DUBBO City Council has not decided on a position on coal seam gas exploration or extraction in its area.
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With a six-month freeze on the processing of CSG exploration applications due to end on September 26, the Lock-the-Gate lobby group has been urging people to ask their local councils to oppose the renewal of CSG and unconventional gas licences.
The Daily Liberal asked the Dubbo City Council if it had a position on CSG.
Mr Tony Aikins, Manager City Strategy Services, said: "Dubbo City Council has not deliberated a position on coal seam gas exploration or extraction.
"To explore for coal seam gas, a proponent must apply for a Petroleum Exploration Licence (PEL)."
In March, the NSW government placed a freeze on the processing of new Petroleum Exploration Licence Applications (PELA) and an audit of existing PELs, including those within the Dubbo LGA (PEL 433 and PELA 160).
"A Dubbo and Orana Mining Growth Strategy is currently being developed by council to help ensure all future mining investment in or adjoining the city is appropriately planned and managed," Mr Aikins said.
"Coal seam gas extraction will be considered by council in association with the development of this strategy."
The controversial CSG issue arrived on Dubbo's radar in March when it was announced a 9400 square kilometre chunk of land, centred on Dubbo, was the subject of exploration licence applications filed with the NSW government by Central Coast company CEEMAC Pty Limited.
The application also covered areas in the Narromine, Gilgandra, Warrumbungle and Mid-Western Regional local government areas as well as portions of the Cobbora Coal Project.
Lock-the-Gate, which opposes CSG exploration and extraction, protested the Dubbo move at the electoral off ice of Dubbo MP Troy Grant shortly after the announcement.
The protesters, a group of farmers from Coonamble, were not satisfied with his response to their concerns.
Mr Grant said his main concern was to ensure the preservation of prime agricultural land but he still had a duty to look at other industries that could help boost the region's economy.
He reiterated the NSW government had stringent restrictions in place.
But lobbyists said the leak at the Santos CSG extraction facility in the Pilliga State Forest showed they might not be enough.
Later in March, after controversy over different CSG issues, the NSW government placed its six-month freeze.
The freeze was to allow a "comprehensive" overhaul of the application process after the government refused five Petroleum Exploration Licence Applications.
Lock-the-Gate said more than 53 councils across Australia signed up to oppose CSG and other unconventional gas development.
Late last month a calling for a ban on CSG was narrowly defeated at the National Assembly of Local Government in Canberra.
It fell short of being adopted by just seven votes.
Three hundred councils were at the assembly.
The motion from the Griffith City Council called on the federal government to intervene and ban all CSG activities on agricultural land to protect the national interest and Australia's ability to continue to produce clean safe food.
The main purpose for the motion was to reiterate community support and prevent reckless and unsafe unconventional gas mining.
Lock the Gate National co-ordinator Phil Laird was not impressed.
"It's incredibly disappointing that just as large numbers of local councils are calling for increased federal regulation of CSG drilling, the federal government is moving in the opposite direction, voting in the Lower House last week to hand the CSG water trigger back to state governments and gut federal biodiversity controls," Mr Laird said.
Lock-the-Gate has been urging people to ask their local councils to oppose the renewal of unconventional gas licenses.