Solid Energy Misleading Public
Press Release: Save Happy Valley Coalition
13th April 2006

Solid Energy is continuing to mislead the public and the Government, simply to make a few extra dollars of profit at the expense of the extinction of one of New Zealand's ancient taonga, the native land snail Powelliphanta augustus.

Documents received under the Official Information Act by Save Happy Valley Coalition members indicate that the state-owned coal company is desperate to keep the actual amount of coal under endangered snails secret, and that the amount is only a fraction of the $400 million it claims.

"Claims made by Solid Energy that the coal under Powelliphanta augustus snails, which it was yesterday given permission to remove, is worth $400 million and will keep 130 miners in jobs. These are incredible exaggerations. Furthermore, Solid Energy claimed that if the snails had been saved, the remaining life of the Stockton Mine would halve. But the snails only live on 3-4ha of the enormous 2308ha Stockton Mine!" says Save Happy Valley Coalition spokesperson Ms Frances Mountier.

"The coal under the entire Mt Augustus section of the ridgeline is worth $150-200 million, according documents received under the Official Information Act, and the area that the snails live in is only a tiny portion of that" says Ms Mountier.

"In November the National Business Review put the value of the coal under the snails at $50 million. To have increased in value by 700 percent by April is surprising, to say the least," says Ms Mountier. "We'd like to know exactly how long the tiny 3-4ha of habitat will keep these 130 miners employed. A few weeks?"

"Don Elder's claims that the conditions imposed will somehow ensure the species' survival are simply greenwash - even Chris Carter has admitted that he cannot guarantee that this will not make the snails become extinct."

"Other documents received under the OIA indicate that the real haste for mining the snails is not because of a concern about jobs, but because the coal has already been sold."

"Solid Energy has previously shown itself to be untrustworthy. It recently told our group – which is campaigning against the nearby proposed Happy Valley mine - that it had no idea who two men we caught spying on our valley occupation camp were. Then it later basically admitted hiring them as spies. Solid Energy and its security firm, Gibson Security are also under investigation by the Department of Conservation for illegal security operations on conservation land."

ENDS

Media Contact:

Frances Mountier, Save Happy Valley Coalition Spokesperson, 021 175 7484

Notes

While Chris Carter has imposed some conditions on the relocation of the snails, these are insufficient to save the species from extinction:

Chris Carter's Conditions:

1. The relocation by hand of up to 250 snails from the proposed mining site;

SHV: 250 snails is the minimum viable population size which is why this number was chosen. However, the new habitat for the snails may be unsuitable for the snails, and the snails may not survive there at all. Even if the new habitat was suitable, it can hold at most 85 snails. This is not a viable population. Some of these 250 snails will be relocated into the 6% of the existing habitat that will not be mined, but will be subject to blast debris, and rockfall of up to 270 tonnes at a time.

2. The establishment of an expanded new habitat for the snails that is as close as can reasonably be achieved to the old habitat, and will not be affected by mining;

SHV: The 'most promising' new habitat has already been identified and, as already indicated, can hold at most 85 snails. Expanding into even less suitable habitat will not result in more snails surviving the move. None of the area has any legal protection.

3. The protection of this area with intensive predator control and a predator proof fence;

SHV: Analysis of the shells of dead snails found on Mt Augustus indicates that very few die from predation. Hence, predator control will not increase the capacity of the habitat.

4. The direct transfer of the existing snail habitat to another area that will not be affected by mining;

SHV: Direct transfer has been mooted as an option because it is not possible to ever find more than 60% of snails, as they are very elusive. The direct transfer of snails and their habitat with heavy machinery has never been tried, and will undoubtedly result in many dead snails. There is no guarantee that any will survive the process, let alone be able to live in their moved and disturbed habitat.

5. The protection of an expanded proportion of the existing snail habitat that will not be mined, and intensive predator control across this area;

SHV: The Department of Conservation has already granted a concession to drop up to 270 tonnes of rock at a time onto the tiny 6% of the habitat that will not be mined, and is expected to close this area to the public in the near future. As already discussed, there is little value in predator control to increase the carrying capacity of the habitat as it is not limited by predation.

6. The development of a captive management programme for the snails; and

SHV: While attempts have been made to raise Powelliphanta snails in captivity in the past, the results have been dismal. Snails raised in captivity have died of fungal infections and none have survived past the second generation

7. The conducting of a wider survey of the surrounding environment to locate other possible areas of habitat for Powelliphanta Augustus

SHV: The most promising site for the relocation of Powelliphanta augustus has already been selected by DOC and Solid Energy Staff. There is no guarantee that snails will survive here at all, and no time has been set aside to test if it will work. This condition is meaningless as it is unlikely that there is a more suitable site, and even if there were, there may be too few snails left to be a viable population by the time it is found.

Save Happy Valley Coalition

The Save Happy Valley Coalition is a collection of groups and individuals from around Aotearoa committed to stopping Solid Energy's proposed open cast coal mine in Happy Valley (Upper Waimangaroa Valley) on the West Coast. They are also deeply concerned about the fate of all endangered species under threat from Solid Energy – such as the Powelliphanta snail at the nearby Mt Augustus. The coalition is made up of West Coast locals, students, workers and the general public. The group has a track record of creative protests, occupations and lock-ons as well as producing a variety of informative media. More information about the coalition and its history can be found at http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz/aboutus.htm

Save Happy Valley have been occupying Happy Valley (which is east of Mt Augustus) since 28th January 2006.

The main part of the population of Powelliphanta "Augustus" lives on 3-4 hectares of land, more than 90% of which is within the Stockton Mining Licence. Solid Energy was forced by High Court action brought by Forest and Bird in December to apply to the Ministers of Conservation and Energy for permits to move these snails before they mine their habitat.