Monday, 8 April, 2013. Gas Watch 202. Hunter Valley Council continues strong support of its community against the CSG mining in the Singleton Shire.
AGL ignores Community, local Council and State Government and keeps on drilling
“There appears to be evidence that (environmental) impact could be significant and irreversible.”
“There appears to be serious risk of significant environmental impacts”

These statements, made in a report to Singleton Council, were adopted by the Council tonight when it debated the content of its submission to the Government in response to the Draft State Environmental Plan setting out the coal seam gas exclusion zones.
“Councils are specifically requested to identify villages which meet the defined village criteria so they can be included as residential land” and therefore fall within the exclusion zones contemplated by the SEPP ( see all in Gas Watch 202 ).

Tuesday, 2 April, 2013. Gas Watch 201. AGL fails to follow other coal seam methane miners in saving their shareholders’ money.

Based on “market conditions and shareholder feedback”, Dart Energy has announced to the Stock Exchange that it will suspend field operations in relation to CSG in NSW, including that at Fullerton Cove, where Dart Energy recently had a win in the Land and Environment Court against the Fullerton Cove community.

Another methane miner, Metagasco, has suspended its coal seam methane drilling in the northern rivers. Metagasco CEO said he “could not keep spending shareholders' money in the current political climate”.

These companies have clearly made their decision, notwithstanding that they are not operating in a Critical Industry Cluster exclusion area, in the interests of their respective shareholders.

AGL is operating in a CSG exclusion zone, but in its usual display of arrogance continues to drill through the fresh water aquifers into unknown geological formations below with all the attendant risks. ( see all in Gas Watch 201 ).

Tuesday, 2 April, 2013. Gas Watch 200. AGL takes another step in its destruction of the Hunter Valley.

A photograph of the drilling site at Yellow Rock(below) near the Hunter Valley vineyard village ofBroke, shows the first step in what AGL plan s to be a spiderweb of roads, pipes, drilling pads and coal seam methane wells in the vineyards of the Hunter Valley.

And AGL is just about to commence similar drilling at a nearbysite which has clearly not been adequately geologically researched. The approving Department merely accepts the unsubstantiated, one paragraph of claims by AGL that it is unlikely there will be any problems, instead of requiring thorough independent geological examination.

For example, under AGL’s next drilling site there is complex geology, including a well known fault in the earth’s crust called the “Redmanvale Fault”, under which there was a 2.8 earthqua ke in April,last year, and over which there is a substantial fresh water aquifer ... ( see all in Gas Watch 200 ).

GRAEME, CONGRATULATIONS TO GAS WATCH 200 !!!

Friday, 22 March, 2013. Gas Watch 199. AGL ENERGY’S NEW BATTLEFRONT - BRAINWASHING YOUR CHILDREN.

There is no end to the despicable depths to which AGL Energy will stoop. Parents should be urged not to allow AGL’s spin doctors to play with our children’s fertile minds. Fast food companies and all other contentious advertising are subject to significant regulation when it comes to schools. This is the most cynical form of advertising possible, as it is being done by stealth.

AGL just brought 120 children by bus from Muswellbrook High school, during school hours, to look at its drilling rig at Broke, brainwashing them with AGL propaganda that a coal seam methane well is just an insignificant piece of machinery that won’t hurt the environment, our waterways, our health, our productive soil, our lifestyles and our property values. Proven lies. ( see all in Gas Watch 199 ). See alse a copy of a report in the Newcastle Herald.

Thursday, 21 March, 2013. Gas Watch 198. GOVERNMENT PRODUCES DRAFT PLANNING POLICY BANNING CSG DEVELOPMENT IN THE VINEYARDS. AGL Energy thumbs its nose.

Today, AGL said they had not even read the public consultation draft. In an extraordinary, but predictable, display of ignorance and arrogance, AGL called a meeting today to discuss their CSG drilling in the Hunter Vineyards, revealing that they hadn’t even read the public consultation draft SEPP banning CSG in the vineyards. “Haven’t had time” said the AGL Community Relations person, Alison Croker. Astonishing! Probably the most important document that has ever been published in relation to AGL’s coal seam methane drilling in the Hunter, and they hadn’t made the time to read it...( see all in Gas Watch 198 ).

Monday, 4 March, 2013. Gas Watch 197. AGL: "We own it (the land), so could we drill on it?”

In another display of arrogance and complete disregard for the local community, AGL is reported to have asked today: “We own it (the land), so could we drill on it?”

Well, according to the O’Farrell announcements, the answer is a resounding “No”. The community of the Hunter Valley does not want AGL setting up gas fields and has been actively opposing this since 2004. It’s time AGL faced up to its lack of support by both the community and now the Government, and just went away from the Hunter.

The O’Farrell Government is to be applauded for listening to the community and for taking steps to save the environment and the iconic vineyards of the Hunter Valley, honouring its pre-election promises.

The community is so opposed to AGL turning the Hunter Valley into a gas field that AGL has had to buy large tracts of land in the Broke and Bulga vineyard areas because landholders won’t give them access to their land. ( see all in Gas Watch 197 ).

Tuesday, 25 February, 2013. Gas Watch 196. IT’S NOW OFFICIAL. AGL WILL IGNORE THE O’FARRELL GOVERNMENT’S CSG EXCLUSION ZONES. AND WILL CONTINUE EXPLORATORY DRILLING.

“AGL intends to continue with its exploration activities, including drilling a number of core holes on AGL owned property and private land in the Broke and Bulga area, for which approvals are in place.” – so says the Community Relations Manager – Hunter (Alison Crocker – email 26/2/2013).

AGL has elected to completely ignore Premier O’Farrell’s announcements. You would think that AGL’s methane mining arm would have great difficulty in justifying this behaviour to its Board and its Shareholders.

Premier O’Farrell made it very clear in his recent Press Release that “Critical Industry Clusters identified under the Strategic Regional Land Use Plans – horse breeders and wine producers will also be excluded from CSG activities”.

George Souris, Member for the Upper Hunter has also made it very clear: “There won't be CSG development where no DA's have been approved, effectively taking out viticulture and equine CICs and 2km from residential zoning.” ( see all in Gas Watch 196 ).

Monday, 25 February, 2013. Gas Watch 195. AGL takes on the Government. AGL has clearly refused to accept Premier O’Farrell’s exclusion of the Hunter Vineyards from CSG exploration. And continues its drilling program.

AGL today sent out invitations to “small, by-invite-only gatherings” to “peek” at “one of our operational sites” in Broke. What is it that AGL doesn’t get?

Premier O’Farrell has made it clear now, on more than one occasion, that no CSG projects will be approved in the winegrowing/tourism Critical Industry Cluster in the Hunter Valley. The Premier has made it abundantly clear that Broke, in particular, will be saved. This has been confirmed by Member for the Upper Hunter, George Souris.

AGL has no social licence to operate in the Broke and Bulga communities. ( see all in Gas Watch 195 ).

Monday, 25 February, 2013. Gas Watch 194. AGL attempts to create gas price panic.

