Friday 23 August 2013

Concern about Coal: Fighting Fracking in Victoria; Lakes Oil in Western Vic; an export facility on beautiful but fragile 90 Mile Beach

From Cam Walker of Friends of the Earth










Dear Friends

Thank you to everyone who came along to the ‘farmers and friends against fracking’ rally last Sunday.

As you know, our petition was one of the ones handed in to Greens MP Greg Barber on the 18th.


However, he has still not organised the community consultation he keeps promising.

Please email or call his office, asking him to engage with the community as a matter of urgency. Tell him that there should be no on-shore exploration or production of gas until we know whether it will be safe for people, water supplies and farming. Ask him to initiate a public inquiry into this matter.

A phone call has the most impact: (03) 9651 1156

But an email is good too:
Hon Nicholas KotsirasMinister for Energy and Resourcesnicholas.kotsiras@parliament.vic.gov.au, 
Please remember, we have a monthly email newsletter, if you’d like to stay in the loop on what we are doing, please email cam.walker@foe.org.au with the words SUBSCRIBE CLIMATE in the subject line

Regards
Cam Walker
Friends of the Earth

CONTENTS
·  Farmers and friends against fracking rally
·  Lakes Oil in Western VIC
·  Coal export facility on 90 Mile Beach?
·  Local meetings: Yarragon, Drouin, Catani
·  Getting involved

Farmers and friends against fracking

There is a great set of photos on the Quit Coal facebook page:

Lakes Oil – western VIC

Lakes Oil have been quietly drilling for gas in western Victoria under petroleum exploration permits PEP163 andPEP169. 
These were issued under the Petroleum act for 'tight gas', not the MRSD Act which is used for Coal Seam Gas (CSG). One permit allows for 3 wells and to 'frack' one, the other permit for one well, drilling only.
These sites are near Timboon and north of Peterborough (PEP 169)and a broad area from Aireys Inlet up towards Winchelsea and across to Geelong, then down through the Bellarine Peninsula (PEP 163).

If you live in either of these areas and want to help stop Lakes Oil, please get in touch. Cam.walker@foe.org.au

We are hoping to hold an info session in Torquay shortly.

Further info here.


Coal export facility on 90 Mile Beach?

It has recently come to light that “a $3 billion rail line and port concept connecting the Latrobe Valley to the Bass Straight via a port at McGauran's Beach on the Ninety Mile Beach …is … the preferred export route by developers of alternative brown coal technologies”.

In May 2013, the Victorian government said that it wanted to see development of ‘next generation’ coal mines in the Latrobe Valley. An export industry will need new mines, new roads, new infrastructure and new ports.

So far, the Port of Hastings and Port Anthony have been suggested as possible locations for export infrastructure. A proposal for 90 Mile Beach seems particularly crazy.

We will be launching a campaign shortly, but in the meantime, check here for further details on what is proposed:http://www.melbourne.foe.org.au/?q=node/1257

Local events

Below is a list of some of the other upcoming events/meetings in Gippsland. If you have been thinking of getting more involved, WE NEED YOU, please come along to any of the gatherings below, everyone is welcome!


Meet the Candidates Coal & Gas Forum 
When: Wednesday the 28th August @ 7pm
Where: Yarragon Public Hall, Campbell St, Yarragon
All known candidates in the McMillian electorate have been invited.
For more information email: bbsn@dcsi.net.au
Friday 30th August, 7pm
Drouin CSG Information Meeting
@ The Drouin South Hall, Drouin-Korumburra road
Speakers: Dr Gavin Mudd (Groundwater Specialist), Felicity Millner (Environment Defenders Office)
and Dr Merryn Reddenbach (Doctors for the Environment)
Catani CSG Information Night
When: Wednesday 11th September @ 7pm
Where: Catani Football Club, Taplins road, Catani
Speakers Include: Ariane Wilkinson (Environment Defenders Office) &
Allison Sable (Seaspray Local)
For more info call Gillian on 0418 995 756

Getting involved

NO CSG IN VICTORIA 
Friends of the Earth facebook: 
Quit Coal: 
FoE website: 

To support our work, please check here: 

Campaigns co-ordinator
Friends of the Earth
Box 222, Fitzroy, 3065
Ph: 03 9419 8700 (ext 20)
M: 0419 338 047


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