Save Happy Valley Campaign
Encyclopedia
The Save Happy Valley Coalition (SHVC) is an environmental activist
movement formed with the express purpose of preventing the Cypress mine
, an open cast coal
mine on the West Coast
of New Zealand
, from proceeding.
The Coalition is a member of the environmental umbrella group Environment and Conservation Organisations of Aotearoa New Zealand
.
, a New Zealand State owned enterprise
, applied for resource consent
s under the Resource Management Act
for the Cypress Mine
, a proposed open-cast coal mine. The consents were granted by the Buller District Council and the West Coast Regional Council. The Buller Conservation Group, Forest and Bird and Te Runanga O Ngati Waewae, and the Department of Conservation appealed the consent decision to the Environment Court. The appeal was declined and the resource consents confirmed in a decision issued on 24 May 2005.
Jon Oosterman, a spokesperson for the campaign, vowed publicly that a direct action
campaign would proceed to halt the mine. The Forest and Bird
appealed the decision in the High Court
, and in December 2005, the High Court dismissed the appeal.
The campaign involved organising public meetings to raise awareness, postcard and letter writing, lobbying , occuping the head office of the Solid Energy, scaling a four-story building and blockading Solid Energy's coal trains. Members occupied an area adjacent to the proposed mine site.
The SHVC Save Happy Valley! Worth more than its weight in coal! leaflet describes the area as:
The proposed mine site is located at Happy Valley which is an unofficial locally used name for an area to the east of Waimangaroa
. It is 25 kilometres north east of Westport
. Reasons for the opposition to the mine include acid mine drainage
, loss of kiwi
, Powelliphanta
snail and tussock habitat, and climate change
due to the burning of the extracted coal.
At the nearby Mt Augustus, Solid Energy
has pushed another 'absolutely protected' endemic snail species to the brink of extinction, and plan to mine its last remaining 4ha of habitat. Forest and Bird
obtained a declaration in December 2005 that Solid Energy
needed permission from the Ministers of Energy and Conservation to translocate the snails before mining. This permission was granted in April 2006.
The Save Happy Valley Coalition released a press statement stating they were 'appalled' at the decision. A spokesperson stated that it was 'New Zealand’s first state-sponsored species extinction' and that Chris Carter, the Minister of Conservation at that time, had bowed to pressure from Solid Energy and had ignored consistent advice from the Department of Conservation.
The Save Happy Valley Coalition Inc has since taken Solid Energy
to the High Court
, and sought a Judicial Review of the Ministers' decision. In March 2007, the High Court did not uphold the review and it awarded costs of $5760 to Solid Energy.
In 2007 individuals involved with the Save Happy Valley Coalition were targeted in a series of contentious anti-terror raids
.
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
movement formed with the express purpose of preventing the Cypress mine
Cypress mine
The Cypress mine is a proposed extension to the open cast coal mine the Stockton Mine’s operational area, to the east into the Upper Waimangaroa Mining Permit area, on the West Coast of New Zealand....
, an open cast coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
mine on the West Coast
West Coast, New Zealand
The West Coast is one of the administrative regions of New Zealand, located on the west coast of the South Island, and is one of the more remote and most sparsely populated areas of the country. It is made up of three districts: Buller, Grey and Westland...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, from proceeding.
The Coalition is a member of the environmental umbrella group Environment and Conservation Organisations of Aotearoa New Zealand
Environment and Conservation Organisations of Aotearoa New Zealand
The Environment and Conservation Organisations of Aotearoa New Zealand was formed in 1971 under the name of CoEnCo and changed its name to ECO in 1976....
.
History
In 2004, Solid EnergySolid Energy
Solid Energy is the largest coal mining company in New Zealand and is a state owned enterprise of the New Zealand Government.The company was formed from the former government department State Coal Mines. It was then established as a state owned enterprise called Coal Corporation in 1987, and...
, a New Zealand State owned enterprise
State-Owned Enterprises of New Zealand
State-owned enterprises in New Zealand are registered companies listed under Schedules 1 and 2 of the State-Owned Enterprises Act 1986...
, applied for resource consent
Resource consent
A resource consent is the authorisation given to certain activities or uses of natural and physical resources required under the New Zealand Resource Management Act . Some activities may either be specifically authorised by the RMA or be permitted activities authorised by rules in plans...
s under the Resource Management Act
Resource Management Act
The Resource Management Act passed in 1991 in New Zealand is a significant, and at times, controversial Act of Parliament. The RMA promotes the sustainable management of natural and physical resources such as land, air and water...
for the Cypress Mine
Cypress mine
The Cypress mine is a proposed extension to the open cast coal mine the Stockton Mine’s operational area, to the east into the Upper Waimangaroa Mining Permit area, on the West Coast of New Zealand....
, a proposed open-cast coal mine. The consents were granted by the Buller District Council and the West Coast Regional Council. The Buller Conservation Group, Forest and Bird and Te Runanga O Ngati Waewae, and the Department of Conservation appealed the consent decision to the Environment Court. The appeal was declined and the resource consents confirmed in a decision issued on 24 May 2005.