AGL, clutching at straws and claiming a possible increase in gas prices in the future, tries to panic the NSW Government into reversing its decision to exclude sensitive areas from CGS extraction. The Australian Petroleum Production and Export Association, APPEA, has weighed in with similar panic statements such as the newly made up phrase - “gas supply crisis”.

Will these people stop at nothing to keep their share price up at huge environmental cost? They claim that the cost of gas will rise because we will have to import it from interstate. Give us a break. 95% of our gas comes from interstate now, so how is there going to be a price effect? And you can rest assured that the majority of coal seam methane sucked out by the CSG miners will go straight overseas. ( see all in Gas Watch 194 ).

Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism industry excluded from Community Consultation Committee.

No representative of Hunter Wines or Tourism will be permitted to attend the next Hunter Community Consultative Committee meeting.

This is a Committee set up to facilitate consultation between AGL and the local community. The regular representative gave the chair some weeks notice that he couldn’t attend the March meeting and asked that a substitute attend on his behalf. The Chair, who has a discretion to allow observers and guests to attend and either take part in the meeting or not, has refused. ( see all in Gas Watch 194 ).

Tuesday, 19 February, 2013. Gas Watch 193. Hunter Wine Industry applauds exclusion of Hunter Wine Country from coal seam gas activity.

Today’s announcement by the O’Farrell Government that the Hunter Vineyards are to be excluded from CSG activities honours the pre-election promises of the O’Farrell Government, and was received warmly by the people of the Hunter.

The devil is always in the detail, however, and we await expectantly for that detail. The exclusion area is shown in the Strategic Land Use Plan entitled “Strategic Agricultural Lands (Viticulture)” and you can find a copy of the map at http://huntervalleyprotectionalliance.com/pdf/HUNTER_SAL-Viticulture-with-road-labels-20111130.pdf.

What we now require is to take this from being announcements to being LAW. Not a simple State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) but law – strong, irrevocable legislation similar to the Character Preservation (McLaren Vale) and (Barossa Valley) Acts in South Australia.

And we need that law to be in place before the Federal election on 14th September, 2013, or it may never happen( see all in Gas Watch 193 ).

Monday, 18 February, 2013. Gas Watch 192. HUNTER VALLEY COUNCIL REJECTS COAL SEAM METHANE GAS..

Tonight, Singleton Council unanimously rejected an application by AGL Energy to access Council road reserves for its coal seam methane exploration.

The packed public gallery burst into applause when Councillors resolved not only to refuse AGL’s access to road reserves for seismic CSG exploration, but to reaffirm Council’s objection to all CSG activities in the Singleton LGA.

In yet another display of arrogance, AGL didn’t even turn up to support their application, notice of which they not give to the community

( see all in Gas Watch 192 ).

Wednesday, 13 February, 2013. Gas Watch 191. AGL to risk 200 years of sustainable industry, and its future, for less than 5 years methane extraction.

AGL would produce coal seam methane in the Hunter for a mere 4.73 years.

That’s the big prize for risking the fragile environment of the Hunter forever.

And the Government has washed its hands of all responsibility. During those 4.73 years the Hunter Valley Wine Industry could be devastated, wiped out, through fresh water contamination and the salt contamination of the highly productive soil from disposal of contaminated coal seam water.

The Hunter Valley Wine Industry is a sustainable industry with nearly 200 years of history, with another 200 years or more left in it, and attracts a burgeoning tourism industry. AGL today boasts that there are probable reserves of 669 petajoules of methane at Gloucester and “just” 142Pj in the Hunter Valley, and that it would produce about 30Pj per year.

Well, let’s do the sums. If, and that’s a big if, there is 142Pj in the Hunter, then the coal seam methane in the Hunter will be finished in 4.73 years ( see all in Gas Watch 191 ).

Tuesday, 12 February, 2013. Gas Watch 190. Just when you thought the Federal Government had grown an environmental backbone – it approves the Gloucester CSG project!.

One day Federal Environment Minister Burke slams the O’Farrell Government for its slack approach to CSG.

The next day Burke aids and abets AGL in its environmental destruction of prime agricultural land around Gloucester – although today Burke described his approval as a “Clayton’s approval”, an approval you give when you are not really giving an approval?? Looks like he has done this simply to punish the O’Farrell Government for its slack environmental laws in relation to CSG.

The GM of Methane Mining for AGL, Mike Moraza, gave evidence before a Senate enquiry that AGL would not force entry onto any land: “There is a lot of country out there that can be explored and we would move on.” (Hansard) – yet in complete opposition to that evidence AGL has now been successful in Court, forcing 110 gas wells on the people of Gloucester.

But the likes of AGL never reveal the final scope of their whole CSG project. Who knows, we could end up with thousands of wells anywhere from Merriwa to Newcastle ( see all in Gas Watch 190 ).

Sunday, 10 February, 2013. Gas Watch 189. WESTERN SYDNEY A DISTRACTION FROM AGL FRACKING IN THE HUNTER.

This Company HAS NEVER BEEN MORE ACTIVE THAN IT IS, NOW, IN THE HUNTER VALLEY, and is ramping up to launch its fracking in the region.

IS IT ALREADY TOO LATE TO SAVE THE HUNTER WINE INDUSTRY, with fracking exploration wells in the vineyards about to commence? ( see all in Gas Watch 189 ).

Friday, 8 February, 2013. Gas Watch 188. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CSG INTERVENTION APPLAUDED. NSW GOVERNMENT HAS FAILED IN DRAFTING COAL SEAM METHANE LAWS.

The NSW Government has drafted laws which give no effective protection to even one square metre of this State, and which fly in the face of the recommendations of its own Stakeholder Reference Group.

As a result AGL Energy has already announced that this year it will be fracking coal seams in the Hunter Valley vineyards, even though it is concerned with the fracking technique it appears to now have abandoned in its Camden Gas fields.

This month AGL is drilling core holes through fresh water aquifers and hundreds of metres down into the salty, contaminated coal seams below, risking the fresh water of the Hunter Valley.

“The O’Farrell Government seems either incompetent, or unwilling, to properly address the effective control of the CSG industry and refuses to accept that CSG extraction and sustainable agriculture cannot co-exist.” said Stewart Ewen, the Chair of the Hunter Valley Protection Alliance ( see all in Gas Watch 188 ).

Sunday, 27 January, 2013. Gas Watch 187. AGL – HAVE THEY OVERSTEPPED THE LINE BETWEEN SPINNING & LYING?

An AGL company mouthpiece went on record last week complaining that this Alliance broadcast “misinformation” and that we had never produced one fact to support any of our allegations about the behaviour of AGL in its coal seam methane mining activities.

