A PUBLIC meeting will be held in Woodridge on Wednesday, November 29 to discuss plans for invasive gasfields in the Moore River area, which would likely require fracking.
Lock the Gate Alliance Mid West coordinator Simone van Hattem said there were several gas exploration leases over a large part of the area.
Ms van Hattem said the WA State Government had approved gas exploration leases from Guilderton across to Gingin and Muchea, and up to Seabird and Ledge Point, down to the Swan Valley and up all through the Mid West.
“This huge area of onshore gas leases includes productive horticulture and agriculture land, tourist spots, nature reserves and residential areas, including Woodridge,’’ she said.
“Gas companies have indicated they want to target unconventional gas.
“This would involve vast gasfields spread over large areas.
“It could include thousands of fracked gas wells, plus roads, pipelines, compressor stations and waste water treatment.
“The spread of industrial gasfields puts at risk agricultural activities, community health, land values and water resources.
“It’s not just the dangerous business of fracking and the vast amounts of water that it uses it’s the spread of extensive invasive gasfields that the community don’t want to deal with if this industry were allowed to roll out here.’’
Landholders and organisers Brad Charlton and Nicole Hutch said the meeting was being held in response to concern from residents and business owners in the area.
Mr Charlton said extracting unconventional tight gas would industrialise the area in ways that conventional gas extraction does not.
“Plus there’s the risk to water from horizontal high-volume slickwater fracturing,’’ he said.
“We invite people in the community to come and learn more about shale and tight gas.
“Learn how these plans differ from conventional gas extraction, and how communities in other parts of Australia have fought back against unconventional gasfields and won.’’
The meeting in Woodridge will take place at 7pm on Wednesday, November 29, at Woodridge Community Hall, King Dr, Woodridge. Everyone is welcome to attend.
For more information contact Simone van Hattem on 0421 389 013.
