The Tasmanian Greens today reiterated to the Parliament how remiss the process of providing permits to Gunns has been, especially the assessment of the proposed pulp mill noise levels, as well as issues like bio-accumulation of organochlorins in the State’s coastal waters and air quality.
Greens Forests spokesperson Kim Booth MP said that it was a disgrace that the Gunns’ mill project had been granted permits without any independent assessments being carried out, especially given recent concerns that the Gunns’ pulp mill will exceed the noise pollution levels specified under current permit conditions.
Mr Booth also said the Greens intend to pursue the unassessed areas of the pulp mill in their Private Members Time tomorrow.
“The fact that the Pulp Mill Assessment Act 2007, which was so basely rammed through the Parliament, sets up a system that enables permits to be granted but without any independent assessment undertaken before the permit is issued, is an outrageous attempt to allow this mill to get underway by turning a blind eye to serious unassessed areas,” Mr Booth said.
“Site selection for this pulp mill, particularly in context of impacts upon local amenity and other businesses in the Tamar Valley, has been ignored and has not been properly assessed.”
Mr Booth said that the permits need to be suspended pending a full and independent assessment of the following areas which have not been assessed by either the State or Commonwealth:
• The bio-accumulation of persistent organic pollutants in the state’s coastal waters and marine areas, and potential contamination of fish stocks which has been raised as a concern by those in the Tasmanian fishing industry;
• The distribution and long term effects of fine particle pollution on residents in the Tamar Valley;
• Noise and odour impacts;
• The long term effects on catchment hydrology, water yields and availability;
• The effect on the social and economic viability of rural and regional communities;
• The infrastructure damage to roads and bridges by log and chemical truck traffic;
• Disaster management;
• Site selection, particularly in context of impacts upon local amenity and other businesses in the Tamar Valley; and
• The social and economic costs of the project to the state and in particular the Tamar Valley.
Realted …
GREENS CALL FOR CLARIFICATION ON FOREST PRACTICES CODE REVIEW
FPA Waiting on Policy Direction From Minister Since Last July
Tim Morris MP
Greens Planning spokesperson
The Tasmanian Greens today called on the Minister for the Environment, Brian Wightman, to confirm whether in July last year the Forest Practices Authority (FPA) suspended the review of the Forest Practices Code while waiting for necessary information from his department.
Greens Planning spokesperson Tim Morris MP said that Minister Wightman needs to come clean on the matters of concern with the future forest policy such as objectives for the management of biodiversity within forests, the type and intensity of silvicultural regimes applied to native forests, management of smoke and water impacts, as well as providing public engagement in forest policy and planning.
“The Minister needs to let us know where the situation currently stands, given the concerns of the Forest Practices Authority surrounding the lack of direction on policy from the Minister needed in order for this review to progress,” Mr Morris said.
“If the Minister can’t even give the Forest Practices Authority adequate policy direction on dealing with this issue, how can he expect the Forest Practices Authority to do its statutory job of reviewing the Forest Practices Code which is woefully out of date.”
“Action needs to be taken on key policy issues surrounding the Forest Practices Code such as the objectives for maintaining biodiversity within forests, the type and intensity of silvicultural regimes applied to native forests, management of smoke and water impacts, as well as providing public engagement in forest policy and planning.”
“Minister Wightman will be required to provide a substantial proportion of the information to the Forest Practices Authority and he should come forth with that information as soon as it is made available,” Mr Morris said.
FORESTRY BURN-OFFS CONTINUE TO THREATEN HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
Communities, Animals and Plant Life Being Threatened by Forestry Burn-Offs
Paul ‘Basil’ O’Halloran MP
Greens Health spokesperson
The Tasmanian Greens today said that the Parliament needs to commission an independent study into the total social, environmental and economic costs of forestry burns, as they continue to emit pollutants into the air causing distress to the many Tasmanians suffering from respiratory complaints, and also impacting on Tasmania’s clean, green and clever brand.
Greens Health spokesperson Paul ‘Basil’ O’Halloran MP burn-off practice as outdated, old-school and not in line with appropriate practice today, especially when it continues to put thousands of Tasmanians with respiratory complaints in distressing situations. These airborne emissions impact disproportionately on children.
“Once again Tasmania’s beautiful autumn days are blighted by the dense smoke plumes blocking out the sun and choking our air,” Mr O’Halloran said.
“This is an unacceptable situation. It compromises Tasmanians’ health, our environment, and is an insult to common-sense.”
“The Greens are calling for the Minister to commission independent social, environmental and economic impact study of these burns.”
“Tasmania’s tourism industry also has reason for concern over this due to the plumes of smoke that choke up the air sheds and appear as a horrible blight on the Tasmanian Landscape.”
“We also want to see an end to these burns, and are calling on the Minister to consult with the community to establish a date by which this polluting practice will end once and for all.”
“It is also concerning at the impact these burns have on Tasmania’s biodiversity and threatened species such as the Tasmanian Devil, burrowing and freshwater crayfish, and a myriad of other plant and animal species.”
“The annual so-called forest regeneration burns have just commenced with Forestry Tasmania alone intends to conduct 300 coupe burns over five districts, and this will emit copious amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change, not to mention the risk this poses for the many Tasmanians who suffer from respiratory complaints such as Asthma,” Mr O’Halloran said.
TRANSPARENCY OVER ANY NEW FORESTRY CONTRACTS NEEDED
Parties Urged to Continue Work on Moratorium
Nick McKim MP
Greens Leader
The Tasmanian Greens today sought further detail in Parliament around any contracts Forestry Tasmania may have entered into over the previous three months, saying that this period is when the government business enterprise should have been prioritising implementing the moratorium as outlined in the Forest Principles of Agreement.
