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Old 22-06-2010, 04:50 AM posted to aus.gardens
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Feb 2010
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Default Gas drilling for your farm?

On 22/06/2010 11:03 AM, David Hare-Scott wrote:
PC wrote:
Download this and see if you are aware of this problem...


http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/rn/podca...g_20100620.mp3


This issue will only get bigger. Australia wide we have a huge problem
in that the little fertile soil we have and coal seams are frequently
coincident in sedimentary basins. This means that mineral extraction
from those coal beds, coal and gas, is necessarily competing for land
use with food growing. We already have huge areas of productive land
that has been turned into a moonscape-wasteland, have a google earth
look at Singleton-Muswellbrook Look at the fabulous soil and water of
the Liverpool Plains, soon to be strip mined.

In addition to the conflict of immediate use we have the potential for
long term damage to the soil and water. There are many rivers that have
already been killed by mining, usually coal mining. For chapter and
verse see the movie "Rivers of Shame". Whenever an open cut mine closes
down, the soil is supposed to be remediated, that is the topsoil should
be put back on top so everything will go on as before. FAT CHANCE.

If Australia goes from a net exporter of food to a net importer (the
trend is heading that way) we are going to have to dig the coal and gas
out and ship it overseas quicker and quicker just to pay for our food.

I know that our present lifestyle is dependant on mining, you cannot
simply stop. On the other hand legislation is very biased in favour of
the miners. It is extermely rare for a mine not to be approved and this
only happens when powerful lobby groups get enough political leverage,
it has little to do with the actual risk to the environment. The miners
have so much influence with politicians, who love the royalties and
export earnings, the farmer and environment have no chance most of the
time. Our pollies spend their day ensuring they get elected in 3 years
time not ensuring that our grandchildren eat - that is SEP (someone
else's problem). We need some balance. We need somebody to take the long
view.

This is an issue that will come back to bite us all in a generation or
two unless many more people wake up to what is happening and very soon.
For as long as this issue remains SEP we are at risk.

David

I'm glad we agree on something.
And you read it. Thanks.