[Greens-Media] PARNELL: Greens Press for Ban on Coal Seam Gas in SA

[Parnell]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Wednesday 19th June 2013

Greens Press for Ban on Coal Seam Gas in SA


The Greens have today introduced into State Parliament a Bill to ban "fracking" for unconventional gas on SA farmland, residential land and conservation areas.

The Bill also creates a 2 year moratorium on coal seam gas extraction in other parts of the State until serious questions about health and environmental impacts are answered.

"We still don't know the long term impacts of fracking (the process of coal seam gas and other "unconventional" gas extraction) on underground water levels, local environments and farmland," said SA Greens Leader Mark Parnell.

"By pushing ahead before these questions are answered, the Government is risking the future of our state's precious wine, fruit and vegetable industries, as well as our cropping and grazing lands," he said.

Mr Parnell made the comments in Parliament today, in support of his Petroleum and Geothermal Energy (Hydraulic Fracturing) Amendment Bill.

Under the Bill, the Minister must also prepare a report on the impact of fracking on water quality, soil health, climate change and local economies.

"While many of the impacts of fracking are not yet known. We know for certain that this will not help our efforts to tackle climate change. The last thing our planet needs as we transition towards the zero carbon economy of the future is to be finding new ways to extract and burn fossil fuels.

 "We hope that the old parties join the Greens in standing up for farmers and the broader South Australian community in ensuring that we don't let the Coal Seam Gas Genie out of the bottle without considering the long term consequences," Mr Parnell said.


For further comment contact Craig Wilkins on 0434 007 893

________________________________

The information in this e-mail may be confidential and/or legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, access to it is unauthorised and any disclosure, copying, distribution or action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it is prohibited and may be unlawful.