Caldera

Submission in objection to the Whitehaven coal mine expansion at Narrabri

Lock The Gate have asked for submissions to the Independent Planning Commission in objection to the new expansion of the Whitehaven Narrabri coal mine which will affect the environment as detailed below.

The CEC submission:

We (the Caldera Environment Centre, Murwillumbah NSW) object to the Whitehaven coal mine expansion at Narrabri.

We object because the proposed mine expansion:

1. will damage significant areas of the Pilliga forest, which is home to many threatened species, this in itself is grossly inappropriate given the Ecological Crisis, the Collapse of The Ecology and Australia’s part in that, and
2. will significantly add to the carbon polution problem, one of the factors directly causing climate change
and
3. will affect productive farmland
4. will affect groundwater, affecting farmers
5. will directly affect cultural values, including potential cracking and damage to a well-preserved grinding grove site. read more

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Dismay over Government’s rejection of inquiry recommendation to stop burning native forests for electricity.

From The North East Forest Aliance (NEFA) and The North Coast Environment Council (NCEC):

Conservation groups are dismayed by the NSW Government’s rejection of the recommendations of the parliamentary inquiry ‘to prevent the burning of wood from native forests to generate energy’ and exclude its being classed as renewable energy.

Contrary to the Government’s claims of moving to net zero carbon and doubling Koala populations, burning native forests for electricity puts us and Koalas on an extinction trajectory, said North East Forest Alliance spokesperson Dailan Pugh.

The recent NSW parliamentary inquiry into ‘Sustainability of energy supply and resources in New South Wales’ found the burning of forest biomass for power generation is “not economically or environmentally sustainable, and it generates significant carbon emissions”, recommending “the government takes steps to declassify forest biomass as a form of renewable energy and ensure it’s not eligible for renewable energy credits”. read more

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Please Help: NSW.gov ePetition – End Public Native Forest Logging in NSW

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY – Signing ePetition – End Public Native Forest Logging

End Public Native Forest Logging in NSW. 

To the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly.   Public native forest logging is pushing iconic species like the koala, swift parrot and greater glider towards extinction.  

The 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires burnt over 5 million hectares of forest and have left them more vulnerable to the impacts of logging. The Natural Resources Commission (NRC) and the Environmental Protection Agency have recommended that in bushfire affected areas logging should cease entirely or face tighter restrictions, as current logging practices may cause irreversible damage to ecosystems and wildlife. read more

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Stop the ‘Native Forest Biomass’ Industry – Rescue Australian Native Forests

1) Australian Native Forests Are To Replace Coal As Furnace Fuel For Electricity.

Australian Native Forests are to be industrially fed into electricity power station furnaces overseas – to replace coal – to boil water to turn turbines to make electricity to be used momentarily then it is gone.

‘Somehow’, The European Union have legally declared that burning Native Forests as coal-replacement furnace fuel for electricity generation plants is “Sustainable”, and “Carbon Neutral”, which is plainly untrue.

Those in control of NSW.gov have changed the laws, removing protections for native forests, facilitating and encouraging the industrial scale destruction of native forests for export furnace fuel. 

2) Native Forest Biomass is Ecologically Unsustainable.

Native Forest Biomass is literally physically destroying what little is left of The Ecology.

There is an Ecological Crisis, the collapse of The Ecology. Native Forest Biomass is the ecology, pelletised for furnace fuel. 

3) Biomass is a direct CO2 threat to the climate.

Biomass is highly CO2 emissive – Biomass is dirtier than burning coal. 

Biomass is stored carbon, burning biomass releases that carbon directly into the atmosphere.

Forests contain enormous stocks of standing carbon which must be kept out of the atmosphere.

Logging and clearing of forests for biomass is destroying earth’s CO2 carbon capture mechanisms: the trees and soils.

The only proven method of pulling carbon back out of the atmosphere at scale is through sequestration in natural ecosystems.

Forests are earth’s co2 carbon capture and storage mechanisms, yet we are destroying them, cutting them down, ironically for CO2 producing furnace fuel to replace coal. 

4) Biomass Displaces Genuinely Clean Renewable Energy Sources. 

Biomass is taking away from the pool of available subsidies for true renewables.

