Will you help us to save your EDO?

After nearly 30 years of helping the people of NSW to protect their environment and heritage under the law, EDO NSW faces an unprecedented threat to its survival and we need your help to ensure we can continue to assist you in public interest environmental matters. Please read on to better understand the problem and what you can do to help.

Groundwater depletion as El Nino returns

The Liberal Party may have a clever media strategy but broken promises will not be ignored; the Green’s Jeremy Buckingham reports on a Frack Finding Tour of the US; and as the NSW government gives mining companies permission to deplete our groundwater is El Nino back?

Responsible Mining Bill

The Green’s Responsible Mining Bill aims to empower councils to make the final decision about mining and gas development and to introduce no-go zones where mining, gas and other extractive industries will not be permitted including

Licence renewals, Strategic Land Use Policy released

Dart Energy's PEL 460 which covers the southern area of Putty has now been offered for renewal by the NSW Government along with many other expired petroleum exploration licences. The government has also quietly released the final version of the Strategic Land Use Policy.

Court interrupts Fullerton Cove drilling

Fullerton Cove NSW courtesy of Callum Rigby

A COURT has ordered Dart Energy to temporarily halt test drilling for coal seam gas (CSG) at Fullerton Cove, near Newcastle, but the energy firm says it may still be able to keep to its timetable. Fullerton Cove residents applied to the Land and Environment Court for a temporary injunction to stop drilling at the site as they prepare for a court battle in which they will try to have the project spiked altogether.

CSIRO rejects mining industry claims about CSG

Gas well at Camden

CSIRO rejects the claim made in a television commercial aired on Sunday 2 September that ‘CSIRO [and government studies] have shown that groundwater is safe with coal seam gas’.

At no time has CSIRO made such a statement, and nor do the results of CSIRO research support such a statement.

‘No water, it ain’t worth nothin’

Residents in Butler County, Pennsylvania share their fracking experience. Film shared courtesy of Nature Abounds' friend Rich Waters, a local photographer and videographer who is documenting how fracking is changing the lives of his neighbors in Southwest Pennsylvania. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcUyuFjx0IU&feature=share

Mining threat to Great Artesian Basin

The Great Artesian Basin and the Great Barrier Reef are called great for a reason. They are the largest of their kind in the world. Coal seam gas extraction has the potential to ruin both these Australian greats. 

The Great Artesian Basin (GAB), the country’s only permanent inland water, underlies a quarter of Australia, the driest inhabited continent on earth.

Public servants gagged

Putty Creek in flood February 2012

In late May I had a dream that I was in a library looking up something to do with coal seam gas and someone approached me to join a meeting. Over 60 people were at the meeting and they were all anti CSG campaigners who worked in the public service and had been told they would lose their jobs if they continued campaigning against it, or they were people without permanent Australian residency and were threatened with deportation.

Solar energy - it works for me

Recently, when a guest was reluctant to plug a new laptop into a power socket in our house, I realised just how little people understand solar energy. Yesterday, Harvey Norman announced that it had placed a substantial order for user-friendly solar panels to supply to customers in addition to kitchens, bathroom items, hot water and air conditioning systems.

Perhaps people’s perception of solar is about to change! 

Australia to lose environmental protection

The koala was recently listed as a nationally threatened species, but now the federal
government plans to hand its legal powers over to the states, placing the koala and its habitat
at risk. Koala and joey photo: WRD-073 © Dave Watts / Lochman Transparencies

Not content with putting pressure on the state government, big business and the mining industry have broadened their attack to our federal environment laws. Following intense industry lobbying, federal and state governments have recently announced an aggressive plan to wind back critical environmental protection laws that protect our land, water and wildlife.

Fullerton Cove Pilot Project Approved

The NSW Government has given Dart Energy approval to drill pilot coal seam gas wells north east of Newcastle. Local residents are concerned about contamination of nearby RAMSAR listed wetlands, the Hunter River estuary and the Tomaree Sands groundwater system which is a component of their water supply. This is compounded by the history of earthquakes and floods in the area.

Great Barrier Reef threatened



Courtesy of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

UNESCO’s report on the Great Barrier Reef says ‘The rapid increase of coastal developments, including ports infrastructure is of significant concern. The property further lacks an overall plan for the future sustainable development of the reef that will lead to protection of Outstanding Universal Value in the long-term’.

It goes on to ‘requests the State Party to not permit any new port development or associated infrastructure outside of the existing and long-established major port areas within or adjoining the property, and to ensure that development is not permitted if it would impact individually or cumulatively on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property’.

Gas leak in Condamine River



Chinchilla

Lock the Gate investigators have discovered coal seam gas bubbling to the surface along a five kilometre stretch of the Condamine River near Chinchilla in Queensland.

