Mastratrada – You have been misled by the biased anti-gas media...

Mastratrada – You have been misled by the biased anti-gas media in Australia. There is NO evidence that fracking damages farmland or pollutes waterways. Fracking has been going on in the US since 1947. It was happening before the internet, before the mobile phone, even before TV. Its not new. There have been many long term studies done which reviewed decades of data – NONE of which have found any link to fracking and aquifer damage. So to help you in your balanced research on the impact of gas development I suggest that you stop reading cr*p on the internet from coalseamgas news or lock the gate and read some fact based material, such as the following:

THE US EPA did a detailed study of the risks of groundwater contamination in CSG development in 2004 and reported -“EPA did not find confirmed evidence that drinking water wells have been contaminated by hydraulic fracturing fluid injection…” see :U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Evaluation of Impacts to Underground Sources of Drinking Water by Hydraulic Fracturing of Coalbed Methane Reservoirs,” (June 2004)

The Environmental regulator in Colorado did a detailed investigation and stated “Hydraulic fracturing has occurred in Colorado since 1947. Nearly all active wells in Colorado have been hydraulically fractured...To date, the COGCC has not verified any instances of groundwater being contaminated by hydraulic fracturing.” State Review of Oil and Natural Gas Environmental Regulations Colorado Hydraulic Fracturing State Review (October 2011)

More recently (2013) the Head of the US EPA Lisa Jackson said “ In no case have we made a definitive determination that the fracking process has caused chemicals to enter groundwater”

There is simply NO scientifically backed up evidence for the wild claims made by anti-fossil fuel activists about the unconventional gas industry. Everything is anecdotal and unattributed. Which is why Governments all around the world have backed the facts and not the hysteria.

Even the The IPCC is supporting gas industry development. Just last month speaking to reporters, Professor Ottmar Edenhofer, co-chairman of the IPCC authors, said: "The shale gas revolution can be very consistent with low-carbon development - that is quite clear. It can be very helpful as a bridge technology."

Finally- NSW has the most heavily regulated gas sector in the world. The State based system is then overseen by another layer of regulation of CSG at the Federal level. CSG doesnt need more regulation because it is already being developed safely and is bringing enormous benefits to farmers and local communities as thousands of farmers in Queensland can testify.