Renewable Energy subsidies for wood burning power stations compete unfairly with the need to develop large-scale, genuine renewable energy infrastructure like solar and wind.

Engagement with renewable energy companies and their staff and their customers and their supporters shows support for urgently stopping biomass power generation.

5) Native Forest Biomass is deeply unpopular.

Native Forest ‘Biomass’ furnace fuel is deeply unpopular [because people can see it is just stupid:

“… we are destroying the last of the gorgeous ecology to feed it into furnaces ???!!!”

“… we banned them burning coal because of the CO2 pollution, so they burn our forests in their furnaces instead, creating even more CO2 than if they had burned coal ???!!!”

“… we need to urgently capture CO2 from the atmosphere yet it is the carbon capture and storage forests that we are feeding into furnaces ???!!!”

]

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Morrison’s $50 million pledge for Koalas a smokescreen

NORTH EAST FOREST ALLIANCE: 

Scott Morrison announcement of $50 million for Koalas is a smokescreen to cover-up his Government’s approval for increased logging and clearing of Koala habitat, while allowing climate heating to run amok, threatening the future of both Koalas and the Great Barrier Reef, according to the North East Forest Alliance.

“Without good policies on habitat protection and climate change no amount of money will save Koalas, said NEFA spokesperson Dailan Pugh.

“If Scott Morrison was fair dinkum about protecting Koala habitat the first thing he would do is to stop their feed and roost trees being logged and cleared. Money is no good for Koalas if they have nowhere to live.

“The second is to take urgent and meaningful action on climate heating, as Koalas and their feed trees have already been decimated by intensifying droughts and heatwaves in western NSW, and bushfires in coastal areas.

“If the Morrison Government doesn’t take urgent action on climate heating then neither Koalas nor the Great Barrier Reef will have a future.

“When the Morrison Government issued an indefinite extension to the north-east NSW Regional Forest Agreement in 2018 they agreed to remove the need for Forestry Corporation to thoroughly search for Koalas ahead of logging and protect all identified Koala High Use Areas from logging.

“They also agreed to overriding the NSW Governments own expert’s panel recommendations, supported by the EPA, to retain 25 Koala feed trees per hectare in modelled high quality habitat, by reducing retention down to just 10 smaller trees (1).

“Thanks to the Morrison Government we now have a shoddy process where a few small trees are protected in inaccurately modelled habitat, while loggers rampage through Koala’s homes, and if a Koala is seen in a tree then all they need to do is wait until it leaves before cutting its tree down.

“Now Scott Morrison is allowing the Forestry Corporation to log identified refuges in burnt forests where Koalas survived the fires (2).

“The situation on private lands is just as dire. Morrison did nothing to save Koala habitat when his State National Party colleagues declared war on Koalas in mid 2020 and forced his Liberal colleagues to agree to remove protection for mapped core Koala habitat and to open up protected environmental zones for logging. This too is covered by Morrison’s Regional Forest Agreement.

“If he really cared about the future of Koalas the first thing Morrison needs to do is amend the Regional Forest Agreement to ensure there are surveys by independent experts to identify core Koala habitat for protection before clearing or logging.

“Paying for the surveys and providing assistance to affected landholders would be a good use of taxpayers money.

“The second thing is to stop new coal and gas projects, because to have any chance of saving Koalas and the Great Barrier Reef we must act urgently to reduce our CO2 emissions, rather than increasing them.

With the assistance of the Environmental Defenders Office, NEFA is challenging the validity of the North East NSW Regional Forest Agreement on the grounds that the Commonwealth has not duly considered climate change, threatened species and oldgrowth forest. The case is listed for hearing by the Federal Court on 28 March.

“For the future of Koalas, and our growing lists of threatened species, I hope we are successful” Mr. Pugh said.

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  1. NRC Advice – Coastal IFOA remake (November 2016) p41
  2. NEFA letter to NSW Environment Minister Griffin 10/1/22 https://www.nefa.org.au/fire

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Update: Redbank Power Station (burning native forests for electricity instead of coal – or not)

Redbank power station have submitted to Singleton Council a modification application to their original coal based Development Application, a modification which will allow them to burn native forest ‘biofuel’ instead of coal.

The reasoning for the original 1993 development consent for the Redbank power station was that the power station burn local coal mine waste tailings, as a way of eliminating the the need for mine tailings dams and tailings waste disposal expenses.

