The Territory Labor Government is focused on environmental protection and job creation.
Today, the Territory Government has released the Strategic Regional Environmental and Baseline Assessment (SREBA) for the Beetaloo Sub-basin, which is one of the key recommendations from the Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing in the Northern Territory.
The SREBA accounts for 35 of the Inquiry’s recommendations.
The SREBA provides information necessary for appropriate decisions to be made about the development of any natural gas extraction in the Beetaloo region, including the assessment of water and biodiversity resources, to inform land-use planning, and the collection of baseline data to provide a reference for ongoing monitoring.
There are now more protections in place for groundwater than ever before, not just in the Beetaloo region but across the entire Northern Territory.
The SREBA for the Beetaloo Sub-basin is the most comprehensive regional scientific study ever conducted in the Northern Territory, covering an area 20% larger than Tasmania – 86,400 square kilometres.
It represents an integrated and systematic data collection program that is unique in the Northern Territory, and possibly Australia.
To enact the SREBA Government has implemented the following mitigation measures, including:
• Water Quality and Quantity – there is now a very large body of data and research findings relating to water resources in the Beetaloo Region and, in particular, to the groundwater resources in the Cambrian Limestone Aquifer.
• Aquatic Ecosystems – systematic biodiversity surveys and regional mapping have greatly increased knowledge of the aquatic ecosystems in the Beetaloo region.
• Terrestrial Ecosystems – regional vegetation mapping and systematic flora and fauna surveys have greatly increased knowledge of the terrestrial ecosystems in the Beetaloo region.
• Methane and Greenhouse Gas – currently the most practical and effective method of monitoring regional methane concentrations for the Beetaloo region is through periodic mobile surveys, possibly supported by the targeted deployment of long-term autonomous emission monitoring stations.
• Environmental Health – outline monitoring plans were developed for the relevant population health indicators for air quality, water quality and soils. It was recommended that stakeholders be further engaged to refine and agree on the population health indicators before finalising an implementable monitoring plan.
• Social, Cultural and Economic – the baseline and strategic assessments identified four main themes that reflect widely held aspirations for the future and community values: safe and sustainable (and coordinated) development; strong communities; maintaining and enhancing connection to land and culture; and informed and fair local participation.
The information collected by the SREBA is described in detailed Baseline Reports for each of the study domains and summarised in the SREBA Regional Report for the Beetaloo Sub-basin is available at depws.nt.gov.au/sreba here
Quotes from Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water Security Lauren Moss:
“The Territory Labor Government understands that a strong economy relies on a healthy environment and our unique environment needs a specific Territory approach.
“The purpose of the SREBA is to provide the information necessary for appropriate decisions to be made about the development of any onshore shale gas industry in the Beetaloo region, including assessment of water and biodiversity resources, to inform land-use planning, and the collection of baseline data to provide a reference for ongoing monitoring.
“The work involved has been immense and the Government has great confidence that the regulatory reform and scientific studies will withstand public scrutiny and the test of time.
“Importantly, this work will play a critical role in avoiding and mitigating risks associated with the onshore oil and gas industry.”
