EPBC Water Trigger: Submission

The NFF’s 4 April 2013 submission to the Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communications inquiry into the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment Bill 2013 [Provisions] outlines the government’s attempt to introduce a new matter of national environmental significance in relation to the significant impacts or likely significant impacts of coal seam gas development and large coal mining development on a water resource (water trigger). While NFF recognises the genuine concerns of farmers within areas affected by CSG, NFF believes that using a water trigger within the EPBC act presents an unreasonable future risk to all farmers. The NFF, while supporting the intent to protect the interests of farmers in terms of water quality and water quantity, does not support the use of the EPBC Act water trigger as the mechanism to resolve community and farmer concerns.