Tasmania says NO to forest furnaces

The threat of using our beautiful native forests in furnaces to create power (both here and overseas) is very real.

We need to make this an important issue this election and let the politicians know that Tasmania says NO to wood fired power generation.

Please sign the E-Petition – Make sure you follow the link and sign the E-petition against Native Forest Furnaces!

http://210.8.42.131/view/EPetitions_TAS_Assembly/CurrentEPetition.aspx?PetNum=17&lIndex=-1

Environment Tasmania and The Huon Valley Environment Centre are hosting a joint event on Thursday March 18th.
Where: Hobart Town Hall
When: Thursday 18th March, 12.30 – 1.30pm

More information about this public meeting will be available soon, please mark the date and time in your diary now.

Wood fired power is going to be a big issue for Tasmania. We are currently seeking donations to help pay for advertising, bus ads and posters, as well as people to get involved and help distribute fliers and posters in their area and get the word out to their members.

Please make sure you forward this email to your contact lists and anyone who is interested in this issue.

E-Petition – Make sure you follow the link and sign the E-petition against Native Forest Furnaces!

http://210.8.42.131/view/EPetitions_TAS_Assembly/CurrentEPetition.aspx?PetNum=17&lIndex=-1

Monday:

Media Release
Huon Valley Environment Centre` 1st March 2010.

Community Forum Rejects Forest Furnace Plans

Judbury and Huon Valley residents called on state political candidates to rule out a native-forest burning power station in their area at a community forum held yesterday.

Thirty five residents of the area attended to hear speakers and information provided by the Huon Valley Environment Centre and Humane Society International.

A Resolution passed unanimously at the meeting called for state political candidates to overturn support for a proposed power station that would burn in excess of 300,000 tones of native forests, including high conservation value and old growth forests, planned at the nearby Southwood complex.

“Huon Valley residents have been concerned about this proposal for many years,” said forum organiser and Huon Valley Environment Centre volunteer Will Mooney.

“With the current problems faced by the woodchipping industry, we are concerned that there is a push to entrench logging of high conservation value forests by installing forest furnaces and exports of industrial fuelwood.”

“This resolution serves to remind candidates in the upcoming election that local communities do not want to see our precious forests logged and burned in polluting power stations and they do not want to see electricity from burning native forests supplied to their homes,” Mr Mooney said.

“Just like the major players in Australia’s renewable energy market that have rejected native forest furnace power, Tasmanian communities continue to express their concerns about the burning of native forest in power stations at home and overseas.”

The wording of the resolution states:
“We express our concern about the community, environmental and economic impacts of a proposed wood fired power station in the Huon Valley. We call on all political candidates in the upcoming state election to adamantly oppose the development of Wood Fired Power stations in Tasmania and the export of native forest fuelwood for burning overseas.”
Will Mooney Huon Valley Environment Centre 3/17 Wilmot Rd. Huonville. Tasmania, 7109. (03) 6264 1286 www.huon.org