The Caldera Environment Centre provided the following Submission in Objection to the da modification application:

For the attention of Singleton Council, council@singleton.nsw.gov.au

Submission In Objection, Re: Redbank Power Station, S4.56 DA Modification Application, to allow use of biomass as a fuel source instead of the currently and originally approved coal. read more

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[nefanews]: Natural Resources Commission Report Leaked!~ (at last)

[nefanews]: The NSW Government must explain why it ignored the advice of the independent Natural Resources Commission and kept logging forests in regions hit hardest by the 2019-20 Black Summer Bushfires. 

The 2019/20 wildfires were unprecedented in their scale, extent of high and extreme fire severity, and duration. They burnt 4.8 million hectares of land in NSW, including just over 64 percent (around 0.7 million hectares) of the native state forest estate. The wildfires significantly impacted forest ecosystems, including native flora and fauna, soil, and water.

The government has kept the Commission’s report secret since June 2020. 

 “It is now clear the government was advised it should suspend timber harvesting for at least three years in extreme risk zone, including Narooma, Nowra and Taree,” Nature Conservation Council Chief Executive Chris Gambian said.  read more

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The Logging Loophole at the Heart of Glasgow COP21 Deforestation Declaration

The Glasgow declaration on forests and land use pledges to stop deforestation by 2030, but a logging loophole in the declaration actually allows clearcutting and other ecologically destructive forestry practices to continue unchecked.

Why is industrial logging excluded from the Glasgow Declaration on Deforestation? Why don’t clear-felled forests count? Why isn’t converting forests into monoculture plantations considered land use change? This loophole must be challenged @UNFCCC A logging loophole at the heart of the Glasgow Declaration allows clear cutting and ecologically destructive forestry practices to continue unchecked.

World leaders must address this @kishida230@jairbolsonaro @10DowningStreet @POTUS @JustinTrudeau @jokowi read more

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NEFA News Alert: Two women block entrance to Heron’s Creek Mill in the lead up to COP26

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They endured the blazing sun, each with an arm locked into a 44 gallon drum of concrete, bearing the words ‘Saving Forests is Climate Action’.

The women, one a grandmother and the other with a grandchild on the way, acted to draw attention to the hypocrisy of Australian Governments, both State and Federal on genuine action on climate change.

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“Everyone knows that trees are the best carbon, capture and storage (CCS) technology we have. Despite billions spent on CCS, nothing has come close to the effectiveness of trees. And yet even more taxpayer dollars will be squandered chasing the CCS myth, and additional taxpayer dollars used to subsidise the logging industry taking tree from the public land estate.”

“The Heron’s Creek sawmill takes trees from across the whole of the north coast. The whole process is incredibly wasteful. Only about 12% of any individual tree is turned into a product. Most of it goes out as woodchip. As a public asset these trees should be used for the public’s benefit… and that is clearly storing carbon, providing habitat and playing a vital role in the water cycle.” read more

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[nefanews] Banner drops send Koala message around the world

NSW Forest Defenders have targeted proposed and operating biomass facilities in NSW dropping banners that read “Dead Koala Energy #BigBadBiomass “and “No Trees for Electricity! Stop the Biomassacre”.

Along with other actions around the country, the actions are part of the International Day of Action against #BigBadBiomass, the practice of cutting trees to burn in power stations for electricity and calling it clean and renewable.

One  banner was hung over the conveyor belt at the Broadwater Mill that runs from the woodchip stockyard across the M1 to be burnt for electricity by Cape Byron Power. And is now joined by more concerned citizens holding banners outside the power station. read more

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Biomass Action Group Gathering at Condong Biomass Burning Power Plant

Biomass Action Group: Biggest turnout yet at Condong biomass plant! Thanks to our supporters and speakers Mandy Nolan, Iaun Gaillard, Nola Firth, and #fridaysforforests’ Sean O’Shannessy.

Sending the message loud and clear that we need our forests now more than ever to draw down carbon, so do not accept biomass is the false solution it’s being sold us. We call on parliament to end the subsidies now!

