THE state government will make an announcement on the future of hydraulic fracturing before the moratorium expires on March 31.
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The Liberal government introduced the year-long ban on the controversial mining practice when it was elected last March.
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is the process of injecting a combination of water and chemicals into the ground to extract shale gas deposits.
Primary Industries Minister Jeremy Rockliff said the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and the Environment was reviewing 157 submissions to the review of hydraulic fracturing in Tasmania.
‘‘Each and every one of those will be considered appropriately, in informing future policy on fracking,’’ he said.
Up to 90 per cent of the submissions into the state government’s review of fracking opposed the controversial method.
Fracking has been seen as controversial due to the chemicals used in the process, as well as the potential danger posed by methane leaks.
Labor leader Bryan Green said no work had yet been done to determine the viability of shale oil mining in Tasmania.
‘‘On one hand the Liberal government says it’s open for business when it comes to mining but it was prepared to prevent the possibility of extracting shale oil,’’ he said.
‘‘It’ll be interesting to see what the Liberals do now they are faced with a decision.’’
Greens leader Kim Booth said the responsible course of action for the state government would be to ban fracking in Tasmania.
‘‘This week I have met with an interstate delegation, including Queensland and NSW farmers, landholders and scientists, who have first-hand experience of the negative impact fracking has on local communities, farmers and the environment,’’ he said.
‘‘Tasmania has the advantage of learning from these very real horror stories, and we cannot afford to squander that advantage.
‘‘The greedy short-term gain of foreign gas companies would leave our fertile farming lands and aquifers degraded beyond redemption, leaving the next generation to try and clean up the mess.’’
Exploration licences for shale gas in Tasmania are held by three companies: Overseas Energy Holdings, Terra Tasmania Resources and Petragas.
