Australia: Enviros react to the Gov’s propping up of Gunns inevitable failure

A campaign against Gunns just can’t seem to claim the final victory
yet. Seems Gunns’ can’t get their funding lined up anymore so they are
dead in the water, yet still the government supports them, approves
the breaking of eco-protection rules? It’s almost become subterfuge at
this point! Of course when it’s the government doing the subterfuge
how can you not help but keep the campaign going? –Deane

The environment and forestry lobbies have slammed the Federal
Government’s conditional approval of the Gunns pulp mill. The company
has the green light to build the controversial $2.2 billion mill in
Tasmania’s Tamar Valley. But Environment Minister Peter Garrett has
withheld final approval for the mill to operate until Gunns studies
the facility’s impact on Bass Strait.

It could take two years to
complete this process. ”Whether or not Gunns decide to actually …
start constructing a mill prior to getting final approval is a matter
for them to take and it’s a risk for them to take if they so choose,”
Mr Garrett said yesterday. National Association of Forest Industries
chief executive Allan Hansard was disappointed. ”In a time when we
are facing an unprecedented global economic recession [and] when all
Australians would benefit from having sustainable projects like the
Gunns pulp mill, we may have to wait a further 26 months for final
approval,” Mr Hansard said. ”This will mean the investment,
associated jobs and economic growth created by the project will be
delayed and may not be available to the Tasmanian and Australian
economies when they are needed the most.” He has urged the Government
to set aside money from the Building Australia Fund to expedite
”sustainable projects of national significance” such as the pulp
mill. Wilderness Society spokesman Paul Oosting said the Government
had failed the environment on two fronts in the wake of its decision
on the pulp mill. ”The Rudd Government has just failed a second
environmental test,” he said. ”First, it failed to properly respond
to climate change and now it is approving a project that would pollute
the air and ocean, destroy vast areas of native forest and create
massive levels of carbon emissions.” He spoke on behalf of anti-mill
protesters who demonstrated yesterday outside Tasmanian Labor MP Jodie
Campbell’s electorate office. ”Jodie Campbell, as elected
representative for Bass must work with Mr Garrett and Prime Minister
[Kevin] Rudd to ensure Gunns withhold any construction until there is
a full understanding of the impact of the daily dumping of 64,000
tonnes of toxic pollution into Bass Strait,” Mr Oosting said.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/tas-pulp-mills-approval-draws-ire-from-forest-green-lobbies/1401291.aspx

— Posted to http://forestpolicyresearch.com via gmail to posterous and
also to forestpolicyresearch@yahoogroups.com

Posted via email from Deane’s posterous