So here we go again. Wouldn’t it be much more simple for them to admit they have breached some conditions in the past and perhaps say what they are doing to prevent them in the future. But no, we have to waste our time digging out the facts that they deny ever happened. Here, just briefly, are just some of those facts again:

FACT 1. During August, 2010 AGL, in the course of its exploration for coal seam methane in the Hunter, AGL dumped an alleged 300,000 litres of salty contaminated water onto pasture, killing the pasture. AGL admitted to 110,000 litres, and was ordered to remediate the site. The NSW Ombudsman said: “it appears to me that AGL breached their licence conditions by discharging the contaminated water” (NSW Ombudsman ref: C/2010/7463).

FACT 2. In July, 2011 AGL was issued with a “formal warning” by the Government following a blowout of a methane well near Campbelltown caused by incorrect operation of the well.

FACT 3. AGL failed “to comply with the Licence conditions in both of its Petroleum Exploration Licences affecting the Hunter Valley Wine Country (Report on Audit of Coal and Petroleum Exploration Licences in NSW – Phase 2).

( see all in Gas Watch 187 ).

Sunday, 20 January, 2013. Gas Watch 186. AUSSIES AND THE WORLD LOVE THE HUNTER VALLEY. SOUTH AUSTRALIA LOVES THE BAROSSA.
WHY IS O’FARRELL AND HIS GOVERNMENT HELL BENT ON DESTROYING THE HUNTER BY LETTING AGL IGNORE SCIENCE AND EXPERIMENT WITH AND HARM ITS PRISTINE ENVIRONMENTS?

When will the O’Farrell Government and the Minister for Tourism and Member for the Upper Hunter, George Souris, realise that they must protect the world acclaimed Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism industry from disappearing into a coal seam methane gas field, and work with the local wine and food producers rather than against them?

When will AGL Energy see the light and realise that the Hunter Valley cannot afford the health and environmental risks of developing a coal seam methane gas field in the vineyards?

South Australia is proud of their new laws protecting the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. O’Farrell and Souris must be ashamed of their own treatment of the Hunter Valley as a fossil fuel quarry ( see all in Gas Watch 186 ).

Thursday, 17 January, 2013. Gas Watch 185. AGL Energy’s fraccing about turn in Sydney doesn’t surprise the Hunter Valley community.

It’s typical of AGL’s treatment of the general public in the Hunter where AGL is clearly experimenting with coal seam methane exploration and using the Hunter as its guinea pig.

AGL, which has announced that it will be fraccing coal seams in the vineyard area of the Hunter Valley during 2013, declared at a local public meeting that it would not drill for coal seam methane in the Milbrodale Valley in the Hunter because that area was affected by the Bulga-Inlet fault line, a serious and well documented fault line.

But, predictably, AGL has now changed its mind and has obtained approval to drill a core hole in Milbrodale, stating in its Review of Environmental Factors that it “can safely drill within 200 metres of the Bulga-Inlet fault line”. No scientific support for this from any geologist. AGL has simply changed its mind and convinced the Government that it must have been wrong when it earlier accepted the dangers of drilling in the Milbrodale Valley ( see all in Gas Watch 185 ).

Sunday, 13 January, 2013. Gas Watch 184. AGL Energy’s feeble and failed attempt at preparing the newly required Agricultural Impact Statement makes a mockery of the Government’s recently claimed protection of strategic agricultural land.

AGL lodged an “Agricultural Impact Statement” with the State Government, as it is required to do, in support of its application for approval to drill through the upper fresh water aquifers into the coal seam a kilometre or so under the earth’s crust.

These Agricultural Impact Statements are now a requirement, so that the Government can see what impact coal seam methane miners will have on existing agriculture. But there is no point in anyone preparing one at all if they aren’t accurate.

AGL’s Agricultural Impact Statement (AIS) supporting its drilling at Milbrodale in the Hunter Valley is so flawed as to be useless. AGL is just ticking the boxes rather than having a serious attempt at identifying impacts on existing agriculture. The Manager of AGL’s coal seam methane mining said he didn’t even know that there was an organic vineyard within 500 metres of the drilling site.

On 31st December, 2012 we wrote to the Minister regarding the quality of the AIS asking that the approval for the drilling be stayed until the AIS addresses all agricultural issues. We have had no response. A copy of our letter can be found at http://huntervalleyprotectionalliance.com/pdf/HVPA_ToMinHartcher-re-OrganicVineyard.pdf The Government is probably asking AGL what it wants them to say ( see all in Gas Watch 184 ).

Thursday 10 January, 2013. Gas Watch 183. AGL Energy’s contribution to the Hunter Valley during 2012 – Happy New Year.

Of course there’s plenty more than that which is set out below, but thanks AGL for ruining our 2012, for ruining our Hunter Valley, for ruining our environment, for ruining our beautiful area, for ruining our property values and our businesses, and for ruining our rural lifestyles.

We just hope when it comes around for AGL to seek production licences that the Government lives up to its firm promises and saves the Hunter from your pillaging. Here’s some of AGL’s contribution to the Hunter Valley during 2012: ( see all in Gas Watch 183 ).

Tuesday 31 December, 2012. Gas Watch 182. AGL Energy to start drilling for coal seam methane in the Hunter during January, 2013.

As anticipated in our last Gas Watch, AGL announced in Christmas week that it intends to start drilling core holes into the coal seams under the Hunter Valley villages of Broke and Milbrodale in January, 2013. It is usual for the likes of AGL to make these announcements over Christmas when people are away or relaxing. In its Christmas announcement AGL included a photograph of the drilling rig, similar to this one taken from its website.

What it doesn’t show, and AGL always shows its drilling pads or well heads in isolation, is that the road leading to the drilling pad will eventually be linked upto other drilling pads so it will look like this.







( see more in Gas Watch 182 ).

Wednesday 19 December, 2012. Gas Watch 181. AGL Energy meets with the Hunter Valley Wine Industry Association.

AGL claimed that coal seam methane mining could co-exist with viticulture. When told coexistence had never successfully happened anywhere in the world, the GM of methane mining for AGL, Mike Moraza said “I know of one petroleum project in California” which Moraza described as having “a form of co-existence”. “One?!”. “A form of?!”
Now that is a convincing argument, isn’t it? And that appears to be the best he can do! We have had a sustainable wine industry for 200 years, have a burgeoning wine tourism industry, and we will go another 200 years and beyond. AGL will mine their fossil fuel for a few short years per well and then leave the area in goodness knows what sort of an environmental mess ( see more in Gas Watch 181 ).

Thursday 13 December, 2012. Gas Watch 180. AGL Energy, methane gas miner, dances on the grave of the late David Clarke AO.

Today AGL Energy, which bought the former Pooles Rock vineyard from David Clarke’s estate shortly after his death, commenced drilling in what is a precursor to fraccing coal seams both under the Pooles Rock vines, and also under the Pokolbin State Forest which abuts the property and can be seen in the rear of the attached photos ... ( see more in Gas Watch 180 ).

Thursday 13 December, 2012. Gas Watch 179. Minister Hartcher ignores advice of his own Chief Scientist in ending moratorium on fraccing coal seams.

