[Greens-Media] MEDIA RELEASE - SENATOR CHRISTINE MILNE - Gunns' pulp mill statement ignores climate change impacts

[Willis, Katrina (Sen C. Milne)]

MEDIA RELEASE

Friday, 29 September 2006

Gunns' pulp mill statement ignores climate change impacts

Gunns' forecast impacts of its proposed pulp mill are fundamentally
flawed because they fail to take account of climate change and the
long-term impacts on the environment over the 30 year life of the
project, Australian Greens climate change spokesperson, Tasmanian
Senator Christine Milne, said today.

"Gunns' analysis of the marine impacts of the proposed pulp mill is
based on wrong assumptions," Senator Milne said in Hobart.

"The integrated impact statement (IIS) fails to take account of the
cumulative impact of the pulp mill's pollution stream into Bass Strait
in a changing climate. It ignores the scientific evidence that Bass
Strait does not flush and that the pollution will concentrate and not be
diluted or dispersed, as Gunns' claim.

"Climate change is forecast to make the north east of Tasmania dryer yet
Gunns want to take 26 billion litres of water a year out of the
ecosystem and pump it into Bass Strait as toxic effluent."

Senator Milne said Gunns' forecast revenue from selling power from the
plant based on burning native forests could not be verified because
Gunns had not disclosed the assumptions on which it was based. 

"Already, the $25 price of renewable energy certificates cited by Gunns
has dropped to $20. Given the reluctance of energy wholesalers to buy
'dead koala' energy, Tasmanians need to know whether the government has
required Aurora to enter into a long-term contract to purchase power
from burning forests, to the financial detriment of Hydro Tasmania,"
Senator Milne said.

"In addition, the pulp mill energy plant would pump 40 million tonnes of
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, on top of the increased soil carbon
emissions as a result of clearing forests, further adding to the burden
of greenhouse gas emissions when Australia needs to reduce emissions.

"Tasmania's clean, green and clever industry direction emerged after the
collapse of the Wesley Vale pulp mill project and now underpins the
state economy. Gunns' pulp mill undermines this reputation and is the
wrong sort of project for Tasmania because the long-term negative
impacts on the state, its people and environment will far outweigh any
short-term financial gain for Gunns."

Senator Milne contributed to the Greens' submission to the Resource
Planning and Development Commission which the Greens released today at a
news conference in Hobart.


Contact: Katrina Willis 03 6234 4566 or 0437 587 562


Katrina Willis
Adviser
Senator Christine Milne
Phone 03 6234 4566
Fax 03 6234 2144
Mobile 0437 587 562
www.christinemilne.org.au