Mid-Western Regional Council has called on the State Government to provide more protection for landowners, the community and the environment in its draft code of practice for coal seam gas exploration.
Councillors will this week consider a submission on the draft code of practice which is intended to balance the rights and concerns of private land owners with access for coal seam gas explorers.
While the submission states that the government’s attempts to introduce a code of practice should be supported, it raises a number of concerns relating to landowners’ rights and protection of water and land.
Council’s submission calls for stronger measures to ensure all legal expenses incurred by the landholder are paid by the coal seam gas explorer, including the cost to landowners of engaging solicitors to act on their behalf in relation to access negotiations.
Council also wants explorers to be required to provide specific details of all chemicals brought onto a site, as well as safety information sheets, with landholders to have the right to refuse use of any chemicals, since they are ultimately responsible for any chemicals on their land.
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Mudgee Guardian
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