Sunday, December 18

Aussie farmer to talk on open-cast mining

An Australian farmer who has lived next to a large open-cast coalmine is among speakers at a meeting next month who will lay out the environmental, health and climatic impact of Solid Energy's proposed large-scale lignite projects in Southland.
Queensland cattle and grain farmer Sid Plant is coming to New Zealand for the Keep the Coal in the Hole Summer Festival, being held south of Mataura by Coal Action Network Aotearoa.
The three-day festival will be held on the Craig Rd farm of Mike Dumbar, one of the few landowners who have not sold to or signed deals with the Government-owned coalminer to give it access to the tonnes of lignite in the area.
Mr Dumbar's farm is on the doorstep of Solid Energy's $25million briquetting plant, the first of its multibillion-dollar projects.
Coal Action Network spokesman Kristin Gillies said Mr Plant would bring a first-hand account of the devastating impact open-cast coalmining had had on farming and the local community.


The Southland Times

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