NZ Energy Industry, Conservation, Resource Management Act, Climate Change, Genetic Engineering

NEW ZEALAND ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT DIGEST May 12, 2004

ENERGY INDUSTRY

" Origin Eyes Edisons NZ Contact Stake
Dow Jones 05/05/2004.
Australias Origin Energy Ltd is one of the parties keen to buy Edison Mission Energys 51% stake in New Zealands biggest listed power generator and retailer, Contact Energy Ltd, the Australian Financial Review reported Tuesday. The AFRs Street Talk column reported that UBS believes a deal could be struck if Origin can raise A$350 million, with the transaction three-quarters funded by debt and one quarter by equity. More&

" Solid Energy secures $225 million deal in Asia
The Press 10/05/2004.
Solid Energy is continuing its push into Asia, securing $225 million in new business in recent months. The state-owned coal producer said on Friday its existing 25-year commercial relationship with Mitsui Mining of Japan had resulted in it securing a three-year $80m deal to supply it with 300,000 tonnes a year. More& http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2902208a13,00.html

" Contact Energy signs gas supply deal with OMV
The New Zealand Herald 07/05/2004.
Contact Energy has signed up to buy OMV New Zealands share of gas produced from the Pohokura gas field in Taranaki. More... http://www.nzherald.co.nz/latestnewsstory.cfm?storyID=3565046&thesection=business&thesub

" Genesis to buy NZOGs Kupe gas, fund development
Stuff.co.nz 07/05/2004.
Genesis Power has agreed to buy NZ Oil and Gass share of gas from the Kupe field and fund up to $40 million of NZOGs Kupe development costs. More... http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2900765a13,00.html

" Invitations go out to Powerco buyers
The New Zealand Herald 06/05/2004.
Failed buyers of United Networks are being tapped as potential new owners of lines company Powerco. More... http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/businessstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3564744&thesection=bus

" NZ, Chile Sign Cooperative Science Agreement
Scoop.co.nz 05/05/2004.
An agreement signed today paves the way for Chile and New Zealand to work more closely on oil and gas exploration, geothermal energy development, and the study of earthquakes and volcanoes. More& http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/SC0405/S00004.htm

" Rising oil prices put brakes on economy
Dominion Post 06/05/2004.
New Zealands economy will be damaged if world oil prices remain at 13-year highs, exporters and industry warn. But the grim outlook has a silver lining for New Zealands oil and gas explorers. They expect the rises to spur the search for reserves - critical to maintaining low electricity prices. More& http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2899719a13,00.html

" Wholesale power prices rise as chills sets in
New Zealand Herald 06/05/2004.
Average New Zealand wholesale power prices climbed around 9% over the past week, bumped up by a spike in morning and evening prices in a shift to wintry conditions, analysts said today. "The winter profile is taking hold. This week we saw maximum prices in the North Island hit $155 during the morning peak, which helped push the average up," an analyst said. More& http://www.nzherald.co.nz/latestnewsstory.cfm?storyID=3564677&thesection=business&thesubsection=latest

CONSERVATION

" Funds approved to protect Tangiwai bridge from lahar
New Zealand Herald 05/05/2004.
Funding has been approved to lift the Tangiwai Bridge over the Whangaehu River to protect it from the expected lahar from Mt Ruapehu. More& http://www.nzherald.co.nz/latestnewsstory.cfm?storyID=3564615&thesection=news&thesubsection=general

" Waikato University Lake Tarawera study could help save Rotorua lakes
Scoop.co.nz 05/05/2004.
Students from Waikato Universitys high-ranking School of Science and Technology are stepping up efforts to save Rotoruas lakes from excessive nutrient loading. Phosphorus and nitrogen from rural and domesticdrainage have been changing the lakes "from pristine clear blue waters to dangerous green soups," says Chris Hendy, a chemistry department associate professor. More& http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/ED0405/S00020.htm

" Govt spends $10.5 million to buy Hauraki Gulf Island
NZPA 07/05/2004.
The Government has stepped in to save a Hauraki Gulf jewel from falling into foreign hands by buying Kaikoura Island for $10.5 million. The 564ha island was purchased with the help of the ASB Trusts after a long campaign by the Native Forest Restoration Trust to bring it into public ownership, the New Zealand Herald reported today. More& http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2900571a7693,00.html

" Group applies for $30,000 to fight Cape Kidnappers project
Stuff.co.nz 07/05/2004.
The Cape Kidnappers Protection Society is applying for a $30,000 grant from the Ministry for the Environment to help fund their appeal against the building of a luxury lodge near the cape. Society treasurer Rod Heaps, who also runs Gannet Beach Adventures, said they had applied for the $30,000 maximum from the ministrys environmental legal assistance fund. The money would be used to help fund an appeal against American billionaire Julian Robertsons plans to build a luxury lodge and subterranean sunset room at Black Reef Point. More& http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2900779a7693,00.html

