An anti-coal seam gas group says extended federal environmental powers are a positive start but they won't mean anything unless 'backed up by political courage to reject damaging projects'.
Coal seam gas and mine developers face tougher checks on environmental impacts under changes approved by the Gillard government.
In his agreement to support the minority Labor government after the 2010 election, Independent MP Tony Windsor had demanded independent scientific oversight for CSG and coal projects.
Under changes approved by cabinet on Tuesday, federal environmental powers will be extended to cover the cumulative impacts on water of new CSG wells and mines.
National environment law will be changed to require federal assessment and approval of coal seam gas and large coal mining developments which have a significant impact on a water resource.
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Anti-CSG group Lock The Gate said the changes were a positive start but would mean nothing unless further action was taken.
"This reform today is a step forward on a long road to genuine reform of coal and gas mining laws in Australia," said Carmel Flint, from the Lock The Gate Alliance.
"It has only been achieved because of the determination of people all around Australia to protect our priceless water resources."
Ms Flint said that the real challenge for the government would be to reject coal and gas mining projects that have been assessed by experts to be "damaging".
"A water trigger is a useful addition to the federal laws - but it means nothing unless it is backed up by the political courage to reject damaging coal and gas mining projects.
"The real test of this change will be in whether the Federal Government rejects the coal mines planned for the Liverpool Plains, and the Arrow coal seam gas project in Queensland, which was slammed in a review by the Expert Scientific Committee yesterday."
Environment and Water Minister Tony Burke says while the government will seek more information from business, it's not seeking to have "a needlessly delayed" process.
He says the additional information required in many instances will involve data that has already been collected in the state approval process.
Mr Windsor welcomed the government's announcement, saying it was a win for water and for the farming sector reliant on water.
"It is important to have a process in place to give all involved confidence that any decision made would be based on science and not on short-term economic return to the state governments," he said in a statement.
"My push has always been about getting a process that the community can have confidence in."
The Australian Conservation Foundation urged the federal government to amend the Environmental Protection Act once and for all to stop environmental approval powers from being handed back to the states.
"Coal and coal seam gas mining are causing massive damage to aquifers that support unique wildlife and productive farmland right across the country," campaigner Jonathan La Nauze said in a statement on Tuesday.
"This is an important step, but the government should be aware of the bigger picture, which is the push by big business to have environmental approvals handed to the states."
