Further information from BVPA Newsletter of 13 January 2011

Some further information courtesy of  BVPA Newsletter of 13 January 2011.

·   GASLAND SCREENING
 
·         The multi-award winning documentary, GasLand, will be screened in Mudgee on Monday, 24thJanuary at the Lovejoy Mudgee Club (opposite the big preschool). (NB: This is NOT the RSL!)
o   If you’re not sure that Gas is relevant to us in Bylong, think again: we’ve recently learned that Leichhardt Resources has an exploration licence for gas over a large area that includes pretty much ALL of the Valley (and more) – and that they will be undertaking test/exploratory drilling on Murrumbo in the next month or so. Ouch!
·         Admission is $10
·         For further info, contact Robbie Binks on (0427) 723249

·   COUNCIL BUS TOUR + EXTRAORDINARY MEETING 
o   MWRC councillors + GM Warwick Bennett were in the Valley yesterday for a tour, where BVPA Committee members showed them all the different EL area etc (Cascade, Cockatoo…) 
o   Reports are that they were genuinely shocked by the potential loss of prime agricultural land – and that we have their full support. 
o   Council will be holding an extraordinary meeting next week to address the issue of Director General’s requirements (DGRs) for Mount Penny (Cascade). Various letters from Council will be sent after this meeting – so watch this space! We’ll bring you reports of what they’re saying to the “powers that be” about our situation as soon as that information is available.
·         POSSIBLE TOUR BY DUNCAN GAY
o   We are hoping that Duncan Gay, Shadow Minister for Industry, will be coming for a guided tour/briefing by BVPA Committee members early in February.
·         MEETING WITH GEORGE SOURIS
o   We are meeting with George Souris (Member for Upper Hunter) on Monday, 24th January, in Muswellbrook. (We are also hoping we can get him to join Duncan Gay when he visits in Feb.)
·         FIRST “OFFICIAL” CONTACTS WITH CASCADE + DGRs
o   BVPA has had its first official contacts from Cascade. This is very welcome after such a long period of silence and “secret men’s business”.
o   The BVPA Executive has been invited to attend a site visit with key Cascade reps, before end January. We are working out dates for this now.
o   Cascade also had a site visit with MWRC Planning staff plus representatives from other key government agencies on Tuesday of this week (in the lead up to finalisation of the DGRs)
o   Once DGRs are finalised, we will make them available.

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