Fracking moratorium lifted – strict laws to be in place before exploration or production can occur
23 April 2018
NT Government:
Chief Minister Michael Gunner today announced the
Northern Territory Government had accepted all 135 recommendations
of the independent
fracking inquiry.
Mr Gunner said implementation of the recommendations of the Final Report
of the Inquiry would now begin so that Territorians could benefit from
the creation of new
jobs while protecting our unique natural
environment for generations to come.
“We promised to be a Government that restores trust, listens to the
community and creates jobs,” Mr Gunner said.
“We promised an independent, scientific inquiry after which we would
either ban fracking or allow it in highly regulated circumstances in
tightly prescribed areas.
“We have kept our promise.
“We have accepted the key finding of the report – that if all the
recommendations are implemented the risk from fracking can be reduced to
an acceptable level.
“We have also accepted the Inquiry’s advice about no go zones and
coupled with areas where there is no petroleum potential, 49% of the
Territory will be frack free, including in National Parks, Conservation
Areas, Indigenous Protected Areas, towns, residential and strategic
assets, and areas of high cultural, environmental or tourism value.
“In the remainder of the Territory, strict new laws and regulations will
be put in place to ensure that when fracking takes place, we protect the
environment, the cultures and lifestyles that rely on it, and the many
tourism, pastoral and agricultural jobs that depend on it.
Some of the key elements of these new laws and regulations include:
Ensuring all Environmental Management Plans for fracking must be
assessed by the
EPA and signed off by the Minister for the Environment;
Strict new requirements that must be met before exploration
approval is
granted including codes of practice for well integrity and well
decommissioning, development of
wastewater management frameworks, the
requirement for
gas companies to obtain a
water license;
Strict new requirements that must be met before production can take
place including the development of robust and transparent monitoring
strategies, discussions with industry and pastoralists regarding land
access requirements and compensation, and release of all environmental
management plans for public comment;
Broad standing to seek judicial and merits review of statutory
decisions;
Broad new powers to sanction non-compliance, civil enforcement
proceedings and increased criminal penalties for environmental harm.
An independent officer will be appointed to oversight the implementation
of all 135 recommendations.
“We understand that many Territorians are concerned about increased
greenhouse
gas emissions from fracking and as recommended by the inquiry, I
have written to the Prime Minister and the Federal Leader of the
Opposition seeking their agreement to partner with us in offsetting all
additional emissions,” Mr Gunner said
“In addition, this Government will soon be seeking comment on draft
Climate Change and Environmental Offset policies which we want to
finalise before the end of the 2018.”
“These reforms will require significant additional resources and we have
approved $5.33 million over three years to implement the 135
recommendations. This will ensure that our unique environment is
protected while much needed new jobs are created – particularly in
remote and regional parts of the Territory.
“In line with the recommendations of the report, the Government will be
ensuring industry pays its fair share through an appropriate cost
recovery model.
“I understand that many Territorians feel passionately about fracking
and were hoping for a different announcement today.
“I want to assure all Territorians that we will faithfully implement all
the recommendations of the report and I encourage those who are
passionate about protecting our precious natural environment to stay
engaged through this process of reform,” Mr Gunner said.
Work on a detailed implementation plan for the 135 recommendations of
the Final Report will begin immediately and be completed and released to
the public in July this year.
As part of the ongoing implementation a community and industry reference
group will be created to ensure Territorians continue to have a formal
voice in the process.
--ENDS--
Source: Northern Territory Government - www.newsroom.nt.gov.au
Contact: Media Contact: Cameron Angus 0404 021 192
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