A petroleum exploration licence that covers a massive area of the Clarence valley and reaches up as far as Whiporie should be cancelled, according to the Grafton loop of the Knitting Nannas Against Gas.
The Nannas have called on Nationals MP Chris Gulaptis and the Office of Coal Seam Gas to take action and cancel Metgasco’s PEL 426, which has expired.
Metgasco still lists the PEL as part of its exploration plans.
Grafton Knitting Nanna, Lynette Eggins, said PEL 246 was the second biggest licence in the northern rivers.
It covers around 300,000 acres of land from Whiporie to Nymboida and it has been expired since early last year.
‘Metgasco would have just submitted their updated renewal application in July, we’re calling on the office of Coal Seam Gas to cancel PEL 426 instead of just renewing it, and we’re calling on Chris Gulaptis to make sure they know how we feel,’ Ms Eggins said.
‘The NSW government has said that if companies want to keep their licences they need to ‘use it or lose it’.
‘We know our community doesn’t want invasive gasfields covering the Clarence, we don’t want Metgasco to use this licence, so we think they should lose it.
‘Our government has gone quiet – so we’re making sure they know that, instead of stitching up deals behind closed doors we want this licence, along with the rest of the licences in the northern rivers, cast off.
‘Chris Gulaptis has said on the record that he supports a gasfield free northern rivers, cancelling this licence would get us half way there, and while they’re at it they should buy back Clarence Moreton Resources PEL 457, which covers the area around Maclean and Ashby.
‘The communities of the Clarence deserve protection, it’s time for the government to take action and start cancelling licences.’
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