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Once again from the South Burnet Times dated Friday 23rd July 2010.


COUGAR FACES UP TO ANGRY COOLABUNIA LANDHOLDERS

Cougar was forced to face the music on Tuesday afternoon.

Representatives from the company fronted up to the community meeting in Kingaroy on Tuesday afternoon alonside government officals, South Burnett Regional Council mayor David Carter, MP Dorothy Pratt and more than 100 angry residents.

They declined to attenmd a meeting on Friday to address concerned landowners who had been told to stop using their ground water supplies for fear of contamination.

Cougar's Len Walker was asked to explain how carcinogens benzene and toluene came to exist in bores on and off the site, but he refused to take responsibility for the contamination. "It's very hard to explain what's happened," Dr Walker said. "The data we've collected is very similar to the government's and there's one bore that has very low levels."

He said the company was working with the department and had to wait for more information before deciding whether to proceed with the Coolabunia plant.

After his initial address of the meeting, residents and Cr Carter repeatedly said they didn't want him to comment again.

"We don't care what you have to say," one man yelled.

If the company is found to have breached its environmental authority they could face a maximum fine of $1 million. If they are found to have caused environmental harm Cougar Energy could face a fine of $2,082,500.