Queensland officials have declined a proposal by Glencore subsidiary CTSCo to inject over 300,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the Great Artesian Basin (GAB).
The plan involved a three-year trial, injecting up to 110,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually into the Precipice Sandstone aquifer near Moonie, west of Brisbane.
The Department of Environment, Science and Innovation cited potential impacts on groundwater in the GAB as the reason for not approving the project.
The proposal faced strong opposition from agricultural and environmental groups, expressing concerns about contamination and water pressure effects across the basin.
With over 180,000 people in inland Australia relying on the GAB for water, the decision weighed the basin’s importance.
The department emphasised that after careful consideration of the environmental impact statement, the proposed site was deemed unsuitable.
Additionally, the decision underscored the impracticality of other carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects in the region.
Expressing disappointment, a Glencore spokesperson attributed the decision to “damaging misinformation campaign[s] and political opportunism by multiple players.”
Glencore remains open to exploring future investments in CCS.
Responding to the decision, Queensland Farmers’ Federation chief executive Jo Sheppard welcomed it as a positive step but stressed the need for further regulations to safeguard the GAB.
News source: ABC News
Image Supplied: LETA