COAL INDUSTRY

" Cypress mine would not harm water life, says scientist
New Zealand Herald 05/05/2004.
The planned Cypress opencast mine would not harm the fresh-water ecology of the upper Waimangaroa and Ngakawau catchments if Solid Energy uses its proposed management methods, a scientist said yesterday. Surveys of nearby streams revealed little fish life, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research scientist Jacques Boubee told a joint Buller District and West Coast regional councils resource consent hearing in Westport. More& http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3564459&thesection=news&thesubsection=general

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ACT

" CHH warns NZ becoming unattractive for new investments
New Zealand Herald 05/05/2004.
Forestry company Carter Holt Harvey (CHH) today warned proposed regulatory changes and energy supply concerns could see it hold off on future investments in New Zealand. Speaking at the companys annual general meeting in Auckland this morning CHH chairman John Maasland said he was seeking assurances that issues surrounding proposed changes to the Resource Management Act and the Employment Relations Act, as well as energy supply concerns could be resolved in a way that would not negatively impact the company. More& http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/businessstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3564649&thesection=business&thesubsection=forestry&thesecondsubsection=pulpandpaper

" Poll: Public bites states wagging finger
National Business Review 06/05/2004.
Resource management and anti-smoking laws top the list of laws New Zealanders do not like. A reputation for intrusive government is borne out in the public perception, with a clear majority saying the Resource Management Act unduly interferes in peoples lives, while a significant minority say the same about smoking laws. More& http://www.nbr.co.nz/home/ column_article.asp?id=8981&cid=18&cname=Opinion

BIO-SECURITY

" Cane toad hitches a ride to Masterton

NZPA 05/05/2004.
A Masterton man nearly put his foot in it when he returned home from Brisbane, all because a cane toad had hitched a ride in his shoe. Ben Molesi had been on a six-month working holiday in Australia and hours after his return to Masterton his father Malo Molesi saw the frog like creature on the kitchen floor. More& http:/www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2898202a11,00.html

CLIMATE CHANGE

" Disaster Movie Prompts Warning On

Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Scoop.co.nz 05/05/2004.
A forthcoming US disaster movie featuring abrupt climate change has prompted a warning from a Waikato University scientist about the need to take the precaution of limiting emissions of carbon dioxide. At a global abrupt climate change conference in New York at Easter this year scientists were shown snippets of a movie entitled The Day After Tomorrow reportedly due to be released this month. More& http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/ED0405/S00021.htm

AQUACULTURE

More staff to clear marine farming permit
NZPA 05/05/2004.
The Ministry of Fisheries has responded to a huge backlog in the number of applications for marine farm permits in the Marlborough Sounds by hiring six more fisheries analysts. The new recruits take the total number of staff working at the Nelson-based National Allocations Team to 17 full-time and one part-time. More& http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2898281a7693,00.html

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

" Cement group to pioneer new fuel
Financial Times 05/05/2004.
The UKs largest cement manufacturer is set to pioneer the use of sewage treatment sludge as a fuel, in an effort to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Lafarge UK has struck a deal with Northumbrian Water under which half the sewage treatment sludge produced in the north-east will be used to heat the cement kiln at its Cauldron Works in Staffordshire. More&http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1083180280198

WASTE MANAGEMENT

" UK go-ahead to more waste burning
BBC 07/05/2004.
The UK is likely soon to see a large and controversial expansion in the building of huge waste incinerators. Many people are opposed to the idea of waste incineration, because they think it is liable to damage their health. But the government says any impacts are likely to be slight, and Environment Minister Elliot Morley says there is no health reason for not building them. More... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3690677.stm

GENETIC ENGINEERING

" Pro-GM lobby institute closes
New Zealand Herald 07/05/2004.
A think-tank set up by NZs leading paid lobbyist for research on genetically modified organisms has closed down because of "insufficient support." Lobbyist Francis Wevers set up the Bioscience Policy Institute last year to promote "the education of the public of NZ in matters relating to the biological sciences." More& http://www.nzherald.co.nzstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3564915&thesection=news&thesubsection=general

" Parliament to reconsider GE moratorium
Scoop.co.nz 06/05/2004.
The selection of the Green Partys private members bill that would reinstate the Genetic Engineering moratorium will give NZ another chance to reject the presence of GE organisms in our environment, Green MP Ian Ewen-Street said today. Mr Ewen Streets private members bill, the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (Moratorium Reinstatement) Amendment Bill, would reimpose the moratorium that was lifted last year. The bill was picked from the members ballot today. More& http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0405/S00102.htm

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