Beetaloo facing water review
Print
An independent review will decide if federal intervention halts Beetaloo Basin fracking projects.
The Australian government's decision to assess the water impacts of fracking projects in the Beetaloo Basin has heightened scrutiny over one of the country’s largest gas exploration endeavours.
Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has initiated an environmental review by the Independent Scientific Expert Committee (ISEC). The committee will determine whether the Commonwealth should activate the “water trigger” under national laws, which would subject the projects to rigorous federal oversight.
The water trigger, a legal safeguard extended to fracking projects by the Labor government, ensures that such developments are reviewed for their potential impacts on water resources.
This step is seens as crucial in light of concerns raised by local communities, environmentalists, and traditional owners of the land.
“Environmental decisions must be guided by science and national environment law. Everyone concerned should respect the independent scientists – not rush to judgement on the basis of assumptions,” Plibersek says.
Her move has been met with support from some, while the gas industry expressed concerns over potential delays to the Beetaloo Basin’s development.
“We welcome further confirmation from the IESC,” said Joel Riddle, CEO of Tamboran Resources, one of the companies involved in the project. He expressed confidence that the fracking would not significantly impact water resources.
Mangarrayi woman Cecilia Lake, whose traditional lands are near the basin, welcomed the assessment but expressed continuing worries about the risks to the local aquifer, which also feeds into the Roper River.
Environment Centre NT director Kirsty Howey says the federal move, while “significant”, does not go far enough in blocking immediate drilling plans.
On the other side, industry representatives, such as Australian Energy Producers’ Samantha McCulloch, argue that further delays could harm the territory’s economic potential and jeopardise gas supplies needed to address shortages in Eastern Australia.
The newly elected NT government also criticised federal intervention, emphasising that the territory’s regulations were sufficient to ensure the safe progression of fracking projects.
More details are accessible here.