response from qld premier, page-3

Hi Edd, looks familiar.

(And you know what, here scripted PDF had nothing to do with the questions I asked. I actually asked her how much the CSG gang paid her)

Here's mine (from a PDF I was emailed):-
office of the Premier


0 1 sEp 2010

Dear Mr **********

Thank you for your email of 20 July 2010 concerning recent reports of groundwater
contamination from the Cougar underground coal gasification trial near Kingaroy. I
have been requested to reply to you on the Premier's behalf.
The following is a summary of recent events regarding the pilot plant:
Officers from the Department of Environment and Resource Management (the
department) were first made aware of potentially elevated levels of toluene and
benzene at the Cougar Energy site on 30 June 2010.
At that time, the relevant officers decided that the risk of potential contamination was
negligible based
on the available information that toluene and benzene levels
were low to very low and that all sample locations were close to the trial site.
However, to make a proper evaluation of any potential risks, departmental officers
directed Cougar Energy to provide better information relating to groundwater
sampling that had been undertaken.
On 13 July 2010, Cougar Energy advised the department of a significantly elevated
level of benzene at a bore close to the Cougar site for a sample taken on
29 June 2010, and a slightly elevated level of toluene from a bore approximately
1.5 kilometres away.
On 15 Juty 2010, the department commenced the notification of landholders within a
2 kilometre radius of the pilot to not use groundwater for drinking or stock watering
until it was deemed safe. Statutory notices were issued to prevent Cougar Energy
from commencing any further underground coal gasification until further notice, and
requiring Cougar to determine the source, cause and extent of any groundwater
contamination.
The company employed by Cougar Energy to measure ground water quality has
since notified the department that the sampling which produced the significantly
elevated level reported
to the department on 13 July 2010 was
in fact flawed.
It has not been replicated in independent analysis of any subsequent testing by the
department or the company.
Queensland
Government
it is of paramount importance that the extent of any contamination and
the safety of this water is determined. To this end, an ongoing program of
groundwater sampling has been initiated.

The department is analysing and interpreting this data as it becomes available, in
consultation with an independent scientific expert panel, to determine what further
action may be required. Future advice about the use of local bore water will be
informed by the results.
As you may be aware, Cougar Energy is one of three pilot underground coal
gasification plant trials. The two other pilot projects are operated by Linc Energy and
Carbon Energy on the Darling Downs. The State Government has committed to a
cautious approach to the underground coal gasification trials and has stipulated that
these operations be limited to a trial in order to ascertain the technical, environmental
and commercial merits of this technology and to determine its longerterm
suitability for
Queensland.

Recent claims of water contamination at Kogan Creek near the Carbon Energy
underground coal gasification pilot plant are currently being investigated. Water quality
sampling that has subsequently been undertaken by the department has so far found
no mercury and levels of heavy metals such as iron, aluminium and hydrocarbons,
including benzene and toluene, have been determined to be acceptable for stock
watering purposes. However, this work is continuing so the facts of these claims can be
determined and the associated results will be made available as soon as possible.

The department has begun reviewing its business processes to ensure they are
appropriate for the purposes of identifying, reporting on and responding to potential and
actual environmental damage associated with the underground coal gasification trials.

Once the current round of investigations has been completed, the Government will
implement any necessary changes to improve the way in which this industry is
regulated for the period of the current trials.

The Premier has asked me to again assure you that the underground coal gasification
trials will not be allowed to continue unless there is clear evidence that they can be
conducted safely. Furthermore, the technology will not be approved for commercial use
in Queensland if doubt remains about the industry's capacity to manage its risks.
Yours sincerely

Nick Williams
Senior Policy Advisor