A rally was held in Gurley yesterday with about 100 angry landholders ready to take action against the gas companies.

NSW Member for Parliament and Greens mining spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham has put forward a bill to parliament to stop coal seam gas mining for 12 months, until gas companies can prove that gas mining will not have a detrimental affect on agricultural prime land, water and the environment.

“We want to know the full social, economic and environmental impacts that coal seam gas mining will have on this region,” Mr Buckingham said.

“And the way we can do this is by getting this bill passed in parliament.”

Mr Buckingham believes the bill is likely to go before parliament in late August or early September.

“This is an opportunity for farmers and the Greens to work together on these issues and put a halt to coal seam gas mining,” he said.

Mr Buckingham said members of parliament were “aware” of communities banding together and forming alliances against gas mining companies.

“They are starting to panic because they have made promises to these gas companies and are coming up against a lot of angry landholders,” he said.

An action group was formed last Sunday after local landholders were served documents by Leichardt Resources Pty Ltd, Planet Gas Ltd and MBA Petroleum Consultants to seek rights to explore land for coal seam gas.