Farmers welcome coal seam gas study group ...

Excerpt from ABC News:

Farmers welcome coal seam gas study group

6 June 2008

Farmers close to coal seam gas fields near Dalby have welcomed the creation of a working group to study coal seam gas water, saying it is a step in the right direction.

The Queensland Murray-Darling Committee says the Queensland Government has set up a working group to investigate what impacts the salty water - a by-product of the coal seam gas mining process - has on soils and aquifers.

Members of the Environmental and Property Protection Association are worried water ponds at gas fields near Dalby are damaging local properties and waterways.

President Bruce Derrick says the association will invite the working group to tour their properties.

"I can't understand why these things weren't set up before, but ... if we can get some scientific process going on where we can work out if there's any problems with our planning or agricultural things, that'd be great," he said.

See - ABC News - Farmers welcome coal seam gas study group.