GREATER Taree City Council has taken a stand against coal seam gas mining lease approvals in Gloucester, urging for the deferral of decisions until studies have been completed on the impacts to the health of the environment and communities in the Gloucester and Manning Valley.
Councillor Trent Jennison moved a unanimously supported motion as a matter of urgent business at Wednesday's council meeting that the city council write letters to both federal and state ministers and local members seeking the suspension of all coal seam gas and mining approvals in the Gloucester Basin.
"Gloucester is the catchment to our water. Until we know there is no impact on this, we seek deferral and suspension of decisions," Cr Jennison said.
In the letter, council will ask for a federal bioregional assessment process to be completed for the Gloucester Valley and an independent assessment of the cumulative impacts of these three projects on the surface and ground water in the Gloucester and Manning Valley to be done.
It's hoped the independent expert scientific committee can consider the findings of the independent water assessment and make recommendations.
Council will also ask for an independent assessment of the cumulative impacts of these three projects on the community health of the Gloucester and Manning Valley to be completed so that the NSW Department of Health can consider the findings.