MEDIA STATEMENT MONDAY, 1 DECEMBER 2014 NT Government must immediately release fracking report The Environment Centre NT has called on Chief Minister Adam Giles to immediately release the findings of the NT Hydraulic Fracturing Inquiry to the public in full. The Environment Centre has called a rally outside the Minerals Council Summit on Thursday morning alongside Traditional Owner groups opposed to fracking, calling for a moratorium on new shale gas development and the removal of $8 million in public subsidies for development of the industry. Policy and Campaigns Director Anna Boustead said that the level of concern expressed by both experts and members of the community to the Inquiry should be cause enough for its findings to be immediately released. “The Inquiry was the result of sustained public pressure from scientific experts, non-government agencies, community leaders, Traditional Owners and environment groups; who have consistently raised serious concerns over the risks of unconventional gas extraction. “Concerns over the industry’s climate impact, seismic impact, limitations of well integrity, risk of contamination of surface and ground waters and the risk of over-extraction of aquifers as a result of shale gas fracking featured prominently in the 230 submissions received by the Inquiry. “The public have a right to have access to all the relevant information regarding the environmental, health, cultural and social risks of an expanded shale gas industry.” “The NT Government has made it clear from the beginning of the Inquiry that it intends to support an expanded shale gas industry in the Territory regardless of its findings, and has consistently ignored calls for a moratorium until its results are implemented. “At the recent Australian Water Association conference, hydrogeologists highlighted that insufficient environmental protections are in place in the NT to prevent contamination and environmental damage by shale gas companies. “Recent regulatory failures at McArthur River Mine and Ranger Uranium Mine further demonstrate that the NT Government is putting the environment at risk by pushing ahead with industrial development without adequate environmental protections in place. “The government must not trade short-term profits for long-term economic and environmental costs, particularly when we have abundant renewable energy options available which are clean and safe.”
Posted on: Tue, 02 Dec 2014 07:51:09 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015