By Anna Burns-Francis
Solid Energy's plans for a coal mining plant on Southland farmland has come up against heavy protest this weekend.
Around 150 people have been camped out on a property next to the proposed site at Mataura demanding a stop to the company's plans for expansion.
“We’re encouraging people around the country to start standing in front of diggers, basically,” says protester Kristin Gillies.
The farm belongs to Mike Dunbar, who has refused to sell his land to Solid Energy.
But the company has still managed to buy up 4000 hectares surrounding him, and now Mr Dunbar will be living next to a briquetting plant.
“It’s going to affect the environment and the local population in terms of degradation to their environment, coal, dust, and noise. It will create an environment in which they will not want to live in. People will move away and it will become a rural slum,” says Mr Dunbar.
Lignite is considered a very low-efficient coal type, but the $25 million plant will be used to turn it into higher-quality briquettes.
Anti-lignite campaigners say the environmental impact outweighs the projects' benefits.
“Solid Energy’s plans, if fully realised, will result in a 20 percent increase in carbon emissions for the country – and that’s a national issue,” says Kristin Gillies.
Solid Energy has said in a statement that it encourages debate on the benefits of mining Southland lignite. The company insists the project will produce jobs and make New Zealand less dependant on imports, and it is committed to taking full responsibility for all carbon emissions from lignite mining, under the emissions trading scheme.
Production at the plant is due to start in June, and will churn out 90,000 tonnes of briquettes each year.
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