Dear Mr Buffier,
Regarding Amendement to POEO Regulation
Native forest is not renewable nor is it ‘waste’. The only waste is the $14-16 Million dollar loss every year that FCNSW incur- and this will not be alleviated by allowing trees to be logged for burning. It will allow a multinational corporation which is wholly Japanese owned to continue to make a profit.
‘Wood waste’ from native forests was removed from the RET as an eligible renewable energy source in 2011. This amendment was made to ensure that the RET did not provide an incentive for the burning of native forest wood waste for bio-energy, which could lead to unintended outcomes for biodiversity and the destruction of intact carbon stores.
As the trees will primarily be logged to provide for electricity generation they will not be classed legally as waste. This amendment will put NSW in conflict with Australia’s international obligations.
Lastly I would add the public perception is that the NSW government is corrupt- whether labor or liberal. This is because the Forestry Corporation is seen as being above the law since the enactment of FNPE Act s40 now Forestry Act s69ZA, which is state-sanctioned. To amend any legislation or regulation in their favour to enable them to continue logging will be seen as not only condoning their illegal behaviour but encouraging it.
You, as the representatives of the EPA, have a higher duty to the public than a multinational corporation, and must fulfil that duty. This is particularly so when engaging in an action that will involve expenditure of public monies. To allow this amendment would be to allow the continuing of FCNSWs million dollar losses every year.Will you and the board resist or shelve this proposal, or will you support the continuing destruction of NSW citizens rights to a cleaner and healthier environment?
Lisa Stone, South East Forest Rescue
