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Tuesday, 03 March 2009 11:18 |
Taryn M
January 30, 2009, marks the third year of the occupation of Happy Valley. This valley is a rare habitat home to species found no where else.
Solid energy aims to dig a 96m pit in the valley to excavate its coal. With coal being so polluting and the mining process so toxic one wonders how this could come to pass in a time when global warming is in every ones thoughts as clean water becomes increasingly scarcer. Though the government-owned enterprise has already began mining on Mt Augustus, which was deemed by DOC to be a “Biodiversity Hotspot” because it supported spotted kiwis, Patrickensis Land Snails and many other rare alpine species. The new government has since lifted the ban on new coal and gas power plants claming “urgency”, though the previous ban makes exceptions for situations where supply is at risk. With gas supplies running low in the country the coal under Happy Valley will look more appealing to the government as it undoes Labour's scant climate change initiatives. The coal under Happy Valley was once thought to be sold to overseas markets, namely China, but with the recent change in government to include the ACT party, whose leader denies climate change, it will look appealing for domestic use and further the damage to the environment. The cost of cleaning up this pollution and the resulting damage it does to people’s health will undoubtedly be a burden pushed onto the taxpayers who had no say in the decision. The coal under Happy Valley, if burned would put 13 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and cause acid runoff in streams to spread the pollution further. DOC bosses have gagged any dissenting voices within the department and conceded to Solid Energy in a court appeal brought about by environmental NGOs and iwi. Solid energy has sacked experienced employees who showed interest in keeping the Ngakawau River clean. With the failure of DOC to speak up at the appeal, concerned citizens have taken a direct approach to stopping the mining with an occupation and an appeal to the wider population to support them. The support Happy Valley activists receive has allowed this occupation to continue but its ultimate goal is to occupy the site indefinitely until the government gives in. Though I do not doubt the sincerity of the occupants it would seem that the coal will be there long after attention of the populace and campaign resources have dried up. The best way to save Happy Valley is to get the miners and workers of the country to outright refuse to mine the valley and force the government to concede. If there is no one willing to mine the valley, there is no way it will happen.
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