Opposition to the extraction of low and high-grade coals across the South Island is mounting, with an Environment Court challenge lodged and increasing attacks on the Government backing coal and lignite use.
The West Coast Environment Network has filed an appeal with the Environment Court challenging the recent resource consents awarded to listed Bathurst Resources, which wants to mine up to two million tonnes of high-grade coal from the Denniston Plateau north of Westport, citing the 200ha of land as being of high conservation value.
Separately, state-owned enterprise Solid Energy began construction of its $25 million pilot lignite-to-briquettes plant near Mataura in Southland last week, with Coal Action Network Aotearoa roundly criticising Deputy Prime Minister Bill English for supporting the use of "low-quality, dirty brown coal" which would prompt a "massive increase in greenhouse gas emissions".
At the forefront of environmentalists' concerns is the release of carbon into the atmosphere, while the Government and mining sector see coal and lignite as vast energy sources with huge economic benefits, regionally and nationally.
Operating separately, Solid Energy and Bathurst have adjoining coal tenements on the West Coast and have agreements to assist each other with infrastructure, access and transport arrangements - which could total four million tonnes of export coal between them every year.
Dual-listed Bathurst has spent more than $100 million getting to this consented stage, but in that time has raised about $242 million for the project, which covers 10,000ha of tenements. It is targeting 200ha of the southern escarpment of the Denniston plateau.
Subject to the Environment Court challenge, Bathurst wants to begin production by the end of the year and ramp up to full production of two million tonnes by the end of 2012. Coking coal is a key ingredient in steel making and is in high demand from developing Asian economies.
Bathurst's resource consents come with many conditions, which the company says are palatable. It claims its rehabilitation and replanting of the landscape would leave it looking original to the untrained eye.
On Bathurst's plans, West Coast Environment Network spokeswoman Karen Mayhew said opencast mining would involve digging up a rare landscape and habitat for threatened species, owned by the people of New Zealand.
"This mine would more than double New Zealand's coal exports. Once the coal is dug up, the release of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere is guaranteed.
"Given the scientific consensus on climate change and its impacts, we consider that this issue should have been considered properly by the resource consent commissioners," Ms Mayhew said in a statement.
Ms Mayhew said the network's appeal would be based on ecological, climate and economic grounds and the group hopes to have Nasa climate scientist Dr James Hansen appear before the court via a video-conference link.
On Solid Energy, Network Aotearoa spokeswoman Frances Mountier said developing lignite was significant for New Zealand because of the increase in greenhouse gas emissions resulting from mining and ultimately burning lignite.
"And it's hugely significant to Eastern Southland because of the extensive damage which large-scale lignite mining would cause to air quality, living conditions, and the high-quality rivers and streams on which Southland depends," she said in a statement.
