The Queensland Government’s refusal to back down over its deeply unpopular approval of Blue Energy’s Central Queensland gas field shows it cares neither for communities, nor climate.
The Queensland government approved Blue Energy’s proposed a gas well project west of Glenden earlier this year despite the concerns of our local community.
Lock the Gate Alliance (LTG) and the Isaac Regional Council (IRC) wrote scathing responses, demanding the decision be reviewed.
Lock the Gate Alliance provided detailed information about the threats to ground water, accelerating climate change, the local environment and the impacts on local landholders.
The council’s submission outlined concerns about the threat Blue Energy’s proposal posed to the social fabric of the community, and progressing the project without any consultation with impacted parties.
Environmental Advocacy for Central Queensland (EnvA), objected to the project from the beginning, and supported the review requests from Lock the Gate and Isaac Regional Council. EnvA wanted a proper assessment of the whole project, not just on the first stage.
EnvA Director, Dr Coral Rowston said it was disappointing the Queensland government had again ignored the pleas of the Central Queensland community to protect our environment and to include us as significant stakeholders in the planning for a renewable economy.
“Gas from the Blue Energy project will drive dangerous climate change, which is already leading to more severe weather in Central Queensland like unprecedented droughts, cyclones, and floods.
“Blue Energy is in for a fight. We are already suffering from local environmental degradation from the coal industry and don’t need gas proposals adding to the environmental impacts that threaten our Central Queensland community.
“If built, Blue Energy’s gas field will drain more than 19 billion litres of groundwater. There are more than 50 water bores close to this project that provide essential water for stock and home use. The local landholders are likely will be significantly impacted through the reduced quantity and quality of their essential water supply.
“Sadly, this is what we’ve come to expect from a government that is totally captured by the dollars that the fossil fuel industry provides while ignoring the cost of recovering from the impacts of floods, fires and health costs associated with longer and hotter heatwaves.
“Queensland is a hot-spot for tourism, but our tourism dollars economy will no longer be there if we lose the reef, our special natural environments and our precious wildlife.”
The Queensland government’s approval comes after it allocated $21 million to subsidise gas companies’ exploration in new areas of the state, including the northern Bowen Basin, where Blue’s gas field would be located.
It also followed a $5 million joint state and federally-funded feasibility study for a pipeline that would link the north Bowen Basin to the existing gas network further south or for export off-shore.
EnvA - CQ 