Coal News No. 11
One of the great strengths of our campaign to stop the mining of Happy Valley/Upper Waimangaroa is the Save Happy Valley Coalition with its focus on climate change. I first heard about the Greenhouse Effect, as it was called, as a student in the late 1960's. Back then it was presented very much as a theory and I guess there was little evidence to back it up. Nowadays climate change is mainstream. Hardly a week goes by when its not in the news and the evidence is on TV in front of our eyes. It really is the biggie and we can truly say that Save Happy Valley's activism is cutting-edge.
A dozen campers may end up in court on a dubious charge of trespassing at Stockton Mine. It all started two weekends ago when 4 security guards stumbled out of the scrub and into our camp at Happy Valley. They first claimed they were there for our safety and security, but immediately began videoing everyone. They said they wanted to issue us with "pre-emptive" trespass notices and asked for our names. No one gave a name except me, so I was the only person to get one. The security firm is Wellington-based Gibson Security, so it's costing Solid Energy (SE) plenty to have these dudes rush about the coal plateau. Next morning we all walked up towards Stockton to see what Happy Valley will look like if mining goes ahead. We walked over DOC land and stopped near the boundary with the mine, but still well away from any operational area. The security guards were there to meet us, with a long lens. They told us we were trespassing and police had been called. When we got to Burnetts Face on our way home, police took everyone's names to match with the video footage. So we'll soon know if anyone is to be summonsed. Apart from this drama we had a great camp. 34 people had a good look around. My feeling is there's now an unstoppable momentum in the campaign to Save Happy Valley.
On the seaward side of Stockton, SE has asked DOC to ban the public from conservation land under the skyline ridge that runs from Mt Augustus to Rockies. This is the area we don't want mined. Buller Conservation Group has sent this letter to conservation minister Chris Carter: Our group is strongly opposed to DOC banning the public from conservation land under the Mt Augustus ridge. Solid Energy has asked for this ban on safety grounds but the real reason is Solid Energy does not want activists in the area while it mines the ridgeline. Don Elder made this point at a public meeting in Westport earlier this year. He said a protest camp on conservation land would halt mining until the activists could be removed. You will be aware that Buller Conservation Group, Forest & Bird and Save Happy Valley Coalition are campaigning to protect Powelliphanta "Augustus", the critically endangered land snail which survives only on the ridge. If DOC grants Solid Energy's request, your department will be put in the extremely embarrassing role of assisting in the arrest of those who want to save the snail. Therefore our group asks that you, as minister, refuse to exclude the public from this area. We formally invite you to visit the Augustus ridgeline with our members to show you around. It is an area with national park qualities and must be protected.
We needed to write to the minister since the local conservancy has already recommended in favour of the ban. When will DOC stop grovelling to SE and make a stand for threatened species? We shouldn't have to rush around doing its job!
Ngakawau Riverwatch
is keeping the pressure on SE to have the Ngakawau River swimmable and fishable within 5 years. SE's water expert Phil Lindsay is translating this into measurable data. He told last week's Consultative Group meeting that cleaning the visible pollutants like silts and coal fines is the easy part. The Acid Mine Drainage (low pH and dissolved metals) is much harder.
Granity Creek dam, which was leaking so badly it threatened to collapse, has been emptied while SE decides what to do with it. Meantime, all the polluted water is being diverted to the Ngakawau River. SE currently has a team doing fish surveys in the Mokihinui, Ngakawau and Waimangaroa Rivers.
As I write, SE is taking the top off Mt Frederick and preparing to mine the summit ridge of Mt Augustus (The actual summit of Augustus has already gone). Ngati Waewae has told SE over many years how important these mountains are to them. But it doesn't appear to make any difference. Mining rumbles on.
SE has mined half the habitat of Powelliphanta "Augustus" on the slopes of Mt Augustus, and is determined to mine the rest. It wants to move a small proportion of the snail population, with or without approval from DOC, to a much smaller site where altitude, exposure, soil chemistry and vegetation all differ from the original site. Forest & Bird points out that this snail is in greater danger of extinction than the kakapo. As well as asking SE to stop mining the habitat, Forest & Bird has gone to the High Court to get a Declaration on the protected status of the snail. If the court finds in F&B's favour, SE will be forced to get a permit from the Minister of Conservation before shifting any snails or slabs of habitat.
The High Court has heard F&Bs appeal on the proposed Cypress Mine which threatens Happy Valley and the decision is due any day. It'd be a nice Xmas present if the court finds in our favour.
For more information visit Save Happy Valley's excellent website www.savehappyvalley.org.nz You might want to make a donation.