Minister Hartcher has put our land and our environment at serious risk in ordering the end of the moratorium on fraccing coal seams in ignoring the warnings from his own Chief Scientist. What’s the point in ordering a report if it is to be ignored! What is Minister Hartcher thinking? Or did he think at all.

Hartcher claims he used the report from the Government’s Chief Scientist & Engineer (a copy of which we have obtained under Freedom of Information) as his base to allow the methane miners to start fraccing, and AGL has said that it intends to start fraccing very shortly in the Hunter Valley. How could any right thinking person ignore the report of the Chief Scientist, (see http://huntervalleyprotectionalliance.com/pdf/NSWGOV_FrInfo_DraftReportCSE-toMinister.pdf ) and contained, amongst other things, the following warnings (Prof Peter Cook CBE FTSE ): ... ( more in Gas Watch 179 ).

Sunday 25 November, 2012. Gas Watch 177.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACKNOWLEDGES DANGERS OF CSG.
STATE GOVERNMENT BETRAYS LANDHOLDERS.

1. Singleton Council in the Hunter Valley has unanimously reaffirmed its opposition to coal seam methane gas mining in the Singleton Local Government area and says it will decline any application by AGL Energy to conduct seismic testing on Council roads.
2. Cessnock Council in the Hunter Valley has now also unanimously voted to reject an application by AGL Energy to use local roads to explore for coal seam methane gas.
3. The O’Farrell State Government continues to ignore the protection of prime agricultural land, continues to ignore the need to protect ground water and underground fresh water aquifers, and ignores the advice of its own Stakeholders Reference Group by substantially weakening Strategic Land Use Policies to such an extent that they encourage fossil fuel extraction over prime farming land and water protection, and it ignores the rights and wishes of the community (see more in Gas Watch 177 ).

Thursday 15 November, 2012. Gas Watch 176. METHANE BEING RELEASED INTO THE AIR WE BREATHE – is this the next asbestos?

1. Methane emissions inside the Tara methane gas field in Queensland’s Darling Downs were up to three times the emissions outside the gas field – Southern Cross University.

2. Australia is likely to be significantly underestimating coal seam gas fugitive emissions by around 62 million tonnes over three years - The Australia Institute’s Senior Economist Matt Grudnoff.

Uncontrolled fugitive leakage of methane gas is something this Alliance has continually warned about, and something the methane miners have been very quiet about. The unconventional CSG industry, and its industry body APPEA, must stop hiding this massive problem of methane leaking from coal seams, after fraccing, through the soil and into the air we breathe. It’s about time they were honest with the community.

The Southern Cross University research is saying that coal seam methane could well be dirtier than coal. This confirms what has been found throughout the world. (see more in Gas Watch 176 ).

The NSW Government is supporting the Coal Seam Methane industry over food bowls and agriculture. Let’s see if the Feds will help in saving the country. Please go to this website and send an email to the Federal Minister for Health and the Federal Minister for Climate Control letting them know your real concerns. It’s only a click. Maybe the Feds will help.
Tell the Federal Government: CSG Mining - It's Not Safe

Friday 9 November, 2012. Gas Watch 175. AGL Energy –fraccing coal seams in Hunter Valley for methane.

AGL Energy has announced that it proposes to conduct hydraulic fracturing (fraccing) of Hunter Valley coal seams in the course of its exploration for unconventional coal seam methane gas. This process will produce a quantity of coal seam methane gas.

What is the point of the Government declaring Strategic Agricultural Lands if it ignores that declaration and permits methane being released from under those lands. AGL has announced that it will undertake the fraccing towards the end of this year on land owned by AGL at both Broke and Bulga, and that it is preparing a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) in support of its proposal.

An REF is a simple desk top exercise used, instead of a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), where it is thought there won’t be too much detrimental environmental impact. There is no public scrutiny at all, and little inter-Departmental scrutiny of an REF. They are pretty much rubber-stamped by the Department. There is scrutiny of an EIS. Hiding behind a simple REF is just plain wrong ... (see more in Gas Watch 175 ).

Friday 9 November, 2012. Gas Watch 174. AGL Energy to drill through flood plains in Hunter Valley.

Over the next few weeks AGL Energy, in its headlong pursuit of unconventional coal seam methane, has announced it will drill 12 bores, most on the flood plains of the Wollombi Brook, a tributary of the mighty Hunter River. AGL has already started building roads on its Yellow Rock property at Broke, only 500 metres from the vineyard village, in anticipation of bringing in the massive drilling rigs next week.

AGL’s fossil fuel rape of the Hunter Valley knows no bounds ... (see more in Gas Watch 174 ).

Wednesday 24 October, 2012. Gas Watch 173. APPEA continues with its $2.5 million campaign of lies, spin, omission and exaggeration.

In a two page “advertising feature” in yesterday’s press APPEA, (The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association) attempted to justify the destruction of prime agricultural land in the headlong pursuit of unconventional coal seam methane gas. The “advertising feature” claimed:

• That farmers could rely on AGL Energy’s coal seam methane as a “good income earner”.
AN EXAGGERATION. In the case of Halfpenny Investments v Sydney Gas (now AGL) the Court held that a landowner would be entitled to $6.40 per year for each well site; $3.84 per day for each well site during drilling; $0.20c per square meter for methane gas pipes; and $0.20c per square meter for land otherwise needed for industrial equipment or the like. Hardly a “good income earner”! (see more in Gas Watch 173 ).

Saturday 20 October, 2012. Gas Watch 172. Hunter Valley voted Number 1 wine region in Australasia – will become a coal seam methane gas field if O’Farrell Government and AGL Energy have their way.
The Hunter Valley has been recognized as one of the finest wine districts in the world, winning the 2012 Travellers’ Choice Wine Destination Awards for the Australasian region.

This award is based on the reviews and opinions of millions of travellers worldwide. This is the winegrowing and wine tourism area which AGL Energy seeks to turn into an unconventional coal seam methane gas field. A world famous, iconic winegrowing region with a history going back to 1820.

A sustainable industry which could continue on for another 200 years or more, but which AGL Energy, with the support of the O’Farrell Government, will destroy in return for a couple of decades of coal seam methane, which we don’t even need.

Minister for Tourism, George Souris, crows that the Hunter Valley is “famous for wine and has an outstanding reputation for quality produce with a vibrant calendar of events.”

So, why won’t this Government stop AGL from exploring further for coal seam methane in the winegrowing areas? Why can’t Minister Souris convince the Government to Save the Hunter? (see more in Gas Watch 172 ).

Bulga Bridge Centenary celebrations.

Bulga-Milbrodale Progress Association invites all current and past residents ofBulga and other interested persons to attend the Bulga Bridge Centenary on 27th October 2012 commencing at 10am with a bridge opening re-enactment then stalls music and activities at the Recreation ground, a Ball will be held in the evening. Please contact (02) 6574 5237

When:	27 Oct 12, 9 am
Where:	Inlet Road Bulga New South Wales
Cost	Ball tickets $20 per head
Phone	(02) 6574 5237
Email	hda95785@bigpond.net.au

(see program details ).

