Underground coal gasification plants must be shut downOpposition pushes for independence on coal seam gas
North Qld. Register - 25.11.2010
THE Liberal National Party (LNP) will push for changes to the Water Act in State Parliament this week to give independence to oversight of the coal seam gas (CSG)industry and give what it says will be better protection for water resources in the Surat and Bowen basins.
Opposition spokesman on natural resources, mines and energy, Jeff Seeney, said the State Government’s plan to hand the job to its Water Commission was entirely inappropriate.
“The job of overseeing the checks and balances proposed by the Government to protect water resources in CSG exploration and extraction needs to be at full arm’s length from the Government,” Mr Seeney said.
“Handing the job to the Government’s Water Commission is completely inappropriate because the Water Commission was established to set water restrictions for householders in urban Brisbane – not oversee the protection of streams and aquifers in areas of CSG activities.”