Public meetings will be held at Aveley and Muchea this week, to discuss plans for industrial gasfields in the Swan Valley and Northern Valleys.  All community members are welcome to attend.

AVELEY MEETING: 7pm, Thursday September 29th, Aveley Community Centre, 22 Bolero Rd

MUCHEA MEETING: 7pm, Friday September 30th, Muchea Hall, 48 Archibald St

Local businessman, John Taylor, from Taylors Art & Coffee House, said locally grown produce was integral to many Swan Valley businesses.

“The priority for our region should be on supporting growers, vignerons and tourism, not a risky gasfield industry that is not safe” he said.

“Locally grown produce is integral to many Swan Valley businesses like ours, and no-one wants to see that put at risk.

“Local vignerons and market gardeners can’t afford the uncertainty that gas exploration licences bring’’ he said Lock the Gate Alliance Coordinator, Simone van Hattem, encouraged people to come along to the public meetings to hear about the gas exploration licenses over a large part of the Swan and Chittering Valleys, and discuss what the future could hold.

“Unconventional gas mining involves vast gasfields that spread over large areas, and typically include thousands of gas wells, roads, pipelines, compressor stations and waste water treatment”

“The spread of industrial gasfields puts at risk agricultural activities, community health, land values and water resources” she said.