I’m increasingly concerned about
the proposed open-cast mine on the Denniston Plateau and also the Crown Minerals (Permitting
Crown Land)
Bill. That bill has seriously eroded the protection from mining that we give
our most protected land. That Bill allows decisions on access to conservation
land for mining to be made by the Minister of Conservation, as well as the
Minister of Energy and Resources and that a economic benefits test be included
in the evaluation. This is important because of the proposed Escarpment Mine
Project on the Denniston Plateau. That’s an open-cast mine on a unique, fragile
ecosystem with the devastation accepted from both sides of the argument. This
ecosystem was assessed recently in a BioBlitz by Forest
and Bird, and over a weekend 505 species were catalogued, including a new
discovery of a moth and 77 species of insects. We just don’t find this
ecosystem intact any where else – it is unique. The mine will dig up 6 million
tonnes of high quality coal for export. That’s 12 million tonnes of CO2 spewed into
the atmosphere when it’s burnt. The Environment Court
and The High Court have both agreed that the effects of coal on climate change
cannot be considered under the Resource Management Act and the appeal to the Appeal
Court is pivotal to putting the brakes on this
insanity of a mine.
We can’t pin any hopes on the
courts I suspect – no it is going to be up to people power, it is us that will
stop them. What about the Department of Conservation aren’t they working to
protect the Plateau? Their submission to the RMA was neutral, neither for nor
against. But a Department of Conservation briefing paper to the Minister,
released under the Official Information Act, says "The entire Denniston
Plateau lies within the "West Coast Kawatiri
Place" and is identified as a "Priority
Site for Biodiversity Management. It is also described as a nationally
outstanding landscape…". This landscape will be permanently altered by the
mine and overburden dumps and this has the effect of, “leaving post
rehabilitation in the vicinity of 75% of the altered landscape unrevegetated”
The briefing paper also describes how the “current ecological integrity” of the
Denniston Plateau will experience “profound change” including the increased
exposure of acid forming rock which would,” likely create a far more significant
acid mine drainage problem”.
They all know what will happen and
they don’t care because of the supposed economic benefits but they are all
illusion. They admit that at the moment the market for coal has slumped, they
talk about 400 jobs – that’s the same number of workers recently dumped when
the Spring Creek mine closed down so there are no new jobs. They base their big
payoff on imaginary future scenarios that don’t consider any macro or micro
event that could affect the maximum potential money (assuming everything goes
exactly right), and their future predictions are junk, fallacy. Funny that the
opponents to this mine have facts - abundant facts. Facts like the inevitable
damage the mine will cause, the 21 identified inconsistencies between the Resource
Management Act and proposed mine showing adverse effects on the environment
that are more than minor. Facts like inconsistencies between the stated
objectives within local, regional and national planning documents and the
activities of this mine. These are FACTS. The opposite of the wishes and hopes
of the economic growth fantasists, and they won’t change their minds, no. Their
minds are made up. But they need the acquiescence of the people to do it. They
can only do it if we let them.
For another brilliant post on this subject matter please read Claire Browning at Pundit - she writes so well and she hits every nail on the head.
3 comments:
I'm just reading the chilling book "Rich Land, Wasteland" by Sharyn Munro. It describes how the coal industry is destroying both the environment and people's lives in Australia and I can see our present Government allowing the same thing to happen here. They have openly admired what Australia has done in accessing their mineral wealth and yet have no concern about the real impacts of the industry.
http://richlandwasteland.com/reviews/
oops sorry Mike I've deleted your comment by mistake. Love to see it again - sorry mate.
Very insightful stuff in this book"Rich Land, Wasteland"
Miami kia
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