INCREASING anger is being expressed by Gloucester citizens at the refusal by mining company AGL to halt its drilling program to allow an independent examination of seismic and water studies undertaken since project approval for the development of a coal seam gas field was prematurely given in the dying days of the previous State government in February.
Barrington-Glou cester-Stroud Preservation Alliance said this week that at the NSW Government Upper House coal seam gas inquiry in Taree, "MidCoast Water stated they had been excluded from the early phase of planning and they now have been given preliminary water study results which indicate the presence of heavy metals and very high salinity in the water coming from the drill holes.
"In addition they stated in the Gloucester Advocate they have not done measurements of the cancer causing BTEX chemicals potentially released from fracked coal seams into the ground and surface water systems."
A Preservation Alliance spokesperson said this week: "The new ABC website 'Coal Seam Gas by the numbers' features the Gloucester area and gives the location of 48 exploration CSG wells in our valley.
"The Stage 1 area has 42 drill holes already and is licensed for 110 wells in full production.
"MidCoast Water say all of these are in the catchment area of the water they use to supply to 75,000 customers.
"AGL have not indicated how many of these holes have been fracked but it is likely to be the majority."
An appeal against the project's approval has been heard in the Land and Environment Court but a decision will not be handed down for several months.
"Many people believe that ethically we should be waiting for the umpire's decision rather than AGL going ahead regardless and telling us they need to drill another four pilot holes before they can give us their water plan."
The Gloucester community needs protection of its water resources and associated community health and agricultural security, the spokesperson said.
"We also need protection of our cultural heritage and of the sensitive environmental areas of our valley.
"So far government past promises to provide this protection have not been met."
The Preservation Alliance has called a public meeting to discuss a further community response, including the possibility of "non-violent direct action to halt this blind destruction of our valley", tomorrow at 7pm in the CWA Rooms, Church Street, Gloucester.
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