Friday, 3 February, 2012. Gas Watch 134. AGL ENERGY – the latest lessons in avoiding “community consultation”

By accident, we have just noticed on the Department of Defence website that AGL has applied to the Commonwealth Government for permission to explore for coal seam methane gas on the Army Base at Singleton (http://www.defence.gov.au/SenateOrder/harradine_2011_1/MilitaryFacilitiesManagement.htm, Document No 2011/1063947).

No mention of this has been made to the affected community. No community consultation, whatsoever. None.

Typical of the secretive attitude of these coal seam methane miners to gain approvals, and then notify the community and pretend that it is involved in the community and in community consultation(see more in Gas Watch 134 ).

Friday, 3 February, 2012. Gas Watch 133. AGL ENERGY – are shareholders investments based on a gamble that the State Government is a liar ?
Either AGL – a publicly listed Australian Company which is subject to tough listing and Australian Company laws

• is basing it’s entire Hunter Upstream Gas business model on the belief that the Government has lied to the community in its pre-election promises; or
• · there is a secret understanding between AGL and the State Government.

Well, no matter how you look at it, these must be the only two alternatives - and both of them should sit very uncomfortably with all Australians. Either alternative is quite simply extraordinary in a first world country like Australia. If either one of these statements is false, then AGL would clearly not be in the Hunter Valley exploring for coal seam methane gas.
(see more in Gas Watch 133 ).

Wednesday, 25 January, 2012. Gas Watch 132. AGL ENERGY – the community information session that didn’t happen – seismic exploration.
A small number of people turned up to the 5 pm “information session” at the AGL propaganda shop in Singleton in response to AGL’s advertising the session on seismic exploration, only to be told that there was to be no “information session” at all, despite it being advertised as such. It appears the advertising was just a means of getting people into the AGL shop so they can tick the box of community consultation. There were 6 or 7 people who turned up at 5 pm. AGL will spin the lack numbers by either saying that noone is interested enough, or that everyone is happy with their plans.
(see more in Gas Watch 132 ).

Monday, 23 January, 2012. Gas Watch 131 AGL ENERGY – community information session – seismic exploration.
AGL has advertised that it is to hold an information and consultation session at their Information and Propaganda Centre at 85B John Street, Singleton on 24th January, next at 5 pm.

We are assuming that the date and the time are correct. Unfortunately AGL has put the incorrect web site address, that is their very own website which they couldn’t get right, in their advert. They have advertised www.agl.com/huntergasproject and it should in fact read www.agl.com.au/huntergasproject . Whether this was done purposely or not, we don’t know. Are they trying to avoid people actually attending the information session? (see all in Gas Watch 131 ).

Sunday, 15 January, 2012. Gas Watch 130. AGL ENERGY – expulsion of methane gas miner from Hunter Valley Wine Industry Association - confirmed.

“the activities of AGL in connection with coal seam gas have the very real potential to cause irremediable and permanent damage to viticulture, and is contrary to the interests of licensed vignerons in the Hunter Valley”

“the Committee was unanimous in its conclusion that AGL accordingly had persistently and willfully acted in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the Association (paragraph 4 of the Association’s Statement of Objects: ‘must actively protect the dominance of grape growing in existing grape growing areas of the Hunter Valley.’)”

These were the reasons given by the respected Hunter Valley Wine Industry Association (HVWIA) in expelling coal seam methane gas miner AGL Energy as a member of the Association, after meeting with the AGL General Manager of Coal Seam Methane Gas exploration, Mike Moraza, and considering a lengthy submission by AGL. This resolution was notified to AGL on 8th December giving AGL 14 days from that date to appeal in accordance with the Constitution of the Association. AGL has elected not to appeal and the expulsion is now confirmed. (see all in Gas Watch 130 ).

Sunday, 1 January, 2012. Gas Watch 129. Government must protect winegrowing in the Hunter. The community has called upon the Government to protect the winegrowing region of the Hunter from inappropriate development, including from coal seam methane mining fields, following the leads from the South Australian Government protection the Barossa Valley and Maclaren Vale, and the Western Australian Government protecting the Swan Valley and Margaret River winegrowing areas (see all in Gas Watch 129 ).

