Cabbage Did you say its all about pipes ?ESG lodges gas pipeline...

Cabbage
Did you say its all about pipes ?

ESG lodges gas pipeline proposal
May 5, 2011


Eastern Star Gas has submitted its Referral of Proposed Action for the Narrabri to Wellington gas pipeline to
the Federal Government?s Department of
Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.

The submission outlines four routes for the construction and operation of a gas transmission pipeline from the proposed Narrabri Gas Project south of Narrabri to a new gas fired
power station north-east of Wellington.

The proposed route is between 285-294 km long, commencing at the Narrabri Gas Project, travelling south-east across the flat, agricultural areas of the Western Liverpool Plains and passing the towns of Mullaley and Tambar Springs before joining the existing central ranges pipeline near Coolah.

The Mullaley Gas and Pipeline Accord (MGPA) has long been opposed to the project with concerns it will impact on the area?s sensitive alluvial black soil plains.

MGPA representative Mary Cadell said despite the company putting forward four routes for the pipeline, they had still managed to ignore the opinion of the community and political leaders.

?As far as we can ascertain, despite all of the lobbying, all the comments made by all the politicians from all side of politics in relation to the pipeline route prior to the state election that this pipeline should not be placed in this area of significant agricultural land, in spite of all this, the route which ESG has submitted to the Federal Government remains basically unchanged from the original proposal,? she said.

?They?ve taken no account of community concerns, they clearly have taken no account of political opinion, and it appears they
just intend to ignore the concerns of the community and the views of the political leaders of the day.?1

Mrs Cadell said the group believed that the black alluvial soils of the floodplain were not a favourable or suitable place for a buried pipeline, and cited the Central Ranges Pipeline, which was exposed following heavy rain earlier this year, as a prime example.

?We as a group believe that the black alluvial soils of the floodplain are not a favourable or suitable place for a pipeline,? she said.

?The NSW Farmers? Association and politicians have all stated that there are alternatives in much less sensitive country on public land to the west, for example along the Newell Highway.?

All four options put forward by the company utilise ?cleared agricultural land?, however alignment option four ? Crown Land ? uses travelling stock routes and existing road reserves.

Mrs Cadell believes the same problems were also likely to occur on the travelling stock routes.

?We basically just believe that it should go away from this very sensitive area,? she said.

ESG has maintained it has carried out community consultation.

Its document states the pipeline alignment is yet to be determined.

?These alignment options are constrained to varying degrees in relation to environmental sensitivity and
the extent of community or landholder concerns.?

?The final pipeline alignment will aim to address both of these issues and will be selected and further refined following detailed analysis of areas of environmental sensitivity and cultural significance and additional, more detailed consultation with regulators, landowners, the community and other stakeholders.?

The gas pipeline will be high pressure, up to 760mm in diameter, and buried along its entire length.

Construction will involve grading, trenching, horizontal directional drilling, rock blasting and installation of above ground facilities.

Mrs Cadell said a large number of landholders had already put forward their comments in regard to the document. She said the MGPA had been granted extra time to make a submission.

?Our group is presently preparing a comment on the referral which is in accordance with the Federal Government?s guidelines,? she said.

?Groups are entitled to comment only on environmental issues or on the correctness of the business.

?It?s very limited but we will certainly be making a comment.?

The purpose of the Referral of Proposed Action is to outline impacts of national environmental significance and will form the basis for the Minister?s decision as to whether approval is necessary for the project.

The project will be subject to Commonwealth, State and Local Government approvals, which includes approval from Gunnedah Shire Council for the portion within the council
area.

Cheers Mattocks ... go Australia at Skill Park, its just starting as I press the post button.