Farming communities will be industrialised with adverse effects on agriculture and tourism. Operation is 24/7 and construction is invasive. Not only wells, but extensive pipelines, water treatment systems, gas storage areas and connecting roads. Construction noise, traffic and air pollution.
Gas is a large Australian commodity both domestically and as an export. Australia is currently the 2nd largest global LNG exporter, and is on-track to overtake Qatar by 2019. Fueling the gas industry is imperative to fueling Australia's economy.
Fracking contaminates water sources due to leaking of fracking fluid and methane intrusion. US EPA(2016) concluded, through Hydraulic Fracturing Water Assessment Report, that scientific evidence validated adverse impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water supplies under certain circumstances.
Fugitive methane emissions are a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Whilst APPEA claims that fugitive emissions comrpise only 0.1% of production, the Australian government reported these emissions at 0.5%.
Adverse health impacts are caused by environmental pollution from chemicals and methane. Report by Concerned Health Professionals of NY and Nobel Peace winning group verified fracking cannot be practised without causing adverse health impacts.
Iconic natural landscapes are threatened. Shale gas sites exist on both coastal and rural areas in large magnitudes. Australian coal and gas licences and applications cover 37% of the total land mass, equivalent to 285 million hectares.
The gas industry is a large source of employment for Australians. Modelling by Deloitte for APPEA estimated that 103,000 jobs across Australia would be created due to current LNG projects.
Natural gas is essential to Australia's energy security. Fracking provided more than two-thirds of US natural gas production in 2015. Aus has 800 TCF of gas resources – enough to power a city of 1 million people for 16,000 years' (APPEA). Increasing supply of natural gas will keep prices affordable.
allidevlin