NRG: “… a public gathering to protest the burning of bagasse, “forest waste”, and 120,000 tonnes of ‘industrial waste timber – with up to 10% plastic and 10% fabrics [also plastic?]’ by Cape Byron Power to generate electricity at the Condong sugar mill. This would include construction waste such as CCA treated timber, plastic, foils, etc. We do not want that smoke pumped into our atmosphere or washed into Tweed River! read more

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Condong to burn 120,000 tonnes of ‘industrial waste’ timber from Brisbane

The Condong electricity power generator plant is to be reclassified as an “energy from waste” (EfW) facility. … 

The repurposed Condong Sugar Mill power plant is to burn:

1. Waste from Brisbane – 120,000 tonnes of ‘industrial waste timber with up to 10% plastic and 10% fabrics [also plastic?]’

    • ‘recovered timber fuel’
    • sourced from ‘construction, demolition and industry’
    • ‘sorted at a purpose‐built facility in Brisbane’
    • ‘The recovered timber fuel must meet the resource recovery criteria of Table 1 of the NSW Energy from Waste Policy Statement

    2. As is already the case, Wood from ‘forestry operations’ – 200,000 tonnes

      • Wood = ‘various wood‐based fuel materials’ Wood from ‘forestry operations’
      • ‘including from weed eradication programs, timber mill and forestry operations and approved land clearing (for example, residential subdivision developments, road upgrade works).”

      3. As is already the case, Sugar cane residue – 320,000 tonnes

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      The old Murwillumbah Condong Sugar Mill steam and power generation plant has been repurposed to become a waste incinerator for Brisbane’s waste wood disposal system, (120,000 tonnes,  incl. up to 10% plastic and 10% [plastic] fabrics). read more

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Link to Beyond Zero Emissions webinar

Research by Beyond Zero Emissions shows Australia can pursue an ambitious ‘Go for Gold’ scenario and secure a significant share of the global market for growth commodities, such as:

  • Green steel
  • Renewable hydrogen
  • Renewable ammonia
  • Green aluminium.

These products are set to dominate global economic growth this century and Australia is well positioned to be a leader in these markets.

However, we have to rapidly invest to avoid a ‘valley of death’ in our export profile. If left too late, not only will fossil fuel exports drop off as our major trade partners implement their net zero emissions pledges, other nations will capture early market share of new export industries leaving us with insufficient runway to replace the nation’s lost export income.

Beyond Zero Emissions webinar, Wednesday 27th October. read more

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Tweed Shire Council Sustainability Awards

Nominations have been received from across the community to share inspiring stories about people and projects working to protect and enhance our special and beautiful natural environment.

The Caldera Environment Centre has nominated Ari Ehrlich for his successful organising of the annual Caldera World Environment Day Festival event in Knox Park 6th June 2021 [and over several years previously too].

Tweed Sustainability: Recognising outstanding contributions to improved sustainability across multiple impact areas.

Vote for your favourite to show your support for our environmental champions and help decide this year’s People’s Choice winner. Get in quick, voting ends midnight 31 October. read more

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Time to end logging of public native forests

NEFA MEDIA RELEASE: Time to end logging of public native forests.

NEFA is calling upon the NSW Government to follow the leads of Western Australia and Victoria by immediately adopting a plan to phase out logging of public native forests because of their vital roles in taking up and storing carbon and providing homes for so many of our threatened species.

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan today announced that logging of public native forests will be phased out by 2024, stating “Protecting this vital asset is critical in the fight against climate change.”

This visionary decision is in stark contrast to the announcement by NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean on Tuesday that he will increase protection for 4% of existing national parks, said NEFA spokesperson Dailan Pugh.

“This is the best that Matt Kean can offer at a time when logging of north-east NSW’s public forests is set to be ramped up to extract millions of tonnes of woodchips to replace coal in electricity generation, and while existing protections for threatened species, including Koalas, are weakened on State Forests and private lands.

We are in the midst of climate and species-extinction crises that need to be urgently addressed, said NEFA spokesperson Susie Russell.

“The simplest and most effective action we can take to buy us time to reduce emissions and replant forests, is to stop logging those we have left so they can regain their lost carbon and habitat values.

”Most Wood Supply Agreements expire in 2023, so this would be an appropriate time to end logging of public native forests in NSW”  Ms Russell said.

The Victorian Government has already announced that they will phase out logging of public native forests by 2030.

