Environmental Law

Friends of the Earth Adelaide > Environmental Law

Help protect SA’s Limestone Coast from gas fracking

July 10, 2016

Please help protect the Limestone Coast from gas fracking by signing the petition letter to the Premier.

https://www.communityrun.org/petitions/protect-the-limestone-coast-from-invasive-mining-and-gasfields?source=facebook-share-button&time=1465768092

Dear Premier,

The South East of South Australia (Limestone Coast) is known for its world famous clean and green produce, including wine, beef, lamb, vegetables, fruit, and crops. Tourism plays an important role, with the UNESCO listed Naracoorte Caves Park, RAMSAR listed Bool Lagoon and Piccaninnie Ponds, the wine trails, beautiful coastal towns, the Blue Lake and other spectacular areas.

The South East makes up 2.2% of the state and contains over 40% of the state’s prime agricultural land. Over $1 billion in food, wine and fibre is produced annually. With significant exports, it is of paramount importance that our ‘clean and green’ image is not compromised by proposed unconventional/conventional gas and mineral mining, which threatens our groundwater, agricultural land productivity and tourism.

We live in the driest state in the driest inhabited continent in the world. The Government released a document “Conserving Nature 2012 – 2020”. ‘Drought conditions are likely to increase in frequency across many parts of South Australia, as a consequence of climate change, particularly in agricultural areas’… Our water is already under severe stress as prolonged dry periods persist in Southern Australia. Our industries and communities are reliant on underground water.

Fracking for shale and tight gas is an extremely water-intensive practice. It requires vast amounts of water and large amounts of chemicals in each fracking operation. Disposal of wastewater from shale and tight gas operations is a serious problem. Shale and tight gas operations can have severe consequences for human and animal health.

The South East’s thin layer of prime agricultural land sits over limestone, which is porous and brittle. The limestone is prone to subsidence and is exacerbated by mining, drilling and fracking. Decline in water levels (such as use for fracking and mining) increase the risk of seawater intrusion.

Drill holes penetrate aquifers and geological formations and are known to break down over time. Casings and cement is no match for geological processes, especially with additional corrosion caused by hydrogen sulfide and anaerobic bacteria. Drilling should never be done in faulted areas for which our region has many.

Healthy water and air is fundamental to our way of life and environment. It underpins our economy and is critical to our region’s future prosperity. Our ground water and food bowl are too precious to gamble with – the science simply does not provide the insurance required to support unconventional/conventional gas and mineral mining.

We, the undersigned, call for a permanent ban on any new unconventional/conventional gas & invasive mining operations in the South East of South Australia (Limestone Coast).

Why is this important?

Limestone Coast Protection Alliance wants to raise awareness amongst all Australians about the dangers and issues involved with mining, drilling and fracking in the South East of South Australia.

Clean Futures, Environmental Law, Mining, Old_Notes

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TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) trade election scorecard media release

June 17, 2016

Friends of the Earth Adelaide welcome the initiative shown by FOE Melbourne with their ranking of parties and candidates on trade related issues, especially the Trans Pacific Partnership.

Media release June 17, 2016

Parties and candidates rated on trade issues

Today the TPP Unions and Community Roundtable Coalition, of which Friends of the Earth is a founding member, has released a Federal Election 2016 TPP Scorecard ranking all currently elected parties’ and independents’ stance on the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).

In order to accurately score the parties and politicians on their commitment to disabling the TPP, the Roundtable asked two questions:

If elected, will you:
1: Vote against the enabling legislation for the Trans-Pacific Partnership?
2: Introduce or support legislation to ban ISDS in all trade agreements?

So far the TPP Union and Community Roundtable has received responses from the ALP, the Greens, the Nick Xenophon Team, Glenn Lazarus and Andrew Wilkie. As evidenced by their ticks on the scorecards, the Greens, Xenophon, Lazarus and Wilkie all responded with an unambiguous “Yes” to both questions.