Dart’s share drop and community consultation

On May 23, 2012 Dart Energy shares dropped to 16 cents and the ASX sent them another price query.

Where will Dart drill in Sydney?

While speculation mounts on where Dart Energy will drill for coal seam gas in Sydney, the UK Government rejects shale gas as a solution to Britain’s energy crisis and Dart’s shares drop to 19.5 cents.

Video and media links

The NSW Government say there will be a gas shortage while BHP Billiton say they have plenty in Bass Strait. Videos of Save the Great Barrier Reef, 7000 march against coal seam gas in Lismore and the Protect our Water, Protect our Land rally in Sydney.

Our environmental laws are under attack

Wollemi National Park - B Kearns

Right now, developers and mining companies are lobbying to weaken essential environmental protections and public participation rights in the planning system in order to get fast-tracked development approvals.

Dart Energy's latest reports

Dart Energy shares are down to 24 cents. Dart announces that it will not drill in St Peters and their quarterly report doesn’t mention PEL 460 where Putty is located.

City and country, united we stand. Protect our water, protect our land

Thousands of people from farms and environmental groups march to State Parliament on 1 May chanting "City and country, united we stand. Protect our water, protect our land". They were demonstrating their objections to the Government’s draft Strategic Land Use policy.

NSW Farmers have organised buses to take people to Sydney for a march to Parliament House on 1 May 2012. City dwellers, farmers, environmentalists are all encouraged to march to protect your land, water and environment from mining activity.

It’s an interesting time in politics as the new Green leader, Christine Milne goes on a nationwide tour of rural and regional Australia, the Federal Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, declares himself a conservative conservationist and the CWA prepare to march in a protest in Sydney. Meanwhile some councils and companies are thinking outside the box on solar energy.

Government Forum: No Protection from Mining in NSW

The Upper Hunter Regional Land Use Public Forum in Singleton on 13 April was a frustrating waste of time. As the meeting progressed it became clear the NSW Government will not protect the State from coal or coal seam gas mining.

Book launch – Dirty Fracking Business by Peter Ralph

Peter Ralph is coming to the Hunter Valley to launch and sign copies of his new book on Sunday 15 April at 6:00pm River Flats Estate, Wollombi Road, Broke.

BYO: drinks, a plate of food to share and if you would like to stay for a wood-fired pizza, please bring a bowl of pizza toppings (eg., salami, ham, capsicum, onions, mushrooms ...)

Dart Energy shares below 30c

Soon after I found out about Dart Energy’s plans to drill for coal seam gas at Putty I checked their share price and it was $0.86. That was on 15 April 2011. Today the share price is $0.295.

Putty Rally - video link

Here's a link to Lee Jeloscek and his camera crew’s coverage on Channel 7 of the rally at Putty on 1 April against the NSW Government’s Strategic Regional Land Use Plan (SRLUP) for the Upper Hunter. http://au.news.yahoo.com/video/nsw/watch/28812009/putty-fires-up-over-csg-plans/885604/

Putty Rally against Strategic Regional Land Use Plan

The Putty community and people downstream came together for a rally at the Putty Hall on Sunday 1 April.

The rally was organised as a protest against the NSW Government’s Strategic Regional Land Use Plan (SRLUP) for the Upper Hunter which has the Putty area mapped as an area with potential for coal seam gas extraction and open-cut and/or underground coal mining.

Putty Rallies against SRLUP

Putty Rally against the draft Strategic Regional Land Use Plan for the Upper Hunter is on Sunday 1st April at Putty Hall at 9.30am .

Ejected from Parliament

Last Thursday I went to NSW Parliament House to see the Moratorium Bill on CSG knocked back in the Legislative Council and the petition with 20,000 signatures debated in the Legislative Assembly. I am pleased I did as it was hardly reported in the media.

Putty Valley in shock at broken election promise

The NSW Government's draft Regional Strategic Land Use Plan for the Upper Hunter does not protect high conservation areas or sensitive areas.

Stop Coal Seam Gas Rally

Join speakers at a rally outside NSW parliament in Macquarie Street, Sydney on Thursday 15 March at 4pm before the petition for a CSG Moratorium is debated inside parliament at 4.30pm.  

Will the Hawkesbury be a CSG dumping ground

Hawkesbury Environmental Network held a CSG information session in Windsor on 16 February. Jem Hallinan from the Environmental Defenders Office gave a presentation on the legal rights of landholders and Tim Spooner talked about how the Putty community found out about exploration in their area.

Coal Seam Gas and You

A Coal Seam Gas Information Session will be held in the Tebbutt Room, Deerubbin Centre, Windsor on Thursday 16 February at 7.00pm.

CSG Moratorium Bill

A month without campaigning against coal seam gas has been fantastic but now it’s time to get back to work.