Wednesday 10 October, 2012. Gas Watch 171. Brainwashed by his own bureaucrats, and also by the Coal Seam Methane industry, Minister Hartcher lives in fantasy land.
Minister Hartcher claims, in an address to the Coal Seam Methane lobby group APPEA on 9th October, 2012:
• “the NSW Government needs to ramp up the industry to avoid gas shortages and higher prices”
This is nonsense. The Minister is only listening to his public servants, the same public servants who worked under the previous Government’s Minister handing out, willy-nilly, Petroleum Exploration Licences over massive areas of NSW. What he says is simply not true. The BHP Billiton Petroleum Chief Mike Yeager said as recently as 14th May, 2012 – “We want to make sure that the market knows that....We have a lot of gas in eastern Australia that’s available. It’s more important to let the citizens of Victoria and New South Wales and Queensland know, that there’s plenty of gas to supply those provinces indefinitely. We have gas for sale and we will work with anybody at any time.” Further, gas prices in the USA have fallen through the floor (see more in Gas Watch 171 ).

Thursday 13 September, 2012. Gas Watch 170. Government caves in to AGL Energy and reneges on its promises.
According to AGL Energy the NSW Government has announced that it has renewed AGL’s Petroleum Exploration Licence 267 covering the iconic vineyard areas of the Hunter Valley.

AGL was required, by law, to relinquish 25% of the PEL area upon renewal. The community actively pursued Government to include in that 25% all the vineyard areas of Pokolbin, and Broke Fordwich, including Bulga and Milbrodale.

These representations were supported by not only evidence of the environmental risks of the unconventional coal seam methane industry, but also based upon socio-economic evidence supporting the sustainable, 200 year old, winegrowing industry now supported by the wine tourism industry as opposed to a CSG industry which would be in and out in 20 years leaving the environment and the water in a possibly irretrievable mess.

AGL pursued the Government to relinquish a number of blocks away from the heart of those winegrowing and tourism areas.
...
And of course 11,000 people who signed a petition in support of excising the vineyard areas from the Petroleum Exploration Licence area did not have their petition even discussed during the Cabinet debate because, although it was lodged with the Member for the Upper Hunter George Souris on 8th November, 2011, it was sitting on a desk in his office until 19th September, 2012 when we enquired as its whereabouts. Apparently the Member then immediately lodged it (see more in Gas Watch 170 ).

Thursday 13 September, 2012. Gas Watch 169. NSW Government fails to Save the Hunter.
In another blow for the Hunter Valley, Minister Hazzard has announced there will be no protection of the Hunter Valley vineyard areas from unconventional coal seam methane gas exploration and mining, effectively giving the CSG miners open slather to ruin the precious environment of the Hunter.

This is despite the pre-election promises made by himself, other Ministers, and the Member for the Upper Hunter, George Souris, that the coal seam methane mining would not be permitted in the vineyard areas.

The new Strategic Regional Land Use Policy has turned out to offer no protection for the vineyards and vineyard tourism in the Hunter. What the people of the Hunter sought was protection of our environment, our water, our land, our health and our livelihoods. The Government in opposition promised us this. After the election the Government continued with that promise, but has abandoned the Hunter.

The Hunter has become the Government’s “dumping ground” for the fossil fuel industry. The Hunter can’t take any more.
(see more in Gas Watch 169 ).

Tuesday 11 September, 2012. Gas Watch 168. Robyn Parker, Minister for the Environment, continues to fail in her Ministerial Role.
On 11th September, 2012, at 4 am, the dust levels in the air near the coal mines in Singleton reached TWO AND A HALF TIMES THE LEVEL WHICH IS CONSIDERED HAZARDOUS TO HUMAN HEALTH (source: oeh website).

For the past two weeks we have been regularly writing to the Department and to Minister Robyn Parker, with no response other than a “thank you for contacting the Minsiter (the Minister’s staff spelling, not ours). We have pointed out to the Minister that the dust pollution levels have regularly been in the hazardous range, affecting human health
(see more in Gas Watch 168 ).

Friday 7 September, 2012. Gas Watch 167. Robyn Parker, Minister for the Environment, sits on her hands as the Hunter Valley suffocates
Since 30th August, 2012, the Ministerial Office of Robyn Parker has been informed by us that air pollution in the Hunter Valley has regularly exceeded the level “hazardous to human health”. She should have been informed by her Department well before then. The Minister has done nothing to protect the health of the residents of the Hunter.

The measurements of particles in the air less than 10 micrometers in diameter (P10) should have a maximum concentration in the air of 50 micrograms per cubic meter. (50 considered poor quality air) Health alerts are issued in the Hunter when the readings, on average over 24 hour periods, exceed the 50 microgram limit.

But within those averages the P10 level has reached 300 micrograms per cubic meter, three times the “hazardous” level. Doctors report that: “P10 over 300 is extremely dangerous to lungs and may even cause cancer induction!.
(see more in Gas Watch 167 ).

Wednesday 5 September, 2012. Gas Watch 166. $2.5 million worth of lies by APPEA (The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association.)
It is official. APPEA has lied in its advertisements supporting unconventional coal seam methane gas and can no longer be trusted by the Australian Public.
Worst of all, its lies are being given the blessing of Barry O’Farrell and the NSW Government who, by failing to do anything to support the CSIRO, are protecting this fossil fuel industry at the expense of the health of the electorate and the environment.
It has been widely reported in today’s press that the CSIRO has asked APPEA to withdraw an advertisement, part of APPEA’s $2.5M campaign to try and hoodwink the public, which claims that the nation’s peak scientific group had given coal seam gas a clean bill of health.
(see more in Gas Watch 166 ).

Tuesday 3 September, 2012. Gas Watch 165. HELP SAVE THE HUNTER – before it’s too late.

www.helpsavethehunter.com
The Hunter cannot take any more.

We have an ineffectual Environment Department which has reported 4 “health alerts” in the Hunter in the last 8 days, based on air pollution exceeding National standards, but does nothing about it.

None of us should spend half our lives breathing severely polluted air, when the pollution can be stopped.

We have a Government which won’t properly consider the cumulative effect of unconventional coal seam methane gas mining upon the current industrial polluters of the Hunter Valley, let alone the cumulative effect of the current polluters on each other... (see more in Gas Watch 165 ).

Tuesday 28 August, 2012. Gas Watch 164. AGL Energy – one of Australia’s biggest polluters – shows its evidence to the Senate Enquiry meant nothing
AGL Energy gave evidence before the Senate Enquiry that it would not force entry onto a property where the property owner says “No.” Turns out that wasn’t to be true!
The General Manager of AGL Upstream Gas, Mike Moraza’s evidence to the Senate Enquiry is recorded in Hansard as being ...
(see more in Gas Watch 164 ).

Monday 20 August, 2012. Gas Watch 163. AGL Energy continues to breach gas Exploration Licence conditions – Government watchdogs do nothing..
AGL Energy has admitted to failing to comply with its Environment Protection Licence at its massive Camden gas works for a period of 3 years!!!

