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January 12th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda A southern Queensland council has become the first in the state to attempt a moratorium on coal seam gas (CSG) mining and coal exploration.
Somerset Regional Council unanimously passed a resolution on Wednesday declaring the region a “no go” area for the two activities.
The resolution also pledged council’s support to any landholder who opposes CSG activity on their land.
Somerset Mayor Graeme Lehmann said the the CSG extraction process was simply too risky.
“There is so much uncertainty around the long term environmental and health impacts of CSG mining – it’s just not worth the risk,” he said.
“I don’t know if people in Brisbane are aware that the quality of their drinking water supply could be compromised unless the Somerset region is protected from these mining activities.”
The moratorium, however, would need state government backing to be enforceable, which Mr Lehmann said he would seek.
“Council is now calling for the Queensland government to support us in our decision and give the people of Brisbane and Somerset certainty that our region will be protected from CSG mining,” he said.
Queensland Resources Council chief executive Michael Roche said the council’s move was political grandstanding.
“The minerals and energy resources under the ground belong to the people of Queensland and we elect state governments to make decisions on the best use of those resources for the benefit of all Queenslanders,” Mr Roche said on Thursday.
“There are 150 employees of mining and gas company living in the Somerset Regional Council area, injecting some $17 million worth of spending power into the region.
“Mining and gas companies also buy $7 million worth of goods and services from Somerset businesses.
“I find it difficult to imagine that the 22,500 people in Somerset … are happy with the notion that their council wants to forgo that wealth creation in their community.”
Meanwhile, landowners on Thursday set up a blockade to stop Arrow Energy from conducting exploratory CSG drilling at Kerry Valley, in the nearby Scenic Rim district.
The landowners’ protest group Keep The Scenic Rim Scenic said the blockade would remain in place until Arrow submitted to independent water testing before further drilling takes place.
“With this peaceful blockade, Scenic Rim landowners and residents are again saying they are deeply concerned for the future of the region and no longer prepared to see mining allowed to proceed at any cost,” group spokesman Innes Larkin said.
“We’re calling on Arrow Energy to adopt a precautionary principle and postpone these activities until the baseline readings are done.
“We also want the company to commit to independent assessment of our water supplies – which lead to Brisbane and the Gold Coast – and public ownership of the results.”
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