New South Wales Opposition Leader Luke Foley has vowed to protect the Pilliga forest if elected next week.
The Labor party says it will permanently ban coal seam gas in the area, by not letting exploration licenses convert to production licenses.
Mr Foley says the risks CSG poses, particularly to the underground water storages, are unacceptable.
Santos is a few months away from submitting an Environmental Impact Statement for its Narrabri Gas Project.
It maintains it will not impact the Great Artesian Basin.
“The chief scientist has looked at this and has concluded that the industry has no more risk than any other industry so frankly I’m a little lost to understand his position at this point in time.”
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