It has not continually monitored its exhaust gases to ensure they meet the allowable annual emission load limits. So no-one knows what AGL has been pumping into the atmosphere, or how much pollutant has been released.

It is high time the Government tamed this methane miner, which continues to flout its environmental responsibilities. There is no room in NSW for the ignoring of Licence conditions. Licence conditions are there for a reason. There is clearly insufficient regulation, and no punishment, for this Company, which appears to be laughing at Licence conditions (see more in Gas Watch 163 ).

,Wednesday 15 August, 2012. Gas Watch 162. Coal Seam Methane Gas industry underestimates uncontrolled escape of coal seam methane gas from wellheads by 21,000,000 tonnes a year.

The Australia Institute’s Senior Economist Matt Grudnoff finds that Australia is likely to be significantly underestimating coal seam gas fugitive emissions by around 62 million tonnes over three years.

Uncontrolled fugitive emissions are something this Alliance has continually warned about, and something the methane miners have been very quiet about.

The environmental impact of coal seam methane gas exploration, extraction and FRACCING, particularly on groundwater, fresh water aquifers and upon the soil itself, is well documented throughout the world, but there is little research in the broader effects of CSG extraction. (see more in Gas Watch 162 ).

Friday, 10 August, 2012. Gas Watch 161. AGL Energy defies Singleton Council in a display of arrogance. FRACCING and seismic surveys “will” take place in the winegrowing region of the Hunter, says AGL.
In a display of arrogance, AGL Energy today stated that they propose to FRAC gas wells they have drilled on their Bulga property.
(see more in Gas Watch 161 ).

Tuesday, 7 August, 2012. Gas Watch 160. Hunter Valley Council LOCKS THE GATE to coal seam methane exploration and mining.
An application from AGL Energy to conduct seismic testing on Singleton Council Roads,
“WILL BE DECLINED
in line with the resolution” of Council of 19th March, 2012 re-affirming Council’s opposition to coal seam gas exploration and mining in the Singleton Local Government area. (General Manager, Singleton Council letter of 26.7.2012)

Congratulations and thank you to Singleton Council for taking the strong stand that its electors and ratepayers have been seeking for so long from the State Government (see more in Gas Watch 160 ).

Monday, 6 August, 2012. Gas Watch 159. Threat to Hunter Valley Wine Industry – coal mine threatens to wipe out Hunter Valley village – coal seam methane gas exploration and extraction the next wave of threat.
Any notion that open cut coal mining can co-exist with agriculture is misguided. It has been proven that there is no possibility of co-existence.

The claims made by the coal mining industry in the 1980s that it could co-exist with agriculture have been proven to be totally wrong. Prime agricultural land has been, and is being, destroyed in the headlong plunge into raping productive land for coal and coal seam methane gas.

Identical claims of co-existence are now being made by the unconventional coal seam methane gas industry (see more in Gas Watch 159 ).

Wednesday, 25 July, 2012. Gas Watch 158. NSW Government left behind in the protection of the Hunter Valley Wine Region.
In a lesson in leadership, the Western Australian Government has issued a blanket ban on coal mining in the Margaret River winegrowing region of its State, citing the environmental risks as “unacceptable”.
WA Mines Minister Norman Moore said he had terminated all pending applications for coal exploration within a 230 radius of Margaret River.

“The Government has now decided that the advice of the (WA) Environmental Protection Authority that coal mining applications be rejected should also be applied to the whole of the coal mineralization extending through the identified 230 square kilometre zone and applications for coal mining should not be supported”, said Mr. Moore. “This decision sends a clear signal to the industry – applications will not be accepted to explore or mine coal in this area”.
"This decision sends a clear signal to the industry - applications will not be accepted to explore for or mine coal in this area" (see more in Gas Watch 158 ).

Wednesday, 25 July, 2012. Gas Watch 157. AGL ENERGY ANNOUNCES INDUSTRIALISATION OF RURAL LAND IN THE HUNTER VALLEY.
A “community relations manager” from AGL Energy has produced, she claims, “high level” answers to questions the community has raised about AGLs intentions regarding coal seam methane exploration on two of its properties in the Hunter Valley at Bulga and at Broke, but will only give details at some “upcoming events”? What they do on their own properties is what they will do on yours, if you allow them on. Lock your gate. Tell them to leave immediately! (see more in Gas Watch 157 ).

Wednesday, 25 July, 2012. Gas Watch 156. MINISTER HARTCHER EXTENDS MORATORIUM ON FRACCING COAL SEAMS.
In what is seen by the community as an essential move by the NSW Government, the moratorium on the dangerous practice of fraccing coal seams to release methane gas into the environment has been extended.
Minister Hartcher says that the moratorium, which has now twice been extended, will stay in place until the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer has conducted an independent review into the fraccing practice (see more in Gas Watch 156 ).

Sunday, 25 June, 2012. Gas Watch 155. LACK OF PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT BY GOVERNMENT. AGL Energy, and other coal seam methane miners, are getting away with environmental vandalism because there is insufficient protection by the Government.

Why is the Government continuing to protect the unconventional coal seam methane industry to the detriment of the community?

The Government has agreed in its Audit Report on coal seam methane gas exploration that: 'The Petroleum Act guideline is not attuned to the coal seam gas exploration and production conditions. The Act must be reviewed and amended', but has DONE NOTHING about it. (see more in Gas Watch 155

Thursday, 21 June, 2012. Gas Watch 154. AGL Energy's 175th birthday advertising marred by evidence of:

• lack of community consultation;
• continuing to drill for unconventional coal seam methane gas in areas of high population;
• an arrogant attack upon the environment by purposely dumping salty CSG drilling water onto agricultural land;
• acquiring the dirty brown coal power station at Loy Yang;
• disposing of sustainable energy assets.

It is claimed that the new commercial (released this week) advertising the 175th anniversary of AGL highlights community involvement and focus on sustainable energy in Australia today. What errant nonsense. (see more in Gas Watch 154 discuss on Facebook or Twitter )

Monday, 11 June, 2012. Gas Watch 153. ITS NO WONDER 63% OF VISITORS TO THE HUNTER VALLEY SAID, IN A RECENT SURVEY, THAT THEY WOULD CONSIDER BOYCOTTING AGLs ELECTRICITY AND GAS PRODUCTS IF AGL SET UP GAS FIELDS IN THE HUNTER VALLEY VINEYARDS!
AGL continues to waste its shareholders money and has another go at ticking the community consultation box in its effort to drill more methane exploration holes in the Hunter. After failing to give any information at its recent drilling information session, AGL is advertising another three.
Trouble is that AGL has completely lost the trust and respect of the general public, and its probable that nobody will turn up. AGL continues to treat the public with contempt in its efforts to gain approval to mine unconventional coal seam methane in the Hunter (see more in Gas Watch 153 discuss on Facebook or Twitter )

