A Queensland regional council has called for state government to revoke its tick of approval for a fracking company to drill for coal seam gas in the Bowen Basin.
In March 2023 Blue Energy received an environmental authority green light to open 530 wells around Moranbah and Glenden, west of Mackay.
However Isaac Regional Council has called for the approval to be revoked until certain criteria has been met including critically assessing the long term social impacts to the region.
In a submission for state government to review it previous decision, the council has argued the project posed “an unacceptable risk to the long term social sustainability of the Isaac region in its current form”.
Blue Energy’s gas tenements in Central Queensland. Picture: Contributed
It has called for Blue Energy to consider both the positive and negative social impacts of the project and offer strategies on meeting any challenges.
The council has also questioned the lack of information regarding the workforce at both the construction and operational phases, calling for comprehensive details including the number of workers and ratio of resident to non resident.
It has also criticised that “no meaningful engagement appeared to have occurred either with council or the broader community” in relation to the project.
Lock the Gate Alliance Queensland co-ordinator Ellie Smith said the submission “shows locals are fed up with mining companies who don’t give a stuff about the community they operate in”.
Isaac Regional Council Mayor Anne Baker.
“Isaac Council has borne the brunt of some of the most negative social and environmental impacts of Queensland’s coal industry,” Ms Smith said.
“We strongly support Isaac Regional Council for making such a strong stand.
“We urge the Palaszczuk Government to heed these concerns, and revoke Blue’s environmental authority as part of its internal review.”
A Department of Environment and Science spokesperson confirmed it had received an application for an internal review of its decision to issue an Environmental Authority to Blue Energy for the project at Glenden.
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“As the environmental regulator, DES conducts thorough and robust assessments against strict environmental standards on all projects it considers, regardless of whether an EIS is required or not,” the spokesperson said.
The internal review process is currently under way and a decision is expected by June 19.
A notice of the department’s decision will be provided to the applicant and all submitters within 10 business days of the decision.
This publication has reached out to Blue Energy for comment.