Will Anna Bligh scrap the Felton coal-to-liquids project?

Friends of Felton media release, 24 August 2008

Friends of Felton welcome the announcement that the Bligh Government has scrapped the proposed $14b shale oil mining project in the Whitsundays.

We also welcome the declaration that other big developments will be stopped if they threaten Queensland’s pristine environment, and that legislation will be passed to prohibit new shale oil mines anywhere in Queensland.

We call on the Premier to confirm that this ban will include Ambre Energy’s proposed development at Felton, 30 km SW of Toowoomba, on the Darling Downs. This proposal includes a 12 million tonne/year open-cut coal mine, and a petrochemical plant to convert the coal into liquid fuel.

This project would devastate one of this country’s most beautiful & fertile valleys, contaminate underground aquifers, pollute the Murray Darling river system, destroy nationally significant populations of rare & endangered species, and produce huge quantities of Greenhouse gases.

Ms Bligh was quoted as saying "Our environment must come first".

Will the Felton environment come first too?

Fair Go for Felton

Friends of Felton media release, 24 August 2008

The Premier recently announced a ban on new shale oil developments in Queensland for environmental reasons. In state parliament last week, the Minister for Mines & Energy stated that no new entitlements would be granted until a 2 year review had been carried out.

Friends of Felton were informed by the Premier's dept on 27th August that the Felton project proposed by Ambre Energy was not affected by the ban.

Friends of Felton call for the Felton project to be included in the shale oil ban on the following grounds -

1. The coal-to-liquids process at Felton is very similar to the process planned for the Whitsundays.
2. Shale has been identified in the resource at Felton ( Ambre Energy IAS 15 Feb 2008, pp 10-11).
3. The Whitsundays project threatened the Barrier Reef, the Felton project threatens the Murray Darling Basin.
4. Both projects would emit huge amounts of CO2 - at Felton, Ambre Energy themselves say 3t CO2 per 1t fuel.
5. The technology involved in both projects is equally unproven.

The Premier was quoted as saying "The environment must come first". By including Felton in the shale oil ban, she will demonstrate her concern for the natural environment as well as the political environment.

See also: www.friendsoffelton.blogspot.com, Qld farmers want new rules for mining in Sunshine Coast Daily of 2 Sep 08, Farmers take on coal project in GLW of 7 Sep 08.