right to prevent seismic testing on public roads after changes to the Petroleum (Onshore) Act 1991, according to the Lock the Gate Alliance.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/family-of-late-anticoal-seam-gas-farmer-george-bender-vows-to-fight-on-20151027-gkjv3o.html#ixzz3qDxjM7yo Follow us: @smh on Twitter | sydneymorningherald on Facebook

A key Energy Department advisory panel will issue a qualified endorsement of shale gas exploration Thursday, saying that hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” can continue safely as long as companies disclose more about their practices and monitor their environmental impact.

The committee’s report could ease the way for greater domestic gas exploration, even as it calls for new standards to limit harmful air emissions that bring to the surface gas buried deep in shale formations. But the report is largely silent on the most contentious issue surrounding shale gas exploration: who should regulate it, and whether regulators should apply to it laws such as the Safe Drinking Water Act.

read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/energy-department-panel-to-endorse-shale-gas-exploration/2011/08/10/gIQAXqbh7I_story.html

more about CSG from the ABC, mr bolt...

 

Gas company Metgasco says the New South Wales Government has offered to buy back three exploration licences in the state's north for $25 million.

The State Government suspended the company's licences to drill, including at its Rosella site near Bentley in the state's north in 2014, amid allegations of inadequate community consultation.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court found the Government had acted improperly and lifted the suspension.

The NSW Government had been negotiating compensation with the company.

In a statement to the media and the Australian Stock Exchange, Metgasco said the settlement followed "protracted discussion" with the Government since July.

The board of directors unanimously supported the settlement deal and Metgasco chief executive Peter Henderson said the board recommended shareholders vote in favour of it.

"It's a very clear proposal and it's one that the board has had to spend a long time thinking about and it has been a difficult decision to recommend it to our shareholders," he said.

Metgasco chairman Len Gill said the company still believed in the value of the project and the board had to consider the risks associated with ongoing legal action, approval delays, higher costs and funding difficulties.

In September, Metgasco announced it would go to court to seek tens of millions of dollars in damages from the Government over the drilling suspension.

Metgasco says the buy-back deal settles those disputes.

'Northern Rivers will be gas free': Minister

NSW Minister for Industry, Energy and Resources Anthony Roberts said the Government was satisfied with the deal, which he said settled the interests of all stakeholders.

"We believe this is a fair and reasonable offer which balances the interests of New South Wales taxpayers and Metgasco shareholders," he said.

"This means that effectively, should the shareholders agree to this offer, it will make the Northern Rivers of New South Wales gas free.

"This will enable us to reset the debate and ensure that the people of New South Wales have control over their resources when, how and if they are mined."

Opposition Energy and Resources spokesman Adam Searle welcomed the settlement, saying it was a win for people power.

But he said legislation was needed to ensure coal seam gas exploration was stopped in the area for good.

"While it removes the difficulty arising from Metgasco having these licences, there is actually nothing to stop any government in the future issuing further exploration licences over the same areas," he said.

Anti-coal seam gas activists celebrate

North Coast activist Ian Gaillard said many people had been fighting for this result for a long time.

"It's probably about $22 million more than the company deserve but we're happy," Mr Gaillard said.

"It's a small price in the long-term scheme of things to pay for a sustainable future, for water for future generations and for the piece of mind of people in the Northern Rivers that they won't live in an industrialised gas field."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-02/metgasco-offered-$25-million-nsw-government-to-buy-back-licences/6904330

 

See toon and story at top...