Metgasco refutes allegations

Clarence Greens candidate Janet Cavanaugh’s story in Monday’s newspaper, where she accused the coal seam gas industry of acting “stealthily”.

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ALLEGATIONS the local coal seam gas explorer Metgasco was operating “by stealth” are wrong, according to the company’s managing director, David Johnson.

“We have always operated in an open and transparent way on all our activities. We regularly update the local community on our activities directly and via public meetings,” he said.

Mr Johnson was responding to comments made by the Clarence Greens candidate Janet Cavanaugh who said the industry acted “stealthily” after learning

Metgasco was conducting coal seam gas testing at sites in Whiporie and Tullymorgan, unbeknown to her.

In November last year, Metgasco drilled a well in the Whiporie area, according to Mr Johnson.

“This was an exploration well and the site has been abandoned as planned and is in the process of being remediated,” he said.

“The fact that most residents were unaware that a well had been drilled is evidence of the low impact of our activities.”

Monday night’s ABC Four Corners program examined the environmental problems of coal seam gas mining, particularly operators in Queensland and western NSW.

Northern Rivers Environmental Defenders Office education officer, Mark Byrne, said the ABC program raised similar issues to those discussed at an information seminar on coal seam gas, run by his office, earlier this month.

Issues included a perceived lack of landholder rights regarding the approval process and potential groundwater problems.

“The bottom line is that coal companies need to negotiate with owners to access exploration sites on private land,” he said.

Red Sky Energy is a West Australian-based mining company that has rights to explore for coal seam gas across the lower

Clarence. Gas has been found near Myrtle Creek and closer to Casino according to managing director Rohan Gillespie .

“NSW has a lot of regulation covering environmental issues and community consultation, even at the exploration stage,” he said.

FORUMS

The rights of landholders who are covered by exploration leases can be obtained from the NSW government Department of Industry and Investment. ( www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/minerals/titles/landholders-rights).

Metgasco will be speaking at two community forums next month. On March 30, Clarence Ahead is holding a forum at the South

Grafton Ex-Services Club at 6.30pm (contact Des Plunkett to book).