Letters to the editor Fracking Cattle by Jessica Lowe and Whian Whian, November 15, 2012, echonews.com.au
I am a cattle farmer from Whian Whian, a parent of three young children, and the wife of a local GP. I would like to respond to an article in the Rural Weekly (October 31) ‘Casino farmers tell of positive CSG experience overseas’. The ‘positive CSG experience’ apparently occurred in Calgary, Canada, while Darrelyn and Ian Sharman were there to attend the World Hereford Conference, last July. Type ‘fracking Calgary’ into an internet search engine. (When I first did this I tried the words ‘coal seam gas Calgary’ and I only looked on the first page. It appeared that there was only conventional gas mining in Calgary). However, today, a Google search of ‘fracking Calgary’ brings up the following:
27 Sep 2012: ‘Cochrane residents meet to discuss fracking concerns’ – Calgary CBC; 20 Sep 2012: ‘Quebec Minister’s fracking comments worry Calgary companies’; and 7 Sep 2012: ‘BC oil and gas regulator links fracking to earthquakes’ – Calgary Herald.
But one of the most informative articles is from Australia’s own Coal Seam Gas News site. It is titled: ‘Albertan, Tired of Her Tap Water Catching Fire, Sues’. Jessica Ernst, a 54 year old oil and gas scientist, launched a $30 million lawsuit against EnCana, her local fracking company, in April 2011. The case is still in process.
An internet search on ‘fracking cattle’ is even more depressing. I don’t understand how cattle farmers could support coal seam gas mining. Darrelyn says: “I would like to know how they are going to deal with the waste water, because I am not sure what will happen with that.” I sincerely wish that she had enquired before allowing Metgasco access to his property. [Emphasis added]