Jon Oosterman, a spokesperson for the campaign, vowed publicly that a direct action
Direct action
Direct action is activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political, economic, or social goals outside of normal social/political channels. This can include nonviolent and violent activities which target persons, groups, or property deemed offensive to the direct action...
campaign would proceed to halt the mine. The Forest and Bird
Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand
The Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand Inc. is an environmental organisation specialising in conservation of indigenous plant and animal life in and around New Zealand....
appealed the decision in the High Court
High Court of New Zealand
The High Court of New Zealand is a superior court of New Zealand. It was established in 1841 and known as the Supreme Court of New Zealand until 1980....
, and in December 2005, the High Court dismissed the appeal.
The campaign involved organising public meetings to raise awareness, postcard and letter writing, lobbying , occuping the head office of the Solid Energy, scaling a four-story building and blockading Solid Energy's coal trains. Members occupied an area adjacent to the proposed mine site.
The SHVC Save Happy Valley! Worth more than its weight in coal! leaflet describes the area as:
- "Happy Valley, in the Upper Waimangaroa, near Westport, is a stunning, wild and untouched landscape - home to 30 great spotted kiwi/roa and the rare Powelliphanta patrickensis snail. Eleven other endangered birds and animals inhabit this enclave of diversity. Happy Valley is a colourful mosaic of magnificent red tussock wetlands, low forests of lush mountain beech and dense mats of intricate herbfieldHerbfieldHerbfields are plant communities dominated by herbaceous plants, especially forbs and grasses. They are found where climatic conditions do not allow large woody plants to grow, such as in subantarctic and alpine tundra environments...
plants scattered over striking sandstone rocks and bluffs."
The proposed mine site is located at Happy Valley which is an unofficial locally used name for an area to the east of Waimangaroa
Waimangaroa
Waimangaroa is a small town located on the West Coast of New Zealand.The township lies on the south-west bank of the Waimangaroa River, at the western foot of the Mt William Range. It is 17 kilometres to the north east of Westport and 13 km south-east of Granity. The abandoned coaltown of...
. It is 25 kilometres north east of Westport
Westport, New Zealand
-Economy:Economic activity is based around fishing, coal mining and dairy farming. Historically, gold mining was a major industry, and coal mining was much more extensive than today . However, the region still is home to New Zealand's largest opencast mining operation in Stockton...
. Reasons for the opposition to the mine include acid mine drainage
Acid mine drainage
Acid mine drainage , or acid rock drainage , refers to the outflow of acidic water from metal mines or coal mines. However, other areas where the earth has been disturbed may also contribute acid rock drainage to the environment...
, loss of kiwi
Kiwi
Kiwi are flightless birds endemic to New Zealand, in the genus Apteryx and family Apterygidae.At around the size of a domestic chicken, kiwi are by far the smallest living ratites and lay the largest egg in relation to their body size of any species of bird in the world...
, Powelliphanta
Powelliphanta
Powelliphanta, common name amber snails, is a genus of large, carnivorous land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs. As a group their survival status is endangered.- Taxonomy :...
snail and tussock habitat, and climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
due to the burning of the extracted coal.
At the nearby Mt Augustus, Solid Energy
Solid Energy
Solid Energy is the largest coal mining company in New Zealand and is a state owned enterprise of the New Zealand Government.The company was formed from the former government department State Coal Mines. It was then established as a state owned enterprise called Coal Corporation in 1987, and...
has pushed another 'absolutely protected' endemic snail species to the brink of extinction, and plan to mine its last remaining 4ha of habitat. Forest and Bird
Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand
The Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand Inc. is an environmental organisation specialising in conservation of indigenous plant and animal life in and around New Zealand....
obtained a declaration in December 2005 that Solid Energy
Solid Energy
Solid Energy is the largest coal mining company in New Zealand and is a state owned enterprise of the New Zealand Government.The company was formed from the former government department State Coal Mines. It was then established as a state owned enterprise called Coal Corporation in 1987, and...
needed permission from the Ministers of Energy and Conservation to translocate the snails before mining. This permission was granted in April 2006.
The Save Happy Valley Coalition released a press statement stating they were 'appalled' at the decision. A spokesperson stated that it was 'New Zealand’s first state-sponsored species extinction' and that Chris Carter, the Minister of Conservation at that time, had bowed to pressure from Solid Energy and had ignored consistent advice from the Department of Conservation.
The Save Happy Valley Coalition Inc has since taken Solid Energy
Solid Energy
Solid Energy is the largest coal mining company in New Zealand and is a state owned enterprise of the New Zealand Government.The company was formed from the former government department State Coal Mines. It was then established as a state owned enterprise called Coal Corporation in 1987, and...
to the High Court
High Court of New Zealand
The High Court of New Zealand is a superior court of New Zealand. It was established in 1841 and known as the Supreme Court of New Zealand until 1980....
, and sought a Judicial Review of the Ministers' decision. In March 2007, the High Court did not uphold the review and it awarded costs of $5760 to Solid Energy.
In 2007 individuals involved with the Save Happy Valley Coalition were targeted in a series of contentious anti-terror raids
2007 New Zealand anti-terror raids
The 2007 New Zealand anti-terror raids were a series of armed police raids conducted on Monday, 15 October 2007, in response to the discovery of an alleged paramilitary training camp deep in the Urewera mountain range near the town of Ruatoki in the eastern Bay of Plenty...
.