Wednesday, 21 December, 2011. Gas Watch 128. A photographic journey through 2011.

This Gas Watch presents just a few photographs of the many which can be viewed in the HVPA Facebook Gallery. They show why we are fighting AGL Energy and uncontrolled coal mining expansion in this valley

(see all in Gas Watch 128 ).

Tuesday, 20 December, 2011. Gas Watch 127. Community Contribution by AGL Energy during 2011.

SORRY, POSITIVE COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS THERE WERE NONE!

If AGL left the Broke/Bulga valley tomorrow nobody but their employees would miss them!

(for the many NEGATIVE community contributions - read Gas Watch 127 ).

Monday, 7 November, 2011. Gas Watch 126. AGL Energy – “stand down” until the science is known. The call for, at the very least, a moratorium on coal seam methane mining is growing.
Kevin Humphries, Member for Barwon, says, in relation to CSM and agriculture: “You can’t compromise an existing industry that’s exceptionally vibrant for the sake, potentially, of another” and further “we don’t know enough about the industry yet…you’ve got aquifers which could potentially be interfered with or damaged” and importantly “we’re asking in good faith, until we can get the regulations right and there’s a better plan…everyone should just stand down.” ( read more in Gas Watch 126 ).

Thursday, 30 October, 2011. Gas Watch 125. AGL Energy removes community owned protest signs. Not only is AGL now taking down community protest signs from properties in an obvious attempt to illegally and childishly shut down community concerns, but management is now stooping to blame junior staff – this just highlights the complete lack of regard, concern and sense of responsibility for their activities.

AGL is now not only playing with the environment in the Hunter, but they are using illegal means to control the debate. It's just another story showing that this company has no concern, indeed has apparent contempt, for its surroundings and for the community ( read more in Gas Watch 125 ).

Monday, 30 October, 2011. Gas Watch 124. AGL advertises more, possibly damaging, seismic exploration for coal seam methane in Broke and Bulga. Last time Seismic Surveys were conducted, the local road network was significantly damaged when the survey was conducted outside the Governmental approval, to the extent that the Singleton Council required that the Sydney Gas/AGL pay for the repairs.

The September Seismic proposal newsletter from coal seam methane miner AGL has kicked off its campaign to conduct seismic surveys on public roads and on private property.

Typically AGL does not identify which roads or which private property until the very last minute, usually not until after approval by the Government following upon the grossly inadequate Review of Environmental Factors procedure. Sydney Gas/AGL couldn’t be trusted to work within its approval then. What’s different now?
DO NOT SIGN AN ACCESS AGREEMENT and AGL cannot come onto your private land to pursue its seismic survey. LOCK THE GATE! ( read more in Gas Watch 124 ).

Thursday, 20 October, 2011. Gas Watch 123. AGL Energy’s foray into buying vineyards: Brian McGuigan says Nick Greiner is wrong. We’re not really sure what evidence Greiner claims to be relying on, or what Greiner knows about viticulture, but it appears he is quite wrong – say 100% wrong – when the former NSW Premier is today reported to have said:
“ the evidence from my old vineyard suggests that wine and gas can co-exist”.

Brian McGuigan, an icon and living legend of the Hunter Valley wine industry and whose company manages Greiner’s former Spring Mountain vineyard at the vineyard village of Broke in the Hunter Valley on behalf of AGL Energy, says:
“I am of the view that coal seam methane gas fields and viticulture are not compatible land uses”
McGuigan says this even though he is on AGL’s payroll. ( read more in Gas Watch 123 ).

