Cypress/Happy Valley News No 1
Submissions. Solid Energy has been around its workforce with a campaign to get lots of submissions in support of the Cypress mine proposal.
Yesterdays Westport News says Buller Dist Cl has received 283 submissions, most in support. Until the last day, there were only 35 submissions, 29 in support and six against. So it looks like SE has done a lot of work and won this stage of the propaganda war.
"The West Coast Reg Cl has received about 200 submissions...F&B, Greenpeace, Ngakawau Riverwatch and Buller Conservation Gr were among the opponents," reports The News.
Ngakawau Riverwatch has put photo displays in 2 local shops. They stress they are not against coal mining, but want a clean environment and a "more prosperous community". Theyve produced an excellent first newsletter which can be obtained from 7 Corbett St, Ngakawau.
This group has the potential to attract a lot of local people who are concerned about pollution of the river and coastline and about the lack of jobs going to local people. They are right on the spot, their members monitor the Ngakawau R and Granity Ck every day, since they flow right through their communities. They also pick up all the gossip from the mines which is invaluable.
We're told SE is looking for land locally to build a coal-fired power station. Other reports suggest such a station is more likely near Auckland.
SEs ceo Don Elder told a meeting in Christchurch last week they have $40m set aside for cleaning up the environment at Stockton. Its easy to spout off figures like this, but SE has the problem that no one trusts it because of its shocking record.
On a personal note, Id like to see us push for a Ngakawau R clean enough to swim in, drink from and whitebait in, within say, 10 years. This is something people can relate to rather than pH figures and turbidity measurements. $40m if properly spent would go a long way to achieving this. The river is beautifully clean upstream of the side creeks that drain the mining area. Its headwaters are in an Ecological Area which still has roa/great spotted kiwi, kaka and whio/blue duck (hopefully they are still hanging on).
Its great to have Greenpeace submitting, because they have the expertise on global warming/climate change. This is arguably the worst env consequence of coal mining. Its not long ago that a mining company on the Coast stated that the damage to the atmosphere from burning coal was not an issue because it would all be exported!
Pete Lusk
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