Sunday, 27 May, 2012. Gas Watch 152. AGL gives no information at its recent information session.
Theyve done it again. Ticked the community consultation box without actually consulting with the community. AGL was up to its usual decline to give details (AGL spokeswoman Nicole Rizgalla earlier this month) mantra at the drop in information session on 24th May at its methane gas site at Bulga, Hunter Valley. (see more in Gas Watch 152}

RIO TINTO. Part of the cumulative impact on the Hunter Valley of coal and methane mining.
Just digressing from unconventional coal seam methane gas for a moment, Rio Tintos Mt. Thorley Warkworth coal mine has been fined for significant dust emissions from its mine on 13th May, 2012. Anyone living in Bulga or Broke can tell you that coal mine dust emissions have increased exponentially over the last couple of years. It is because the mines are getting seriously behind with their rehabilitation, and nobody is doing anything about it. Rio Tinto was fined $3,000. Thats all, $3,000. (see more in Gas Watch 152 discuss on Facebook or Twitter )

Saturday, 19 May, 2012. Gas Watch 151. AGL declines to give details of seismic exploration in the Hunter Valley.
In its typical stance against any proper community consultation, AGL Energy, through its spokeswoman Nicole Rizgalla, has admitted that it gained approval for its seismic exploration (as disclosed in Gas Watch 150) but has declined to give details (Singleton Argus 18.05.2012).
Well the community wants details. The community is sick and tired of AGL keeping it in the dark and telling the community only what suits AGL. (see more in Gas Watch 151 )

Saturday, 12 May, 2012. Gas Watch 150. OFARRELL GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO APPROVE COAL SEAM METHANE EXPLORATION IN THE HUNTER VALLEY
The NSW Government claims not to have renewed any Coal Seam Methane Gas Petroleum Exploration Licence since it came into office BUT it still approves exploration applications and then doesnt tell the community.
It appears it is up to the community to make its own enquiries as to whether or not unconventional coal seam methane exploration is to continue in its area.
...
Also hidden away in the AGL website is a note which says: A corehole community information Drop in Session will be held at AGL's Windermere property at 1946 Putty Rd, Bulga on 24 May 2012. Members of the community are invited to ask questions between 3pm and 6pm regarding AGL's proposed corehole program. When were they going to let us know? Or do they just tick the community consultation box saying, we had a Drop in Session and nobody turned up! (see more in Gas Watch 150, discuss on Facebook or Twitter)

Wednesday, 9 May, 2012. Gas Watch 149. EARTHQUAKE IN HUNTER VALLEY. Concerns with fracking coal seams.
Following upon an earthquake near Broke and Bulga in the Hunter Valley on 29th April, further urgent representations have been made to the Government to extend the moratorium on fracking coal seams for methane gas.

The Ministers attention has been brought to the facts that:

• Not all chemicals used in the fracking process have yet been examined;
• The Broke and Bulga areas of the Hunter Valley are surrounded by underground long wall mining which scientists have advised is a significant geological risk to the fresh water aquifers in the event of unconventional coal seam methane gas exploration, drilling and fracking;
• More international findings in relation to earthquakes resulting from fracking are being released. The earthquake comes only a week after the handing down of a report in the United States confirming that earthquakes have been triggered by fracking for shale gas.

(see more in Gas Watch 149 , discuss on Facebook or Twitter)

Wednesday, 2 May, 2012. Gas Watch 148. ITS AMAZING HOW MANY LIES YOU CAN SPIN INTO ONE FULL STOP.
This is the New South Minerals Councils pathetic and misleading advertisement in yesterdays press. See e.g. comments in Miners say land use numbers dont add up.

Perhaps the 0.1% estimate is true, if you measure just the holes in the ground - they don't explain their methods anyway. See Gas Watch 148 for a dose of the reality. Government's own map shows that most of the fertile land in NSW, where people live, is covered by minereal exploration licenses. The map in Gas Watch 148 can be enlarged by right-clicking on it (in Mac Preview) or by resizing the whole PDF document (in Windows Acrobat PDF Reader). This will show the details for your geographical area.

And the mining industry wants us to trust them!!!

Wednesday, 2 May, 2012. Gas Watch 147. GOVERNMENT PROMISES TO PROTECT OUR LAND AND WATER
The message I want to leave you all with today is this: if any proposed mining or gas extraction activity is likely to harm our prime agricultural land or other important rural industry clusters or the water resources associated with those areas, it will not go ahead under this Government. said Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner at the "Protect Our Land and Water Rally in Sydney on 1st of May, 2012.

We expect the Government to deliver on this promise. The current Draft Land Use Policy does not protect our land and water, and particularly does not protect our Hunter Valley from the ravages of the unconventional coal seam methane gas industry ... (see more in Gas Watch 147 ).

Sunday, 15 April, 2012. Gas Watch 146. Government announces mining has no place in Hunter vineyards.
Planning Minister Brad Hazzard has labelled AGL and other methane gas miners as "loopy" and says they are "wasting shareholders' money" if they seek to mine in the Hunters Strategic Agricultural Land (SAL).
It was the Minister's extraordinary attack, at a Community Forum this week, that AGL and others are wasting their shareholders' money, which continues to confuse the debate... (see more in Gas Watch 146 ).

Friday, 13 April, 2012. Gas Watch 145. SYDNEY RALLY 1st May, 2012. Protect Our Land And Water.
NSW Farmers is organising a massive rally Protect OurLand And Water. 1st May, 2012 in Martin Place marching to NSW Parliament. Marshall in Martin Place between 11.45 am and 12.15 pm.
The HVPA, amongst many other organisations, industry and community leaders, landowners and concerned citizens supports this rally and we ask as many of you as possible to take part. After arriving at Parliament House, there will be speakers and the rally will be over by 1.30 pm.

You can register at www.nswfarmers.org.au/ourlandourwater. You can follow Our Land Our Water on Twitter @ourlandourwater or on Facebook at http://facebook.com/protectourlandandwater. If you need transport, register for a bus at the NSW Farmers website, or let us know at hbgaginc@bigpond.com and we will see if we can organize a bus. Buses are coming from far and wide and might be able to collect us on the way through. (see more in Gas Watch 145 ).

Tuesday, 10 April, 2012. Gas Watch 144. AGL now knocking on doors near you
CITY :
Farmer's are not the only ones putting up signs to keep AGL away from their properties. Residents of major cities are now being advised - officially - to put signs on their doors to keep out pesky AGL Sales representatives.
This breed of AGL operative is a little less harmless - they don't seek to destroy your natural environment, and livelihood - they're just programmed to sell you AGL generated power - whether you want it or not ... .

COUNTRY - BEWARE :
AGL Energy has also renewed their practice of knocking on doors in the Hunter Valley seeking the consent of property owners to permit AGL to invade their properties for their continued exploration for unconventional coal seam methane. All owners who have contacted this Alliance report that they have told AGL that they are not interested in talking to them. They have locked their gate (see more in Gas Watch 144 ).