However, the response from the ALP demonstrated an alarming vagueness, stating that Under Australia’s treaty-making arrangements the Parliament must examine trade agreements. The review of the TPP by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCOT) was not concluded at the time Mr Turnbull caused the dissolution of the Parliament. The TPP will be examined by JSCOT in the next Parliament whoever forms government – that’s how our treaty system works; and that A Shorten Labor Government will not agree to Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions in new trade agreements. A Labor Government will seek to remove these provisions from existing trade agreements and work to ensure ISDS provisions do not prevent governments from pursuing legitimate public policy goals.

Friends of the Earth TPP and trade spokesperson Kat Moore said “time and again, the major parties have bluffed their way through questions regarding the TPP, committing to nothing, whilst meanwhile our sovereignty is being eroded, and our environment, health, jobs and basic freedoms put at risk. The ALP got us into this Trojan Horse deal; the LNP have pushed it further, with no regard for public opinion or wellbeing. Based on this record, we cannot trust either of these parties to put community interest ahead of corporations.”

Friends of the Earth TPP and trade spokesperson Samantha Castro said “The ALP has stated they are against the Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism. This is their opportunity to demonstrate that they’re serious about this. We call on the ALP, as well as crossbenchers, to vote against TPP-enabling legislation, and to introduce, or support, legislation to ban ISDS in all trade agreements.”

The scorecard is available here.

Further comment

Kat Moore: 0422 258 159
Samantha Castro: 0439 569 289

Environmental Law, FoE, Media releases, Old_Notes, Publications

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Frydenberg Fridays – let the Minister responsible for national nuclear waste dumps know how you feel

June 6, 2016

Frydenberg Fridays – an initiative of the ACE Collective, Friends of the Earth Melbourne

Contact the Federal Resources Minister Josh Frydenberg to oppose the dumping of Australia’s radioactive waste on the Adnyamathanha people and support the local communities in opposition to a national radioactive waste dump in the Flinders Ranges.

South Australia is at risk of being turned into the nation’s nuclear waste dump.

The Turnbull Government is advancing plans to build a national nuclear waste dump in South Australia’s Flinders Ranges. The announcement in April 2016 named Barndioota – Wallerbidina as the site.

We need your support to protect this region from nuclear waste.

The Wallerbidina site is of great cultural, historical and spiritual significance to Adnyamathanha Traditional Owners, who are calling this decision a desecration of their culture. Regina McKenzie, who lives at Yappala Station near the dump site, says: “The area is Adnyamathanha land. It is Arngurla Yarta (spiritual land). The proposed dump site has countless thousands of Aboriginal artifacts. Our ancestors are buried there. The nominated site is a significant women’s site. Throughout the area are registered cultural heritage sites and places of huge importance to our people.”

Friends of the Earth has been working closely with Adnyamathanha Traditional Owners who are united in their opposition to the proposed dump.

Regina McKenzie and her family are asking for support.

One way you can do this is by contacting Minister Frydenberg and expressing concern about the national dump plans. In the lead up to the final decision, your voice can be a powerful support to the Adnyamathanha people and will be appreciated for generations to come.

To contact Minister Frydenberg:

Call his Melbourne office – (03) 9882 3677

Send an email – josh.frydenberg.mp@aph.gov.au

Write a letter – 695 Burke Road, Camberwell VIC 3124

Some points to mention in your letter/email to Minister Frydenberg:

Impact on Aboriginal Traditional Owners

The Adnyamathanha community is unanimously opposed to the development of the proposed nuclear waste dump at Wallerbidina Station, and view this proposal as an attack on their cultural beliefs, history and heritage.

The Yappala Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) neighbours proposed site and contains the first registered aboriginal story/song line in Australia and a sacred women’s site. This area is rich in traditional foods and medicines used by the local Adnyamathnaha community to feed their families and pass on their culture and traditions.

There is an extraordinarily high density of unique archaeological sites which offer a wealth of knowledge to further archaeological studies. This area is part of an ancient trading route and contains thousands of aboringal artefacts and burial sites.

