Big Time: An Empirical Analysis of Regulating the Cumulative Environmental Effects of Coal Seam Gas Extraction under Australian Federal Environmental Law

Abstract

The cumulative environmental effects of coal seam gas (CSG) extraction are a notable challenge in regulating the transition to a more sustainable energy future. Federal legislation was introduced in 2013 to address concerns about the effects on water resources of CSG extraction, but the effectiveness of this five-year-old federal regime remains unclear. This study empirically analyses the ways in which CSG projects assessed under this federal “water trigger” legislation have considered cumulative environmental effects, with an emphasis on elements related to time. By highlighting key gaps in how cumulative effects are considered in practice under the water trigger, it aims to sharpen the att..