long delay possible

It seems that Cougar's data on previous sampling and (I would expect) modeling has until mid-August to be submitted to DERM and the specialist panel for consideration. That is less than a week before the federal election.

I expect the specialist panel would need to review Cougar's submission which could well take a month.

By then the hysteria about the Coal Seam Gas EIS submissions required by Garrett will be building

Realistically, Cougar is unlikely to get approval to restart until October. This is a real blow to a start-up operatiobn and will be particularly hard to bear if Cougar is found to have operated within requirements.

A side issue is that benzene and toluene occur at low levels in ground water pumped from coal seam gas operations, in proximity to many industrial and dump sites and in towns. This whole thing could result in more extensive findings of these contaminants in Kingaroy and on farms as a result of no or normal day to day life.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=7932127

"He said Cougar needed to provide information on its environmental evaluation to DERM by August 16 but he was uncertain when a decision would be made about resuming the company's UCG plant at Kingaroy."