Concern over Coal Seam Gas mining

The following is my contribution to Letters to the Editor section of Southern Free Times and to engender debate and concern at the Coal Seam Gas mining invasion of this country and this region.
I watch for word of community alarm at the expansion of the Coal Seam Gas (CSG) industry in this region and beyond. Many Australians do so also, with growing alarm at the lack of information about it in the media, condemning this industry and its proliferation – here and abroad.
It is of greatest concern that this menace is occurring, without the monitoring of our State and Federal Governments – even though they are certainly aware of the problems caused by these gas fields in the USA.
It takes my breath away to know that no testing of the chemicals used in this industry (21 of 23) has been conducted by our governments that simply rely on obsolete and overseas safety data.
Our government bodies have undertaken no studies about possible health effects caused by the CSG mining industry that I can discover.
The Colorado USA Health Authorities have listed the many illnesses of residents of that state where CSG mining has spread. This and other places’ accounts of tragic effects are freely available. Seemingly no-one is on watch about this or cares to have the truth discovered and known widely here.
Readers urgently need to inform themselves about the threat to life, as we know it, with this industry’s seeming unrestricted hold on our future.
Ask the landholders where this is being conducted in their communities what effects this is having. Ask oneself what will become of this country, its water, its people and its wildlife.
We should be demanding to know why there was so little information given out and/or sought about this devastating industry by our leaders. Other countries have banned CSG mining. Are we all asleep here while we have copped this? The few people I know who have gone to their elected representatives to register concern have been curtly deflected or insipidly received – no interest expressed.
See the movies, ‘Gaslands’ or ‘Split Estate’ and you’ll understand what is in front of us. Then go register your reactions to your parliamentary representative. Don’t just accept this invasion of mindless greed and disregard for all that is vital to all of us.
Nancy Murphy,
Warwick