Aussie indigenous tribunal green-lights Santos' Narrabri gas project
Australia’s National Native Title Tribunal has allowed Santos to move ahead with the Narrabri coalbed methane (CBM) project in New South Wales, with the condition that additional cultural heritage research is done before the project's second phase, the company said on December 20.
The tribunal said that the project would provide a public benefit, "significantly outweighing" the Gomeroi applicant’s concerns that it would damage their culture, land and waters and contribute to climate change.
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Santos said it will continue to engage with the Gomeroi people and work closely with them to ensure their heritage is protected and they benefit from the project development.
“Santos has a strong track record of working collaboratively with First Nations peoples in Australia and internationally,” it said. “The company has a range of cultural heritage and native title agreements in place with 23 Traditional Owner Groups and six Aboriginal Land Councils around Australia.”
Santos said it has been consulting and working with the Gomeroi people since 2012 and in formal negotiations regarding the Narrabri gas project since 2015.
The New South Wales (NSW) Land and Environment Court had last year rejected an appeal into the approval of the Narrabri project. The legal challenge was launched by a group of local farmers known as the Mullaley Gas and Pipeline Accord.
According to Santos, the project has the potential to supply enough gas to meet up to half of NSW’s demand. The Narrabri project got state government approval in June 2020 and the federal government green-light in November of the same year.
The project has been mired in controversy as many activists say it poses a risk to the local environment. Santos has always denied these claims.