swhiteYou have made made page 5 of the South Burnett Times...

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You have made made page 5 of the South Burnett Times newspaper today, 25th March 2011. The content however, does not resemble the media release as it appears on:-

http://www.southburnett.biz/pdfs/CEAGrelease.pdf

PRO-UCG GROUP HITS BACK

Photo of drilling rig & 2 guys standing near it.

Beneath the photo is the following wording.

DISAPPOINTED: Shareholder Steve White from the Cougar Energy Action Group said the closure of the company's underground coal gasification site was "unfair".

Now the story as reported by:-

[email protected]

A GROUP of 40 Cougar Energy shareholders are convinced underground coal gasification (UCG) is a clean energy innovator. Despite traces of carcinogens being detected on its Coolabunia site which led to its permanent closure.

The State Government's decision to permanently shut-down the site came because an Independent Scientific Panel deemed it a risk.

Cougar Energy Action Group's Melbourne-based spokesman Steve White said the closure was "unfair" because other coal seam gas companies recorded much higher readings of benzene and been allowed to continue their operations.

"Our group feels there is a lot of political motivation behind this," Mr White said.

"The Kingaroy locals were very vocal and I think the local politicians supported them without looking at the facts.

"Compared to other industries, Cougar hasn't been given a fair go."

Mr White, said if the Department of Environment and Resource Management tested petrol stations or farms where fuel was stored, they would find benzene traces.

"There's no firm evidence the chemicals were there because of Cougar as there was no pre-testing," he said.

He siad if the Queensland public were confronted with a choice between a "world leading polluter" in Tarong Energy, a nuclear power plant in their backyard or UCG, people would opt for UCG as the cleanest alternative if the facts were known.

"It's unfair Tarong is allowed to run when Cougar is shut down," he said.

"Cougar's activities leave a small carbon footprint."

ENDS