*Coal Miner lies about snail status

*Press Release: Save Happy Valley Coalition

Thursday 24 May 2007

For Immediate Use

The Save Happy Valley Coalition has laid a complaint with the Commerce Commission about deceptive and misleading conduct under section 9 of the Fair Trading Act after government-owned company Solid Energy claimed that the conservation status of the carnivorous Powelliphanta "Augustus" snails had been downgraded.

The coal miner's recent Environment Report said that because so many snails had been found, the snails were no longer 'critically endangered'. But conservationists have obtained information from the Department of Conservation confirming that the snail species is still considered "nationally critical", the final step before extinction.

"Solid Energy have destroyed more than ninety percent of this species' habitat, and now have the gall to claim that the snails are no longer endangered! The fact that more snails were found than was expected does not change the fact that this species – along with the kiwi in the area – now have almost nowhere to live," said Frances Mountier, spokesperson for the Save Happy Valley Coalition.

"Last year the Environment Court heard from the Department of Conservation Powelliphanta expert that mining Mt Augustus was highly likely to result in New Zealand's 'first government-sanctioned, deliberate extinction'. The court ruled that although the company's actions were environmentally 'noxious', they did not have the power to intervene," said Ms Mountier. "The government does have the power to intervene, and we're demanding that it save the tiny amount of habitat remaining."

The Save Happy Valley Coalition's own report on Solid Energy's environmental activities is subject to defamation proceedings. "But I'd have to say that our mock environmental report is more accurate than the company's own one," said Ms Mountier.

*Notes * 1. For more information on the status of endangered species contact Doc technical officer Stacey Perkins at sperkins@doc.govt.nz or for more information on Powelliphanta snails contact Doc scientist Kath Walker at kwalker@doc.govt.nz

2. To see Solid Energy's claim that "the snails have now been downgraded from their previous 'critically endangered' status." see 2006 | Environment Report | Solid Energy Coals of New Zealand, http://www.solidenergy.co.nz/download/enviro-report-07/sustainable-mining. pdf

3. The Save Happy Valley Coalition published a mock Environment Report on Solid Energy in February 2007 in a light-hearted attempt to provide the public with a report that was 'more truthful than usual'. It can be downloaded from http://indymedia.org.nz/media/all/display/8988

4. The Environment Court found in December 2006, in paragraph 46, that: "To paraphrase Mr Buckingham, Powelliphanta "Augustus" is a small, isolated population at risk from catastrophic events. A catastrophic event has now arrived in the form of Solid Energy's bulldozers which will destroy much of the snail's known habitat."

5. The Save Happy Valley Coalition has written to the Department of Conservation asking for an explanation.

6. The Save Happy Valley Coalition has also lodged a complaint with the Ombudsmen regarding misleading statements from a staff member of the Department of Conservation.

ENDS

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