The Queensland Government has announced that environmental and landholder protection is the ‘cornerstones’ to the any coal seam water management policy.

 

State Environment Minister Vicky Darling released the draft policy fir landholder, community and CSG company feedback.

 

“Injection is the number one priority – and for the first time strict requirements will be in place so that if companies want to consider other water management options, they must first clearly demonstrate injection isn’t feasible.

 

“This policy cements Queensland’s leadership in CSG environmental regulation and confirms our environmental controls to protect our groundwater resources,” Ms Darling said.

 

The announcement comes after the Queensland Government has come under fire for allowing the release of CSG water back into the Condamine River. However, Ms Darling defended the actions, saying that environmental standards were observed.

 

“What happened in the case of ALPNG releases to the Condamine River is that compounds were detected at low levels and we are now amending their environmental authority,” Ms Darling said.

 

“Required monitoring done by the company and reported to the Department of Environment and Resource Management indicated the presence of two compounds for the first time.

 

“These compounds were at low levels and well below the levels required by the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and represent no risk to human health – they would need to occur at significant levels for a significant amount of time for any harm to occur to the environmental.