This letter is to alert citizens of the northern rivers to the imminent return of the unconventional gas mining company Metgasco to our area.
Metgasco will soon be commencing work at an old quarry on the Lismore-Kyogle road, 15 kilometres west of Lismore just before the Casino turn-off at Naughtons Gap.
If Metgasco are successful this will be the beginning of an unconventional industrial gas field that will eventually cover the northern rivers with thousands of unconventional gas wells, infrastructure systems and multiple pipelines.
This time around Metgasco will be aided by state government’s changes to the Inland Petroleum Act 1991, which come into operation on 1 March. In part these changes to the Act allow surveyors contracted to gas exploration companies and representatives of government departments to enter private property without the landholder’s permission. They can carry out surveys and take samples of strata (read drill gigs) without the landowner’s permission.
If you don’t want to lose your rights as a land-title holder and don’t want your family to live in an industrial gas field, now is the time to act.
Contact your state government politician, make submissions to Premier O’Farrell, attend public meetings (they are coming soon). Join the Protectors at the Bentley site when operations commence.
Simon Chance, Richmond Hill
