21 October 2009

Elephant looms behind PCE mining report

The Green Party responded to today’s Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment report on Stockton mine with caution, noting it does not seek to address the elephant in the room - that mining has a massive environmental impact, particularly because coal is the worst climate change pollutant.

“Mining has a massive impact on the environment: coal is the dirtiest fuel, large mines leave weeping wounds and scars on the landscape, and mining our conservation lands is incompatible with protecting them and our tourism industry,” said Green Party MP Jeanette Fitzsimons.

Production of coal from Stockton has nearly doubled this decade. “Mining more and more coal is disastrous for the climate – our children will not thank us,” said Ms Fitzsimons.

“The PCE report gives Solid Energy a tick for some of its parole conditions; but meeting parole conditions does not excuse the crime nor reassure the victim.”

The Green Party opposes new coal mines and instead favours a transition to sustainable economic development and jobs.

“Large-scale mining wreaks havoc on the environment even under modern laws. Just this week I have been advised that a ‘modern’ gold mine on the West Coast has had 15 infringement notices for pollution in just four years,” said Ms Fitzsimons.

“We strongly support the proposal in the report to modernise environmental conditions for the 111 mining licences granted under old laws, which the PCE described as ‘weak’, ‘outdated’ and ‘often unenforceable’.

“Reviewing these licenses is long overdue, and has been ignored by successive governments for decades. However, even modern mining laws give mining special privilege, and this Government is keen to give away more conservation land to mining.”

The report commended Solid Energy for reducing its pollution of water running off the mine, but made little comment on whether soil and vegetation rehabilitation is likely to be successful.

“It is pleasing to see that water pollution from Stockton mine has markedly improved. It was terrible when I visited in 2004, there was really only room for improvement,” said Ms Fitzsimons.

“It is important to remember that the report does not consider the impact of the mine on endangered species like kiwi and endangered powelliphanta snails; nor has Solid Energy demonstrated that attempts to restore the Stockton ‘moonscape’ will be successful.”

“The main environmental concerns with mining Happy Valley have not been included in the report.”

Attachments:
15 OceanaGold infringement notices - http://www.greens.org.nz/sites/default/files/OceanaGoldInfringementNotices.pdf

ENDS

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