The Greens, Press Release
Greens Opposition Leader Peg Putt MHA said that the draft IIS makes clear that the pulp mill would be based on native forest destruction for its entire life, that the use of chlorine dioxide in the bleaching process will lead to emission of poisonous chlorinated organic compounds in effluent emitted to Bass Strait, that locals on the West Tamar will suffer visual impacts and odour incidents, and that the influx of construction workers will cause tensions and adversely affect tourism in the area.
The Wilderness Society,
“Transparency on wood supply issues can be provided by releasing the Wood Supply Agreement between Forestry Tasmania and Gunns. This would show price volume and duration of any deal struck to feed public native forests into the pulpmill,” concluded Mr Bayley .
Greens
MEDIA RELEASE
Peg Putt MHA
Greens Opposition Leader
Friday, 14 JULY 2006
BIG ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS OF CONCERN IN PULP MILL IIS
RPDC Must Lengthen Comment Period
The Tasmanian Greens today responded to the lodgement with the RPDC of Gunns’ Draft IIS for their proposed pulp mill, calling for an extension of the public comment period to at least double the minimum 28 days and pointing out major deficiencies in the project.
Greens Opposition Leader Peg Putt MHA said that the draft IIS makes clear that the pulp mill would be based on native forest destruction for its entire life, that the use of chlorine dioxide in the bleaching process will lead to emission of poisonous chlorinated organic compounds in effluent emitted to Bass Strait, that locals on the West Tamar will suffer visual impacts and odour incidents, and that the influx of construction workers will cause tensions and adversely affect tourism in the area.
“This enormous proposal contains eight major infrastructure components according to Gunns, although we believe that the proposed power station to burn toxic sludge and native forest material actually brings the total to nine, and the report of approximately 7, 500 pages will require an extensive period to read and analyse,” Ms Putt said.
“Obviously the minimum 28 days provided by law is impossibly short for members of the community to properly analyse the information and prepare a thorough response.”
“The comment period will need to be doubled at a minimum, and public hearings will also be necessary.”
“Eight major infrastructure components are identified by Gunns, although we think they are hiding a ninth, which is the power station, by lumping it in with the pulp mill.”
“The obnoxious nature of Gunns proposed pulp mill is made obvious in the draft IIS, which rather than being state of the art in environmental responsibility will be heavily reliant on the ongoing destruction of public native forests, will use chlorinated compounds and see poisonous effluent discharged to Bass Strait, and cause odour problems and adverse visual impacts to residents on the West Tamar.”
“The social impacts of the influx of a predominantly male workforce and establishment of a large construction camp on the outskirts of George Town driving community divisions and stressing local services have been downplayed to date.”
“Finally, an adverse effect on tourism in the region is acknowledged.”
Wilderness Society
MEDIA RELEASE
14th July 2006GUNNS’ IIS CONFIRMS WORST FEARS FOR THE FORESTS
The official release today of Gunns’ Integrated Impact Statement for the pulpmill confirms a bleak future for the native forests of northern and north-eastern Tasmania, The Wilderness Society said today.
The IIS document contains essentially the same facts as the leaked version released on Monday by The Wilderness Society. It confirms that the pulpmill will lead to an increase in woodchipping in Tasmania to almost seven million tonnes per year, it will burn native forests for power generation and will use 80% native forests as its initial wood supply.
“This document confirms that this pulpmill would drive ongoing forest destruction in Tasmania and pollute the marine environment,” said The Wilderness Society spokesperson Vica Bayley. “It would contribute to the destruction of hundreds of thousands of hectares of native forests and place already endangered species at an increased risk of extinction.”
The IIS document confirms that the effluent from the pulpmill’s chlorine dioxide bleaching process, would contribute up to four times as much organochlorines, including harmful dioxins, as if it were to be Totally Chlorine Free as originally promised. (Vol 1:page 257)
“Organochlorines, including extremely dangerous dioxins, will be released into Bass Strait as part of the 30 billion litres of toxic effluent to be discharged from this pulpmill each year,” said Mr Bayley. “This toxin is difficult to detect but it doesn’t break down and it accumulates in the bodies of marine life, including fish, shellfish and marine mammals.”
One revelation is the statement in the IIS Executive summary that the pulpmill will not consume logs from oldgrowth forests.
“While this is an interesting announcement, there is no detail in the body of the report as to how this will be achieved. As export woodchipping will continue, the pressure on Tasmania’s native forests, including oldgrowth forests, will be high. In addition, the wood-fired power station attached to the pulpmill has an appetite for 500,000 tonnes of green forest waste and this appears a potential consumer of oldgrowth forests.”
“Transparency on wood supply issues can be provided by releasing the Wood Supply Agreement between Forestry Tasmania and Gunns. This would show price volume and duration of any deal struck to feed public native forests into the pulpmill,” concluded Mr Bayley.