The Queensland Government is still debating whether to honour the 1999 South-East Queensland Forests Agreement (SEQFA) commitment to phase out logging of public native forests by 2024.

The West Australian Government has committed $50 million for a Just Transition Plan to support affected workers, businesses and local economies, and $350 million boost to planting of softwoods as an alternative resource.

“We need to follow West Australia’s lead and provide support to affected workers, businesses and local economies as part of the necessary transition to a cleaner and greener future.

“If we want to improve the lives of our grandkids we must act urgently to stop all logging of public native forests” Mr Pugh said.

BY 30SC ON SEPTEMBER 09, 2021

https://www.nefa.org.au/time_to_end_logging_of_public_native_forests

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EDO: Western Australia to end Native Forest Logging

Environmental Defenders Office: “In a huge win for native animal habitat and the climate, the West Australian Government has announced an end to native forest logging.

The move is expected to preserve at least an additional 400,000 hectares of karri, jarrah and wandoo forests when a new Forest Management Plan comes into force in 2024.

The government will also move to immediately protect around 9,000 hectares of high conservation-value karri forest, with other high-value forest areas to be recommended for national park status.

In its announcement, the WA said the “ever increasing impacts of climate change, the importance of maintaining biodiversity and forest health, the need for carbon capture and storage, and declining timber yields” were behind the decision.

EDO WA Managing Lawyer Tim Macknay says Wednesday’s announcement is wonderful news for EDO clients in the West.

“This is a hugely significant moment in the fight for nature in Western Australia.

“Some of the first cases EDO ran in WA in the late 1990s were against logging operations and the issue has been front of mind for our office and our clients ever since.

“This win is a testament to the efforts of our clients – particularly the WA Forest Alliance and the South-West Forests Defence Foundation – some of whom have been fighting the logging industry for 50 years.””

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Australian Forest Network calls on the Federal and State Governments to immediately stop logging in our public native forests.

We call on the Federal and State Governments to immediately stop logging and all other forms of degradation in our public native forests.

Australia now faces the existential crises of catastrophic climate change and biodiversity loss. Species are hurtling towards extinction as they face a rapidly changing climate and habitat destruction. Forest-dependent species are especially under threat following the catastrophic 2019/2020 bushfires in eastern Australia.

Scientists and economists around the world are calling for immediate and far-reaching action to address climate change and biodiversity loss. One action that has strong support from experts, as well as overwhelming community support, is to stop the logging of native forests. read more

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Dear Minister for Energy & Environment: Save our forests from the furnaces !!!

Dear Minister,

We are excited to note the bipartisan support for the recommendation that native forest biomass not be allowed in energy generation facilities in the parliamentary inquiry into “Sustainability of energy supply and resources in NSW” that reported to the NSW Government in August 2021. How will you act to implement the inquiry’s recommendations?

The committee:

  • stated that “Native forest biomass isn’t a renewable energy source. It reduces the ability of NSW forests to absorb atmospheric carbon and produces carbon emissions”.
  • recommended the NSW government exclude native forest biomass from being classed as renewable energy, and ensure that it is not eligible for renewable energy credits.
  • want the definition of native forest biomaterial under the Protection of the Environment Operations (General) Regulation 2009 amended toprevent the burning of wood from native forests to generate energy,

These are excellent recommendations and I call on you as minister for Energy and Environment in the NSW Government to accept and implement them expeditiously.

A strong message was also sent to those wanting to profit from burning our forests including the power stations at Condong and Broadwater on the north coast, the proposed Redbank power station in the Hunter Valley and the Vale’s Point power station that adds wood to its coal: ‘Reconsider and invest instead in genuine renewables!’ read more

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NEFA and the EDO are to challenge the legality of the much hated NE NSW Regional Forest Agreement!

The much hated North East Regional Forestry Agreement (NE RFA) exempts logging in native forests from the federal biodiversity assessment and logging approval requirements of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.  

NEFA is asking the Federal Court to declare that the North East RFA does not validly exempt native forest logging from these federal biodiversity laws. 

In order for an RFA to exempt native forest logging from the usual federal biodiversity assessment and approval requirements, when the Commonwealth enters into an RFA it is legally required to have regard to assessments of environmental values and the principles of ecologically sustainable management.  read more

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