Relief as Santos dumps plan to release untreated CSG water near Queensland bum-breathing turtle habitat

Santos has dropped plans to release untreated coal seam gas wastewater into the Dawson River. Photograph: Auscape/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

Santos has ditched plans to release untreated coal seam gas wastewater into a Queensland river that provides critical habitat to two species of threatened “bum-breathing” turtles.

But the oil and gas company is still seeking approval to release “reverse osmosis treated” CSG wastewater into the Dawson River – a practice that an independent scientific committee found could still affect the critically endangered white-throated snapping turtle and the vulnerable Fitzroy River turtle.