Environmental report promise for Ohinewai

Press, 27 September 1982, Page 27

Environmental report promise for Ohinewai

The Minister of Energy. Mr Birch, attended a public meeting at Ohinewai in an attempt to ease local fears about the impact of coal mining planned near the town.

More than 150 people packed the Ohinewai Hall for the meeting, described as the biggest in living memory by its chairman, the chairman of the Waikato County Council. Mr Kenneth Holmes.

Also at the meeting were Mr Rex Duggan, the State Coal Mines district manager, and Mr Robert Storey, national president of Federated Farmers. Mr Birch said that an environmental impact report would be prepared before any development work.

A Federated Farmers request for a liaison officer between State Coal and the farmers was supported by Mr Birch. He also backed a liaison committee to get the public involved at an early stage.

He said the most significant recent change to the planned use of coal resources in the lower Waikato basin was with regard to New Zealand Steel.

“That company now preferred to use Huntly or Ohinewai coal instead of Maramarua coal, which was unsuitable for its work.” said Mr Birch. The concern of local farmers centered on compensation.

•Mr Peter Levin, spokesman for affected landowners, asked Mr Birch if he could provide farmers with a clearly defined basis of compensation. “Landowners are aghast at the size of the planned operations and would like to see purchases halted until the mining is justified or becomes Government policy," said Mr Levin.

He wanted negotiations on land purchases halted until the Ministry of Energy approached Federated Farmers

for a joint approach on compensation. Mr Birch said that the Government had agreed to provide funds on a “willing seller-willing buyer basis."

The use of the coal resource was essential and it was also essential that the landowners knew that State Coal would buy the land.

“It would be foolish to conduct investigations, then not be able to buy the land," said the Minister.

"There is no way of avoiding the importance (of this resource) to the New Zealand economy and the time may approach when the farmer is told that the land is'vital to the New Zealand economy,” he said.

There would be no special deals for Ohinewai farmers — “what they get will be applicable elsewhere,” said Mr Birch.

“It has got to be reasonable for the farmers and the taxpayers who have to foot the bill,” he said.