Tuesday, 18 October, 2011. Gas Watch 122. AGL Energy: Avoiding community consultation – dictating to and bullying the community. AGL General Manager of methane mining, Mike Moraza, was apparently hiding in the executive residence at the former Pooles Rock vineyard at Broke during the National Day of Action protest against coal seam methane gas mining on Sunday 16th October.
He has since claimed that he heard matters raised by speakers which he thought were wrong, but he did not see fit to come on down and address the rally.
This Company, AGL Energy, has no idea how to deal with a community. They don’t understand the depth of community sentiment.
...
After buying the former Pooles Rock a week or so go, AGL announced in a Media release yesterday that they had purchased another couple of thousand acres next door to Pooles Rock. AGL didn’t speak to the community about this, merely announced it in the press ... ( read more in Gas Watch 122 ).

Monday, 17 October, 2011. Gas Watch 121. AGL Energy: Invading Broke and Bulga with threats of hundreds of methane extraction wells.

The National Day of Action backed by Lock the Gate Inc., was a resounding success across Australia.
Thousands of people turned out in most States to show the Government that it is the people who tell the Government how to approach the coal seam methane gas invasion, not the coal seam methane miners.
The rally at Broke attracted 400 people. Not bad for a town with a population of just over 500 residents, adults and children ( read more in Gas Watch 121 ).

Friday, 14 October, 2011. Gas Watch 120. AGL Energy: THE DIMINISHING WELLS. Don’t be fooled by their spin.
One hundred (100) extraction wells. That’s what AGL is claiming it now needs to extract methane gas from the coal seams under Broke and Bulga.
Having spun their needs down from 300 to 100, some now have been convinced that it won’t be such a problem for this tranquil side of the Hunter after all.
First, don’t believe the 100 wells. This is at best a guess, the exploration still hasn't’t been done. It could be thousands, as in Queensland.
But even if it is 100 wells, nobody knows what will happen under the ground once AGL gets started. The risks still exist as much as ever. The coal seam methane industry doesn’t know what it is doing. Senator Heffernan recently said that the behaviour of the CSMG industry is like NASA sending a man to the moon and trying to work out how to get him back whilst he was on his way ... ( read more in Gas Watch 120 ).

COMMENT: Another interesting fact debunking the AGL's spin came to light at the Gunnedah Food Security Forum. Peter Martin (Southern Highlands) worked previously on the North Sea oil/gas rigs. He observed that the productivity of a SINGLE conventional high-pressure gas well, such as those on the Australian Northwest Shelf, is equivalent to 400 (!) of the on-shore CSMG wells. Can you believe that AGL is going into all these troubles with buying properties to gain a gas production of ONE QUARTER of a SINGLE conventional off shore well?

Friday, 14 October, 2011. Gas Watch 119. NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST COAL SEAM METHANE GAS EXTRACTION.
All over Australia – Sunday 16th October, 2011 – hundreds of community organisations – thousands of people.

Here at Broke at 11 am on Sunday 16th October, our Community‘s National Day of Action rally against Coal Seam Methane Gas extraction will be outside the former Pooles Rock vineyard about 3 kilometres from Broke along the Wollombi Road.

Show the Government what the people want, not what is best for politicians to win the next election. ( read more in Gas Watch 119 ).

Tuesday, 4 October, 2011. Gas Watch 118. AGL Energy: Buying more land at Broke because landholders have Locked their Gates.
Coal Seam Methane Gas Mining Company AGL Energy has just bought the legendary Pooles Rock Vineyard at Broke in the Hunter Valley from the executors of the estate of the late David Clarke, former Chairman of Macquarie Bank and active coal seam methane gas objector.
It appears that AGL is unable to obtain access from landowners and therefore has not only bought Pooles Rock but is negotiating with other large landowners in the area to purchase their properties. This purchase, and any others, paves the way to put hundreds of wells between Broke and Wollombi. Sydney Gas said 300 wells, AGL says 100 wells, but depending on the flow rate of methane gas from the coal seams, it could be thousands, say one every 500 metres or so leaving the Hunter Valley to look like Chinchilla...
THE FUTURE OF YOUR HEALTH AND PROPERTY IS NOT SAFE IF YOU LIVE IN A GAS EXPLORATION AREA! ( read more in Gas Watch 118 ).
SEE ALSO ARTICLE IN NEWCASTLE HERALD: http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/news/general/vineyard-sold-to-gas-firm/2313192.aspx