Don't frack with our water

Members of the Keerrong Anti Gas Squad (l-r) Helen Gibbs, Ron Wilcox, Judi Emmett and Janine O’Brien.

When Judi Emmett noticed an unusual amount of noise and industrial activity going on near her home in the Keerrong valley last year, she decided to ask the local school’s lollipop man if he knew what was going on.

“He just said ‘gas’ and that was it,” Judi said.

One of the residents called Arrow Energy, the name of the company on the trucks, and was told they were testing for coal seam gas (CSG).

“We complained about the noise and they reduced the hours of the drilling,” Judi said. “But that didn’t make up for the fact the roads were ruined and, with huge trucks on small roads, it was dangerous to drive. Then we started to become aware of the potential long-term effects.”

Last Friday, January 28, members of the small Keerrong community who call themselves the Keerrong Anti Gas Squad met with Greens candidate for Lismore Susan Stock and Greens MLC Cate Faehrmann to discuss the potential dangers of CSG exploration.

CSG exploration is done by hydraulic fracturing, known as ‘fracking’, which blasts a mix of water and chemicals deep into the ground to cause a mini-fracture, or mini-earthquake, to release trapped methane.

There are concerns that the BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene) chemicals used in fracking have the potential to contaminate aquifers and groundwater.

Janine O’Brien, who has lived in the Keerrong valley for 35 years, said she was not notified about the work before it happened and she had to call Arrow Energy.

“Even though they told me fracking is quite safe and it won’t affect the Wilsons River, I think it could still be dangerous to our environment,” Janine said.

Arrow Energy was not legally required to notify those within the vicinity that there was to be constant drilling near their properties.

Helen Gibbs hosted the meeting and said, after watching the American documentary Gasland with Cate Faehrmann and other residents, she believes water contamination caused by fracking that occurred in the USA could also happen here.

“If the Terania Creek water gets polluted, it will flow into the Wilsons system and will affect those supplied by that water,” Helen said. “This is crucial to people’s style of living. It will affect livestock, property value and most importantly our health. All that is important to these companies is money and grabbing resources, and they have no thought of the potential to ruin our environment.”

Local residents are also concerned about where the wastewater will be disposed of and what would happen if the area floods.

Ms Faehrmann said the purpose of the meeting on Friday was to get local residents up to speed and bring attention to the risks associated with the CSG industry.

“The industry is one step ahead of the government,” Cate said. “The risk of contamination is very real, farm land is being destroyed. The drilling is taking place near water catchments, putting people at risk.

“Landholders are refusing to give in, which is what needs to happen. The NSW Government is not regulating this issue appropriately. They are approving the exploration, residents are being notified after approval, and the terms are appalling.”

Arrow Energy was contacted but was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press.

The Keerrong Anti Gas Squad is meeting next Monday, February 7, at the Keerrong Hall and there is a screening of Gasland on Friday, February 25, also at Keerrong Hall. Email antigassquad@hotmail.com for more information.