HIA Presentation to the Namoi CMA

The NW Alliance is approaching leading organisations in the region to help sponsor the Gunnedah Basin HIA. The Namoi CMA Board has been given an update on progress and an indication of next steps for the Health Study.

It is the NW Alliances hope that the HIA data can become one of the overlays on the map of the catchment that is being developed by the CMA. Existing overlays include the geographic features, mineral resources, soils and vegetation and recently the Namoi Catchment Water Study.

The Namoi Water Study adds the additional scenarios of minerals and gas extraction in the catchment from the benign Scenario 1 to the doomsday scenario 7. These scenarios could enable the HIA to pinpoint the location of the impacts and help frame the study with other environmental impacts.

When such a map is complete, planning for the catchment can be undertaken that takes into consideration the complexity of the catchment and the likely impacts of specific projects on our home.

Power Points 27.8.2012