{"id":39872,"date":"2013-07-26T19:30:01","date_gmt":"2013-07-26T09:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=39872"},"modified":"2020-09-14T16:33:33","modified_gmt":"2020-09-14T06:33:33","slug":"cougar-drops-civil-actions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2013\/07\/26\/cougar-drops-civil-actions\/","title":{"rendered":"Cougar Drops Civil Actions"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The sole UCG burn at Coolabunia ... March 16, 2010<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

July 26, 2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cougar Energy advised the ASX today that is has dropped its civil actions against the State Government.<\/p>\n

Cougar had been suing the government \u2013 and three government officials \u2013 for more than $34 million in damages following the shutdown of its controversial underground coal gasification (UCG) trial near Coolabunia.<\/p>\n

The trial was not allowed to re-start after a well failure in 2010.<\/p>\n

Cougar filed proceedings in the Supreme Court in October 2011 seeking compensation.<\/p>\n

It named three then-Department of Environment and Resource Management executives in the action, alleging \u201cnegligence and breach of statutory duties\u201d in their administration of the Queensland Environmental Protection Act.<\/p>\n

The company had also launched an appeal in the Planning and Environment Court.<\/p>\n

The ASX notice said “no payments are to be made by Cougar Energy to the defendants or received from the defendants upon the discontinuances being filed”.<\/p>\n

Cougar Energy CEO Rob Neill said the ending of the civil actions was a key part of the on-going strategic review by the Board “as it looks to restore confidence in the company’s growth strategy and restore value for shareholders”.<\/p>\n

He said Cougar would “continue to work with the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection to agree a plan of rehabilitation for the Kingaroy site”.<\/p>\n

Mr Neill said Cougar had a financial assurance posted with the department for the rehabilitation works.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/p>\n

The discontinuation of the civil actions has not cleared Cougar Energy of all its court actions in relation to the Coolabunia project.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Three charges alleging Cougar breached the Environmental Protection Act have been adjourned in the Kingaroy Magistrates Court.<\/p>\n

The ASX statement says these are now listed for hearing in the Brisbane Magistrates Court in September.<\/p>\n

At the same time, Cougar announced it had successfully raised $719,674 through the placement of more than 239 million shares at 0.3 cents \/ share.<\/p>\n

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