Lock the Gate urge Queensland Palaszczuk Government to reject Arrow Energy coal seam gas field expansion

Lock the Gate Alliance has urged the Queensland Government to knock back a coal seam gas field expansion near a previously contaminated site on the Western Downs.

Environmental lobby group Lock the Gate Alliance has urged the Queensland Government to reject a planned coal seam gas field expansion planned for near one of the state’s worst environmental disasters.

Arrow Energy has lodged plans to drill 268 new gas wells within a 10km radius of the Linc Energy contamination site on the Queensland Western Downs, which was previously the subject of 314 sqkm excavation exclusion zone.

Lock the Gate spokeswoman Ellie Smith said a recent report found there was a risk of toxic chemicals spreading from the contaminated site as a result of CSG expansion.

The Linc Energy Hopeland site from the air.

The report, commissioned by the Queensland Government’s Department of Environment and Science and conducted by RDM Hydro, found that Arrow’s groundwater technical assessment of its Hopelands site was a “necessary simplification of a highly complex system” and their “conclusion that there will be no off-site contaminant migration may be incorrect”.

“It cannot be conclusively stated that contaminants (including benzene and naphthalene) will not migrate beyond the site boundaries due to Arrow’s development,’’ the report stated.

An Arrow Energy spokesman said they would work with the Queensland Department of Environment and Science on its application, which is not on the former Linc site.

“We will continue to work co-operatively with government on understanding the scientific evidence from the ongoing monitoring plans,” he said.

“We remain confident that our proposed development is safe and can be implemented so as to not mobilise any contaminants present in the former Linc site.”

The Linc Energy underground coal gasification pilot plant at Chinchilla. Pic: Supplied

Ms Smith said the state government should refuse the CSG expansion.

“One thing is for sure, we cannot afford to stick our heads in the sand and pretend this environmental contamination didn’t happen, and Arrow Energy should not be allowed to drill for CSG near the site and potentially spread this contamination further,” she said.

“Not only was Linc found guilty of committing environmental damage, but the Queensland taxpayer was left with the $31 million clean-up bill.

“It is a travesty the Queensland public has been forced to pay to remediate contamination caused by a private company.

“Stronger laws are clearly needed to ensure those who were responsible for disasters like this are able to be held accountable.”