The states chief environmental regulator has quietly begun a year-long study of fugitive methane emissions in a bid to calm community concerns about the coal seam gas industry. Believed to be the first of its kind, the CSIRO study is tracking methane emissions across the seasons from 12 NSW sites, ranging from wetlands and landfills to the three main CSG gas fields and coal mines. It is not a regulatory study – it is not going to say, you need to do more, said Carmen Dwyer, CSG project manager at the Environment Protection Authority, which commissioned the study. Were hoping to contribute another piece of the puzzle to the debate on methane. [...] The EPA declined to disclose the size of the research budget but a person familiar with the study said the funding was a couple of hundred thousand dollars. While welcoming the CSIROs role – rather than industry – the person said much more would be needed to conduct a comprehensive study. To get really right answers, youd need to spend several million dollars, the source said. It wont take us very far. Read more: smh.au/environment/methane-fugitive-leak-study-csiro-to-target-csg-other-nsw-sites-20141201-11v9a7.html
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 03:27:16 +0000