A group of farmers and community members in New South Wales has launched a legal challenge to the federal government’s assessment of the controversial Narrabri Lateral pipeline, which would connect Santos’ 850 new coal seam gas wells to Australia’s east coast.
The group, The Mullaley Gas & Pipeline Accord (MGPA), with legal backing from Environmental Justice Australia, has asked the Federal Court for a judicial review of the Environment Minister’s decision not to apply the ‘water trigger’ when assessing the pipeline.
“The farms and families in this region are utterly dependent on clean, reliable water. We’re going to court because every decision that could put water at risk must be assessed with the care it deserves.” said Mullaley Gas & Pipeline Accord (MGPA) spokesperson Noni Wells.
“This pipeline would cut through productive farmland in NSW, and we believe its risks to water haven’t been properly assessed.”
“This pipeline is not a side project — without it, the gas can’t flow. We say it’s integral to the project and should be assessed as such.”
Santos has approval to drill 850 coal seam gas wells near Narrabri including within the Pilliga Forest and needs this pipeline to transport gas to the NSW transmission network. The route crosses Gomeroi Country and productive farmland in New South Wales.
The Mullaley Gas & Pipeline Accord (MGPA) group argues that Australia’s Environment Minister wrongly concluded that the pipeline wasn’t integral to the Narrabri Gas Project – and therefore failed to assess its impact on water as required by law.
“The water trigger is an important legal safeguard requiring additional scrutiny for projects that involve coal seam gas developments and with a likely significantly impact on water.” said Environmental Justice Australia senior specialist lawyer Charley Brumby-Rendell.
“The Narrabri pipeline is critical to transporting gas directly from the Narrabri Gas Project. Our client argues the pipeline’s risks to water haven’t been properly assessed or as required by law. ”
What is the Narrabri pipeline?
The Narrabri Lateral Pipeline is a proposed 50 to 60 km underground gas transmission pipeline in northern NSW, intended to connect Santos’ approved 850-well coal seam gas field with the Hunter Gas Pipeline and the broader east coast gas market.
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