Queensland Council Bans CSG

A local council in southern Queensland has become the first in that state to attempt to impose a moratorium on coal seam gas exploration within its boundaries, Engineering Source reported.

The council has unanimously passed a decision proposing a moratorium on coal exploration and coal seam gas mining in the Somerset region.

However, the resolution needs state government support in order to become enforceable.

Meanwhile, Queensland Resources Council has condemned the latest move.

“I find it difficult to imagine that the 22,500 people in Somerset LGA are happy with the notion that their council wants to forgo that wealth creation in their community,” Queensland Resources Council Chief Executive Michael Roche said.

Roche says there are 150 employees of mining and gas companies living in the Somerset Regional Council area injecting $17 million worth of spending in the local economy. In addition, he says, mining and gas companies purchase $7 million worth of goods and services from Somerset businesses, creating extra 400 jobs.

The move also comes amid efforts by governments to develop a co-ordinated approach toward coal seam gas. The Queensland government has introduced new rules for the design and construction of CSG wells in the state. Last month, the federal government began the development of a national framework for the industry, aimed at ensuring broad consistency and best practices in industry standards and regulation across the nation.