Queensland Sustainability Minister Kate Jones is not satisfied with Cougar Energy Limited's (CXY) report about the contaminated bores near its Kingaroy project site.

Jones told stakeholders in meeting at Kingaroy last night, “I am very angry that Cougar Energy has not provided the information that it was required to under the notice of the environmental evaluation.”

The underground coal gasification (UCG) company submitted a report to the Department of Environment and Resource manager (DERM). The report was supposed to explain how carcinogenic chemicals from Cougar Energy's UCG plant in Kingaroy seeped through the creek.

The Kingaroy plant was shut down last month. Jones said they will be asking Cougar Energy to share the required information as soon as possible. She stressed that, “during this time they will not be able to recommence activities at Kingaroy.”

The Kingaroy Concerned Residents Group expressed its concerns about the project. The sustainability minister responded with this statement: “If we cannot demonstrate that underground coal gasification in an environmentally safe way then it will have no future in Queensland.”

The minister insisted on a full disclosure of information in order to satisfy the residents of Kingaroy. She said Cougar's report has “delay(ed) everything.”