Safeguarding water and the environment
One area of community concern about the development of a gas industry in the Territory, and the use of hydraulic fracturing, is the risk of damage to our natural environment. Much of this concern is focused on water; competition between the gas industry and other water users, the potential for impacts on groundwater and aquatic ecosystems from water extraction, and risk of contamination of surface or groundwater and associated rivers and wetlands.
The Northern Territory Government has implemented all the Inquiry recommendations, many of which will safeguard water and other environmental values through strengthening regulation and ensuring accountable industry practice. More specifically, the NT Government is ensuring gas activities are subject to the provisions of the Water Act 1992, and water extraction is licensed. Practices that pose an unacceptable risk to water resources, such as the use of surface water or reinjecting waste into aquifers, are prohibited. Water allocation planning has identified the estimated sustainable yield of groundwater resources in regions subject to gas development, and ensures appropriate allocation of water to all users, including the environment and cultural uses.
Climate change is a global issue. The Northern Territory Climate Change Response and Offsets Framework are finalised after being released for consultation in late 2019.
Managing our valuable water and other environmental assets in regions that may be developed for gas requires a detailed knowledge of the ecology and biodiversity of surface and groundwater ecosystems, and a sound understanding of aquifers and surface water systems. The Inquiry recognised that this detailed knowledge was lacking in many parts of the Territory.
To address this, the NT Government worked with independent experts, research agencies such as CSIRO, and industry to undertake a comprehensive Strategic Regional Environmental and Baseline Assessment (SREBA) in prospective onshore gas basins before granting any production approvals.
The SREBA provides baseline data to properly assess all the biophysical risks, allows planning to minimise the potential for cumulative impacts and provides a baseline for monitoring to ensure satisfactory environmental outcomes.
Each SREBA will takes at least 3 years to complete and is largely funded by industry.
A SREBA has been completed for the Beetaloo Sub-basin, where the first gas developments are expected to occur. In this region, the Australian Government Geological and Bioregional Assessment Program also provided independent scientific advice on potential environmental impacts of gas extraction, along with appropriate mitigation and management approaches.
In line with the NT Government’s approach to managing all aspects of the developing gas industry, transparency will be an important aspect of each SREBA, and the results of all studies and the underlying environmental baseline data will be readily available to the public.
Letter from CE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regarding Water Act amendments
Final updates on Safeguarding Water and the Environment Implementation Plan actions.