Greens MP and mining spokesperson Cate Faehrmann says the government’s coal and gas plan announced today will fail to protect the state’s water supply and farming lands from the most serious risks.

“This policy is a cynical attempt to claw back support from those worried about the environmental and health impacts of dangerous coal and coal seam gas mining,” said Ms Faehrmann.

“The plan fails to address the risk of dewatering aquifers, water contamination from methane, fugitive emissions as well as the myriad of serious human health impacts caused by coal and gas mining.

“This plan looks at first to be an improvement on the free-for-all that is the status quo, but it’s extremely light on detail. It’s painfully obvious the Labor government knows it isn’t likely to ever have to put this plan into action.

“Labor’s plan won’t affect current mining approvals and applications. Will the gas project in Sydney’s drinking water catchment be halted? What about coal and gas operations threatening the Liverpool Plains and Narrabri? Or the massive gas approval for up to 90 wells in the Gloucester Valley?  

“How will strategic land be identified? I doubt it ever will.

“I’m worried the government is deliberately confusing the dangerous ‘fracking’ coal seam gas technique with BTEX chemicals, which it now says it will ban. BTEX chemicals are naturally occurring in coal seams and can be released into groundwater and soils during the process of fracking regardless of whether the chemicals are added or not.

“Residents and farmers will take little comfort from this announcement. They know the only way to safeguard their livelihoods and environment is with the moratorium that the Greens and community groups are calling for,” said Ms Faehrmann.