This site is environmentally unsuitable

The proposed site is in a geologically unstable area, which experiences frequent earthquakes and tremors.

The site is in an area prone to destructive seasonal flooding. The most recent of these floods caused significant environmental damage due to the ferocity of the water. Trees were uprooted and homes destroyed.

The nomination of this site puts local economies at risk

Tourism in the Flinders Ranges region provides the local community with over $100 million annually, any loss of earnings from a negative association with a nuclear waste dump could be devastating for the local economy. Investment in sustainable tourism initiatives could provide the community with long term employment opportunities, without poisoning the landscape. For any job created by a waste dump, many more will be lost.

The pastoralists and farming communities in the area are opposed and fear they will suffer. Farmers in the area pride themselves on a clean and green reputation that could be destroyed if a nuclear waste dump is built in the area.

This Federal Government can do better.

The storage of radioactive waste remains illegal under the South Australian Radioactive Waste Transport and Storage (Prohibition) Act (2000)

The Federal Government’s consultation process is fundamentally flawed. Traditional Owners were made aware of the nomination by a media announcement. This complete disregard of the importance of community consultation is completely contradictory to the federal Government’s commitment to a more open and transparent site selection process.

To find a practical and just solution to the management of Australia’s radioactive waste, there is a need for a public inquiry to explore all our options for the management of radioactive waste. Such an approach would provide enhanced community and procedural confidence and rigor and ensure greater stakeholder engagement.

http://www.melbourne.foe.org.au/frydenberg_fridays

Actions, Environmental Law, FoE, Nuclear, Old_Notes, Publications

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Nuclear ports for SA or Darwin?

June 5, 2016

Nuclear Ports brief by David Noonan, Independent Environment Campaigner

“Nuclear port in Australia to store High level Nuclear wastes and receive waste ships every 24 to 30 days for decades”

Nuclear Port Brief David Noonan May2016

Premier Jay W can’t credibly call on SA ‘to decide’ without our knowing basic key relevant information – like what region in SA is targeted for a Nuclear port?

Is the coastal region south of Whyalla – potentially Cape Hardy or other sites – the only regional option to bring High level Nuclear wastes into SA?

Or does Premier thinks Darwin & down through NT is his (only other?) option – a surprise to NT in this Federal election & in having their own NT election in August…

As pre-requisites to any so called ‘decision’ and as key initial implications of any proposed decision.

There are lots of hurdles in International nuclear dumpers way – the SA Parliament legislated to prohibit international nuclear waste, the import, transport, storage and disposal of High level Spent Nuclear fuel, back in 2000 under Liberal Premier John Olsen.

Presumably at a minimum Premier Weatherill intends to repeal this legislation in November…

The NT Parliament also legislated to prohibit International nuclear wastes and that would have to be repealed before NT could be linked into any Inter dump agenda.

Hon. Mark Butler MP restated ALP National Platform position: “Labor will Remain strongly opposed to the importation and storage of nuclear waste” at recent National Press Club

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/labor-national-president-mark-butler-raises-doubts-about-international-nuclear-waste-dump-proposed-for-south-australia/news-story/12626f088948b5b9e72953e65ac2dd30

The State Government intends to make a decision on the international waste dump proposal by the end of the year after an extensive community consultation process.

2015 National Policy Platform states:
154. Labor will:
· Vigorously and totally oppose the ocean dumping of radioactive waste;
· Prohibit the establishment of nuclear power plants and all other stages of the nuclear fuel cycle in Australia;
· Fully meet all Australia’s obligations as a party to the NPT; and
· Remain strongly opposed to the importation and storage of nuclear waste that is sourced from overseas in Australia.

Clean Futures, Environmental Law, Nuclear, Old_Notes

MAJOR ENVIRONMENT GROUPS REJECT INQUIRY REPORT INTO CHARITABLE STATUS

May 4, 2016

MAJOR ENVIRONMENT GROUPS REJECT INQUIRY REPORT INTO CHARITABLE STATUS

Media Statement, Places You Love Alliance

Key Australian environment groups today called on the Federal Environment Minister, Mr Greg Hunt, to reject recommendations of a report of an inquiry into the charitable status of environment groups.

