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Monday, July 4, 2011

The other lignite meeting



I'm spending some time at the library - the Invercargill Public Library and I won't be alone (I hope!)

Rather than sit through the Solid Energy consent application being held at Environment Southland at the same time where I doubt I'll be able to raise the concerns I have, I've opted for a meeting of my own - an informal 'meet your councillor' event in the city, where I hope concerned citizens (and rural Southlanders) will come and talk with me about what they feel about the proposed lignite mining by Solid Energy. I've no intention to lecture - I'm not learned when it comes to the issue but I'm willing to listen to those who will be most affected by the mining. The Southland Times have shown a lot of interest in the 'alternative' meeting and sent their journalist and photographer out for a chat and a shot. Tomorrow's rag will, with any luck, carry the story. If they do, I'll post it here.

14 comments:

Pauline said...

Good stuff Robert, you are showing the reality of the farce of public consultation for this lignite mine

robertguyton said...

Hope you can come along for the meeting Pauline. I know you've a lot of knowledge in this field.
I wonder if the miners will send a mole :-)

Peter said...

Well done, doing what any well-founded representative of the people would or should do.

Southland - six billion tonnes = ?

Farmer Baby Boomer said...

Would like to come but am a bit tied up.
Possibly just as well. I might be mistaken for the mole:-)

robertguyton said...

Thanks Peter and I reckon so too!

Farmer Baby Boomer - no worries, I'd just put one of my goons on your tail.

Colin said...

Congratulations on your iniative Robert!

Hope this idea will spread amongst other councillors/councils.

Colin said...

Congratulations on your iniative Robert!

Hope this idea will spread amongst other councillors/councils.ponP

Dave Kennedy said...

When our national leaders fail us we have to get on with doing things ourselves. Well done robert:
http://localbodies-bsprout.blogspot.com/2011/07/robert-guyton-follows-tradition-of.html

robertguyton said...

Thanks Colin - should become a regular fixture I reckon.

Carol Cowan said...

Robert, you might like to show the photos of lignite mining from this site - http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/downloads/
Sincerely, Carol Cowan

Steamingmaddd said...

I'll be there I burn Coal to heat my 100 year old cottage with the Coal Range which also heats my water & I cook all my meals on it . But I don't want to see Lignite being dug up to be Turned into UREA which will be used to Pollute my Drinking Water. Let Nature provide all the Nitrogen required by Farmers to make their Pastures Grow!As the Air we breath contains 79% Nitrogen and nature working with Clover, Soil Bacteria and Earth worms convert it into Plant available No Need to be adding more if Nature is in Balance. Every Time we have Thunder & Lightning this bring more Nitrogen down to earth plus Snow & Hale does the same. So Lets start using Nature in stead of man trying to control Her or She will get her vengance & Hell hath no fury like a Woman scornded so look out NZ !

Steamingmaddd said...

Hi Robert I've finally got onto your Blog I hope I can stay ? Well good on you for your Stand re ES. Saturday Southland Times Nitrate Levels well where do I start . Nitrogen UREA Stop over appling it to start with let nature do it's thing. Then there are the 700 or so Dairy farms with Huge Storage Ponds for their Dairy Effluent 60 and 90 days stored for 500 plus cows some over a 1000 or more Cows on one Farm. Start doing the maths there are Millions of Litres of this SHIT Stored in Clay Lined Ponds. Put 10L of clay in a Bucket compact it down add Dairy Effluent to the Top Leave for 12 Months then see what you have? Well I know of a Local Chap who has developed a Low Application Dairy effluent System which applies it @ a Low rate of 1/2mm per ha/24hrs . With a very small Concrete storage Pond But will ES Give him Consent to Build them Hell NO it might work ! he has won many awards for it even been sent by Venture Southland to represent NZ in the USA Last year . BUT ES still can't get their heads around it because the System puts it on @ a low rate over 24 hrs the plants are using it quicker than it is applied. So there is No Run Off & No Leaching So What is their Problem just that it doesn't have a 3'000'000 Litre plus Storage Pond. Ask ES how much is applied from these Large Ponds over how short a Time Frame and then work out how much they are appling per 24hrs when it is being done over 20 or so days.Check out www.cleangreeneffluent.co.nz

robertguyton said...

Thanks Carol. Those are some sobering photos!
Good luck with your seemingly unwinnable war against the letter-writing denier team. Their strategy is becoming very predictable - you could take them with an unpredictable move :-)

robertguyton said...

Thanks steamingmadd - I'm looking forward to talking with you this afternoon and to talking effluent with you :-)
You can tell me more about your 'Local Chap', and pressure me to visit him after the meeting - the time is right for that now.