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Category: Land Pollution / Activism and Lobbying / Oil and Gas / Public Sector

Linc Energy's contamination zone widens

Friday, 10 Feb 2017 11:01:13 | Stephanie Smail

Testing is underway to examine how widespread the contamination is. (ABC News)

Gas-contaminated soil has been detected 25 kilometres further south of an existing exclusion zone around a controversial Western Downs gas project, Queensland's Environment Department says.

A 314-square-kilometre "excavation caution zone" is in place at the Linc Energy Hopeland site, near Chinchilla, due to fears about possible hydrogen explosions.

But new testing has revealed the contamination is more widespread than first thought.

Ongoing testing has revealed contaminated soil on 12 private properties.

Anne Lenz from the Environment Department said three properties tested positive for flammable levels of hydrogen, but that number could change.

"They key point is that we are still testing so that number is going to be quite fluid as we continue to receive results," she said.

Ms Lenz said there was no human health risk from the gas-contaminated soil and the risk was manageable, pointing out testing would be ramped up.

But she would not divulge the size of the area to be tested.

"We're focusing on that region south of the excavation caution zone, but we will keep testing inside the caution zone as well."

Landholders furious

Landholder say they have been kept in the dark about the new results.

Helen Bender, whose farm adjoins the site, said the news was heartbreaking.

Helen Bender on Q&A Photo: Ms Bender says landholders feel ignored by the industry. (ABC)

"But my immediate thought goes to the Queensland Government who have again completely ignored the landowners, first and foremost," she said.

"They've obviously known about the seriousness and there's been no communication."

A Government source said the department had been receiving test results for about a week and it acted as quickly as it could to inform landholders.

Ms Lenz said the landholders were called yesterday to discuss the issue and to set up meetings for today.

"The department's priority is direct communication with landholders in that region. They've been part of an ongoing engagement process that we've had with that community for a long time now," she said.

"We'll be giving them their results and answering any questions they might have."

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