Tuesday, 10 April, 2012. Gas Watch 143. AGL fails to comply with Exploration Licence conditions. Whats AGL Energy up to at the moment?
1. Failing to comply with licence conditions in both of its Petroleum Exploration Licences affecting the Hunter Valley wine country (Report on Audit of Coal and Petroleum Exploration Licences in NSW Phase 2)
2. Breaching its licence conditions by dumping hundreds of thousands of litres of salt contaminated water onto pasture (NSW Ombudsman)
... ( see more in Gas Watch 143 ).

Monday, 19 March, 2012. Gas Watch 142. Singleton Council slams coal seam gas exploration by AGL ENERGY in the Hunter
Immediately after AGL told tonights Singleton Council meeting how they proposed to increase their exploration footprint by extending their exploration outside their exploration licence area into the Singleton Army Base and into the Pokolbin State Forest, that was enough for the Councillors.
AGL sent three of its junior staff to Singleton Council tonight to present its spin on its seismic exploration for unconventional coal seam methane in the Singleton Local Government Area.
They got more than they bargained for.(see more in Gas Watch 142 ).

Saturday, 17 March, 2012. Gas Watch 141. Based on its own figures, AGL Energy says there is at most only 2 and a half years worth of gas for NSW under the Hunter Valley.
Yet AGL is prepared to risk the precious fresh water aquifers, the environment, a sustainable and green industry and the jobs of tens of thousands, just to get its hands on it. All of these things could be lost forever there would be no turning back. (see more in Gas Watch 141 ).

Tuesday, 6 March, 2012. Gas Watch 140. Hunter Valley Vineyard regions declared STRATEGIC AGRICULTURAL LAND".
You would think this declaration would be enough for AGL to take the socially and environmentally responsible decision to abandon its continuing ravaging of what is now accepted by the Government as strategic agricultural land. And maybe it will. We look forward to AGL considering its position and making the responsible decision (see more in Gas Watch 140 ).

Monday, 5 March, 2012. Gas Watch 139. AGL Energy spin on water contamination exposed as a lie. AGL claims are debunked by experts.

For a long time now AGL has been saying that their water tests show that there will be no connectivity of contaminated salty water from the coal seams with the upper fresh water aquifers in the Hunter Valley. Their own peer reviewer, Professor Garry Willgoose from the University of Newcastle says this is not true; that you cannot extrapolate the results of one experimental water test near the village of Broke, across the whole of the Hunter Valley. In fact he says that the experiment only applies to the area immediately around the test bore (say 50 metres the cone of depression).

But we still have the AGL manager of unconventional coal seam methane mining, Mike Moraza, claiming on national Television (Landline 4th March, 2012 - http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/search/landline or see the transcript at http://www.abc.net.au/landline/content/2012/s3445186.htm ) that there is no risk of this cross contamination which has the potential to ruin productive agricultural land for generations. (see more in Gas Watch 139 ).

Friday, 2 March, 2012. Gas Watch 138. NSW 2021 Regional Action Plan A State Government Initiative.
BARRY OFARRELL: Through this plan, the people of NSW can hold me and my team accountable for our achievements against our commitments.
On Wednesday evening we attended the NSW Governments community discussion evening at Maitland where they sought community input into Regional Action Plans. You can go to http://2021.nsw.gov.au/ to have a look at the priorities raised by the community for the Hunter, and you can go to www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/topic/hunter if you want to have input into the Regional Action Plan.

The 5 main priorities to come out of the forum were, although this will change after each meeting:
Economic growth diversify the economy, support clean tech industries, promote tourism, build critical infrastructure, skills development.
Planning for the Newcastle CBD revitalize the city, rail decision, all levels of government to work together, remove red tape that works against development.
Environment protection best environmental practice in mining and coal seam gas.
Liveability more affordable housing, improved transport links, attract events to the region.
Support the most vulnerable members of our community.
(see more in Gas Watch 138 ).

Wednesday, 22 February, 2012. Gas Watch 137. AGL SHAREHOLDERS Must be livid.
AGL Energy shareholders should be livid at its company for gambling millions of their dollars on a bet they've been told they will lose. It's one thing to lose money accidentally. But when a Government gives you advance warning, it is completely gob-smacking. It's like betting on a horse you've been told will not even make the race.

AGL's wild and misguided exploration spending spree in Broke and Bulga is based entirely on the belief of AGL that the current Government Ministers lied in their pre-election promises to protect the winegrowing regions of the Hunter Valley. (see more in Gas Watch 137 ).

Thursday, 9 February, 2012. Gas Watch 136. FRACKING Macquarie Dictionary peoples choice for the word of t he year 2011.
CONGRATULATIONS all you voters for the Macquarie Dictionary word of the year for 2011. It worked. All your votes clearly counted. The Macquarie Dictionary Peoples choice for the word of 2011 is FRACKING. Full details can be found at:http://www.macquariedictionary.com.au/anonymous@919D957851619/-/p/dict/WOTY11/index.html

And by way of note, just a reminder that Mike Moraza, the General Manager of Coal Seam Methane Mining for AGL Energy, says that only 0.5% of the fracking liquid injected into a well is made up of chemicals.
If, as Moraza says, there will be between 100 and 300 wells at Broke/Bulga if he has his way, then that is between 500,000 and 1,500,000 litres of unknown chemicals being injected into the ground in the fracking process. (see more in Gas Watch 136 ).

Thursday, 9 February, 2012. Gas Watch 135. AGL ENERGY and other contaminated water leakage from CSG exploration.
AGL Energy dumping of saline water onto pasture: In late 2010 AGL Energy admitted deliberately dumping 110,000 litres of contaminated water onto pasture, killing the pasture, in breach of its licence conditions. Witnesses say closer to 500,000 litres was dumped. Either way, this is a huge amount of water.

Eastern Star Gas escape of groundwater in the Pilliga.Water contamination in the Pilliga has been happening for a decade or more. This recent spill is nothing new. In late 2000, according to the CM Atkinson report, contaminated water seeped through a sandy dam wall, then, when the dam wall collapsed, flooded the surrounding area of the Pilliga with a sodic/saline liquid through the subsoil and shallow aquifers. Trees and vegetation were killed (see more in Gas Watch 135 ).

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 (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 its 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 didnt 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 AGLs 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 couldnt 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 dont 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 Associations 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 cant compromise an existing industry thats exceptionally vibrant for the sake, potentially, of another and further we dont know enough about the industry yetyouve got aquifers which could potentially be interfered with or damaged and importantly were asking in good faith, until we can get the regulations right and theres a better planeveryone 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 couldnt be trusted to work within its approval then. Whats 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 Energys foray into buying vineyards: Brian McGuigan says Nick Greiner is wrong. Were 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 Greiners 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 AGLs 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 dont 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 didnt 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. Dont be fooled by their spin.
One hundred (100) extraction wells. Thats 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 wont be such a problem for this tranquil side of the Hunter after all.
First, dont believe the 100 wells. This is at best a guess, the exploration still hasn'tt 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 doesnt 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 Communitys 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