The CEOs of WWF, The Australian Conservation Society, The Wilderness Society, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, Friends of the Earth and the Nature Conservation Council of NSW issued the following statement on behalf of the Places You Love alliance:

Report here, including a dissenting report by Labor members.

The Report of the Inquiry into the Register of Environmental Organisations correctly recognises the enormous contribution environment groups have played in safeguarding Australia’s precious yet fragile environment, protecting icons from the Great Barrier Reef to the Franklin River.

However, the report contains a number of deeply flawed and dangerous recommendations, including an arbitrary requirement to spend a quarter of donor funds on ‘environmental remediation’ and a draconian attempt to clamp down on the type of work organisations conduct.

This flawed Inquiry, initiated by the Abbott Government and driven by a small handful of conservative MPs with the support of the mining industry, failed to uncover any evidence to justify removing the charitable status of any environment group.

We welcome the dissenting statements made by Liberal MP and committee member Jason Wood, raising significant concerns about the two most dangerous recommendations. (*See excerpts below).

We have identified two highly flawed and dangerous recommendations in the report.

Recommendation 5

The recommendation requiring environment groups spend at least 25 per cent of their supporters’ hard-earned money on ‘environmental remediation’ is ludicrous, imposing a huge bureaucratic burden on both the government and organisations, particularly small groups working with local communities. In Canada, the same policy experiment failed dismally, creating enormous red tape with no resulting public benefit.

The public understands that protecting the environment is about much more than planting trees. Campaigns to help protect places like the Kakadu, the Franklin River and the Great Barrier Reef, and stop massive coal mines, are equally if not more important.

Environment groups should be free to pursue a range of activities, from scrutinising policies and laws, to challenging planning decisions and being a public voice for the environment to prevent future damage.

Recommendation 6

The recommendation that environment groups be sanctioned for encouraging illegal or unlawful activity is ill-motivated and unfair. Civil disobedience is an important part of a healthy democracy, successful in saving many precious places from the Franklin River to the Daintree Rainforest. The Federal government should instead be pursuing illegal activity by big business, from corporate tax-evasion to mining and logging companies’ regular breaches of environmental and planning laws.

For comment:

? Dermot O’Gorman, CEO of WWF Australia (contact Daniel Rockett, 0432 206 592)

? Lyndon Schneiders, National Campaign Director, The Wilderness Society (contact Alex Tibbits, 0416 420 168)

? David Ritter, CEO, Greenpeace Australia Pacific (contact Liam Kelly, 0407 742 025)

? Cam Walker, Friends of the Earth Campaigns coordinator (contact 0419 338 047)

? Kelly O’Shanassy, CEO, Australian Conservation Foundation (contact Josh Meadows, 0439 342 992)

? Kate Smolski, CEO, Conservation Council of NSW (contact James Tremain 0419 272 254)

*Additional comment by Mr Jason Wood MP:

On Recommendation 5: 25 per cent remediation

“I have concerns about [recommendation 5] as there are a number of groups with deductible gift recipient (DGR) status or future groups that want to apply for DGR status that would have no remediation work or would find it very difficult to prove the 25 per cent target.”

On Recommendation 6: Illegal activities

“..it should be noted that it was due to environmental activists, through their efforts and through the use of a blockade, that major environmental disasters have been prevented. An example would be the Franklin River in Tasmania, where many activist groups openly supported campaigns to stop the damming of the river. These protests, which were actively supported by environmental groups, would be prohibited under this recommendation and history would now show that, if it was not for these protests and national awareness, the World Heritage Franklin River would have been dammed.

About the Places You Love Alliance

The Places You Love alliance has over 40 Australian environment groups representing 1.5 million Australian members and supporters.

Parliamentary Report: http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Environment/REO/Report_-_Register_of_Environmental_Organisations

Environmental Law, FoE, Media releases, Old_Notes