GNANGARA business owners David and Susan Woodroffe are encouraging people to sign a petition requesting a temporary ban on unconventional gas and fracking in WA.
The couple run Ellenby Tree Farm in Gnangara and want a ban enacted while an environmental impact assessment is undertaken.
Mr Woodroffe was concerned about the effects of fracking on groundwater and said he wanted the industry to be as accountable for potential pollution as he would be.
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READ NOW“We have to apply for a water licence – our usage gets metered and we have to send our staff for qualifications to use chemicals and sprays and to drive machinery,” he said.
“If I pollute the groundwater, I will be held accountable.”
He said he wanted greater investigation to ensure protection of groundwater and urged people to sign the petition, which has garnered more than 5000 signatures in a week.
The petition, run by Frack Free Future, calls for a five-year ban on unconventional gas and fracking in WA while an independent consultation and science-based review determines the safety of the industry, a permanent ban on fracking in sensitive areas such as national parks, productive farmland and water catchments, and the right for farmers, leaseholders and traditional landowners to refuse gas exploration and production on their land.
To sign, visit www.frackfreefuture.org.au.