Coal miner's environment report laughable

Press release: Save Happy Valley Coalition

10 May 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE USE

The Save Happy Valley Coalition has slammed the publication of an Environment Report by Solid Energy. The Coalition released its own report on Solid Energy in February this year.

"While our report was humourous, at least it was factual. Solid Energy's report, is quite frankly, dismissable," said Frances Mountier, Save Happy Valley Coalition spokesperson. "This is a company responsible for annual greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to our entire domestic vehicle fleet. The words 'net positive effect on the environment' are in no way applicable to their destructive operations.

"In the past year, Solid Energy have extracted more than 4.7million tonnes of coal, driven a species closer to extinction, let off explosives despite knowing environmentalists were in the area, further polluted the Ngakawau River, controlled the agenda of the local Stockton community consultative group, and attempted to promote coal mining as a green option.

"They are shortsighted enough even to suggest that the money that has been spent on shifting the snails - (an expensive extinction process) - and the money that is earmarked for cleaning up waterways are not required at Stockton. The environment needs protection, not compensation," said Ms Mountier.

Solid Energy is pursuing defamation proceedings against the Coalition. "There is an unhealthy level of paranoia inside this state owned enterprise," said Ms Mountier. "They are taking legal proceedings without merit. We challenge Solid Energy to state which are the false allegations."

Mock Environment Report Save Happy Valley's 2006 Environment Report on Solid Energy can be downloaded from http://indymedia .org.nz/media/all/display/8988

The Environment Report begins: *This year Solid Energy successfully extracted more than 4.7 million tonnes of coal, contributing 10.3 million tonnes of climate-changing carbon dioxide to the global atmosphere. We made progress with our mountain top removal project (despite significant delays), and used a legal loophole in Court to continue driving an endemic New Zealand species to extinction without prosecution.

We worked closely with Helen Clark to ensure that the launch of New Zealand's climate change policy made more reference to 'clean coal' than renewable energy. Solid Energy is a state owned enterprise, so our dividend goes straight to the Government. On a community level, we also succeeded in having more power than ever at our Stockton Environmental Consultative Group meetings (conveniently set up to 'consult' local community organisations and environmental groups).*

ENDS

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