Greens Leader Nick McKim MP said it is disappointing that the original moratorium date of today has not been met, but that the signatories’ reference group, with the option to call in an independent arbiter, means that with ongoing good faith and goodwill high conservation value forests can still be protected and a managed industry transition secured.
Mr McKim also reiterated that the Greens, like other political parties, are not directly involved in the Kelty process as they are not signatories to the Forest Principles of Agreements.
“The Greens are seeking clarification as to whether Forestry Tasmania has entered into any sales or contracts for the sale of any product that may be sourced from high conservation value forests over the last three months,” Mr McKim said.
“We also sought details of any roading or planning work done by Forestry Tasmania for any high conservation value forests over the last three month period. Minister Bryan Green undertook to find out and inform the House.”
“Should any new contracts have been entered into relating to high conservation value forests over the last three months, the Greens would consider this as an act of bad faith.”
“The Statement of Principles contained clear agreement amongst the signatories for a full moratorium on logging of high conservation value forests to be established, and it is disappointing that this will not be implemented by the original 15th of March date.”
“However, we urge the parties involved to keep working hard and deliver as soon as possible the full moratorium.”
“This has been and will probably continue to be a difficult process, however we do believe that this process must be given a chance to deliver.”
“Doing nothing is not an option. This process is the opportunity to ensure that the inevitable changes forced by global markets is in fact a managed transition to a restructured timber industry, and the conservation of our unique high conservation value forests,” Mr McKim said.
Download: Mar15__Greens_Statement_for_Forests_Rally_McKim-Booth_ATTACH.pdf
First published: 2011-03-15 02:16 PM
Dave Groves: Under The Spell as Greg has an Epiphany, HERE
And,
All about temperature inversions:
temperature_inversions.pdf
via Frank Strie:
http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Origin-Japan-earthquake-nuclear-rates-radiation-pd20110316-EYQUD?OpenDocument
The Australian Financial Review reported that: “Worries over Gunns’ large exposure to Japan and possible delays in closing asset sales had shareholders wipe more than $80 million from its market capitalisation over the past three days.” …
The AFR also looked at the company at the centre of the nuclear crisis “The Tokyo Electric Power Company is not the sort of corporation that attracts much public attention around the world even though it sells about as much electricity in a year as the entire nation of Italy uses.” Its shares lost around 49 per cent of their value on Monday and Tuesday and Moody’s has it on credit watch for a possible downgrade. …
Gunns Forest Division
Tamar Tree Farms – a partnership with Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsubishi Paper Mills Ltd and Tokyo Electric Power Company.
Plantation Platform of Tasmania …
http://www2.gunns.com.au/Forest/plantations.html
Gunns began pioneering research on the development of cool climate eucalyptus plantations in the early 1970’s. Extensive trials were carried out with many eucalypt species, leading to the finding that Eucalyptus nitens and E.globulus are the most productive species for the production of woodfibre in southern Australia. Further work was also carried-out over many years in tree-breeding and genetic propagation. Gunns’ Fibre Tech laboratory continues to carry out leading edge work in the evaluation of wood fibre qualities, feeding this back into its tree-breeding program.
Research is also being carried-out into the utilisation of plantations eucalyptus not only as a source of fibre for pulp and paper-making, but also for the production of
veneer for plywood and other engineered wood products, and for sawn timber production. There are significant challenges to be met in this area, as the technology for the application of young, fast-grown eucalyptus in these applications is still evolving.
Today Gunns is one of Australia’s largest private plantation owner/managers, with about 110,000 hectares of eucalyptus plantation under management. To support this development Gunns operates its own seedling nursery. This state-of-the-art nursery was opened in 1997, at Somerset in northwestern Tasmania, and produces in excess of 13 million seedlings per year.
Plantations are established on Gunns’ own land, land leased from others, and land secured through joint ventures with private landowners. The development of plantations is funded through a combination of Gunns own funds, the prospectuses of Gunns Plantations Ltd (GPL) and joint ventures with customers. Gunns is a partner in two such joint ventures:
• Tamar Tree Farms – a partnership with Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsubishi Paper Mills Ltd and Tokyo Electric Power Company
• Plantation Platform of Tasmania – a partnership with Forestry Tasmania, Daio Paper, JFE Shoji Trading Corporation and a number of their customers
Plantation Forestry in Tasmania
Tamar Tree Farms – a partnership with Mitsubishi Paper Mills and Tokyo. Electric Power company.
The Tamar Tree Farms Joint Venture aims to …
www.twff.com.au/documents/research/pftpt1.pdf
Examiner …
Gunns site choice fell ‘well short’
BY ANGUS LIVINGSTON CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER
16 Mar, 2011 08:29 AM
CONSULTANTS warned Gunns the site selection process for the Long Reach pulp mill fell “well short” of the requirements in 2006, a document obtained by the Greens has revealed.
The April 2006 document was sent from the consultant to Gunns and raised problems with the site selection assessment.
However, Gunns said yesterday the pulp mill had gone through approvals at state and federal levels, including consideration of the site.
The letter said there was very little documented evidence to meet the Resource, Planning and Development Commission guidelines.
“The assessment process undertaken by Gunns falls well short of the guideline requirements and assessment which would typically be undertaken for such a project,” it said.
“By tampering or attempting to enhance that process you run a serious risk of jeopardising the validity of the site selection and consequently threatening the project approvals.”
The consultant’s name was blacked out in the document, along with identifying references to their company.
Bass Greens MHA Kim Booth said it was more evidence Gunns had manipulated the assessment process, and then pulled out when it became clear it was going to fail the RPDC guidelines.
Mr Booth has moved a motion – to be debated today – calling for the Pulp Mill Assessment Act to be repealed because a number of risk areas had not been properly assessed.
