Plans for big wind farm blow hot
The Marlborough Express 19/04/2004.
Marlborough could become home to one of the southern hemisphereıs largest electricity wind farms. Electricity generator TrustPower is looking at building a 90 megawatt (mW) capacity wind farm on the coast near Seddon as one option to make the region more energy self-sufficient. Chief Executive Keith Tempest said the company hoped to apply for resource consent for the project - which could provide power for more than 30,000 homes - some time next year if it turned out to be feasible. More ... http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2912561a7693,00.html

Solar advocates slam wind farm guidelines
New Zealand Herald 18/05/2004.
New provisions in Wellingtonıs district plan are being tipped to change the face of tourism in the city. The guidelines for assessing alternative energy development - specifically wind farms - rather than encouraging energy conservation, have been criticised by opponents for being destructive and mischievous. At the same time they have been hailed as forward thinking and wise by the electricity sector. More ... http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3567005&thesection=news&thesubsection=general

ENERGY INDUSTRY
Strong Global Interest in Councilıs Powerco Shares
Scoop.co.nz 20/05/2004 .
The availability of a large number of shares in energy distribution firm Powerco is generating considerable interest in the global marketplace. At noon today some 20 potential buyers from North America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand had expressed an interest in the shares.  More ... http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0405/S00249.htm

Energy to fore in our worries
New Zealand Herald 20/05/2004.
A stocktake of the country's infrastructure has reinforced concerns about future energy supplies just weeks after a Treasury report revealed similar worries. The infrastructure audit by PricewaterhouseCoopers shows it is generally in 'reasonable condition' However, there are 'significant' issues over power generation, water and wastewater, and land transport, particularly in rail and on Auckland roads.
More ...  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?thesection=news&thesubsection=&storyID=3567501


OIL & GAS EXPLORATION
Global expansion in the air for gas market
The Age, Melbourne 18/05/2004.
The gas market will be underpinned by strong growth in global demand, with Chinese growth likely to be particularly pronounced, according to Deutsche Bank research. Deutsche analysts John Hirjee and Andrew Woolley say global gas demand will grow at 2% a year until 2015.  More  ... http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/05/17/1084783450642.html

Bass Strait gas war heats up
The Age, Melbourne 20/05/2004.
The battle over the south-eastern Australian gas market became earnest yesterday when the Woodside-led Otway Basin gas joint venture gave the go-ahead to the $1.1 billion development of the Thylacine/Geographe gas fields offshore from Port Campbell in the Western District. The development represents a direct challenge to the Esso/BHP Billiton dominance of the south-    eastern Australian market. More ...
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/05/20/1085028465666.html

NZOG says new well hits uncommercial oil shows
NZPA 20/05/2004.
New Zealand Oil and Gas said today its Pukeko-1 well had encountered 'minor oil shows' but the indications so far were it was unlikely to be commercial. More ...
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2913702a13,00.html


CONSERVATION
A National Conservation Treasure Is Unveiled
Scoop.co.nz 20/05/2004.
Transwaste Canterbury Limited is today officially launching its plans to set aside 410 hectares of land in the Kate Valley for a new conservation area, to be known as Tiromoana Bush, which will be protected forever and open for the public to enjoy from late next year. The multi-million dollar bush restoration work planned will create a national treasure. More ...  http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/AK0405/S00136.htm

Assurance Sought On Waitaki Bill
Scoop.co.nz 19/05/2004.
New Zealand First wants an assurance from the Environment Minister that the Waitaki River Bill will go ahead. "Despite the withdrawal of Meridian Energy from Project Aqua, there is still an opportunity here for the development of a best practice model for water management and allocation," said environment spokesperson Jim Peters. More ... http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0405/S00368.htm

Population and holidays put pressure on space
New Zealand Herald 18/05/2004.
Rampant housing sub-division and development are ruining some of our finest coastal, lakefront and forest areas, says a report by an environmental lobby group. The Environmental Defence Society has attacked various councils which it criticises for not guarding areas of natural heritage and allowing "inappropriate subdivision and development." More ...  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?thesection=news&thesubsection=&storyID=3566926

City landowners carve coast
New Zealand Herald 19/05/2004. A group of Auckland landowners involved in the Viaduct Harbour area are behind the sale of an extensive residential coastal development north of Auckland which has an environmental focus. Barrister Evan Williams, merchant banker Bill Birnie and Viaduct Harbour Holdingsı directors Adrian Burr and Mark Wyborn and Trevor Farmer have formed a venture to sell land at Bream Tail.  MoreS
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/businessstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3567193&thesection=business&thesubsection=commproperty&thesecondsubsection=general

Poor Knights Islands shipping ban
New Zealand Herald 19/05/2004.
A decision to make the Poor Knights Islands marine sanctuary the world's first no-go zone for big ships has delighted the man who has fought for it for 10 years. The International Maritime Organisation yesterday accepted the New Zealand Maritime Safety Authorityıs plea for the area between Cape Brett and Bream Head to be designated a "mandatory area to be avoided." More ...
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?thesection=news&thesubsection=&storyID=3567263

CLIMATE CHANGE

Rising oceans threaten Pacific island nation
Associated Press 23/05/2004.
The rising sea is eating at the shores of low-slung Funafuti, a spit of coral and coconut palms in the remote Pacific.Unseen fingers of ocean even reach beneath the sands, surfacing inland in startling places, among nervous islanders. "It used to be puddles. Now itıs like lakes," said Hilia Vavae, local meteorologist. More ...
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1085339978904_17/?hub=SciTech

Commission comes out fighting on climate change
Greenconsumerguide.com  20/05/2004.
European Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom has this week announced legal proceedings against Member Statesthat  have not yet submitted national plans for emissions trading, and offered a damning assessment of the plans already received by the Commission. Despite the seemingly negative picture, Wallstrom also confirmed that the EU is still on track to start emissions trading in January 2005 as planned and cited a slight decrease in greenhouse emissions.
More ... http://www.greenconsumerguide.com/index.php?news=1915

Japan's greenhouse gas emissions up 2% in '02; first rise in two years
Japan Times 19/04/2004.
Japanıs emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases linked to global warming increased 2.2% in fiscal 2002 from the previous year, marking the first rise in two years, the Government said Tuesday. Environment Minister Yuriko Koike attributed part of the rise to increased power generation at thermal power stations, caused by the shutdown of several nuclear power plants operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company following a defect-coverup scandal.  More ...
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20040519b2.htm

POLLUTION

Hybrid vehicle sales shift gear
New Zealand Herald 21/05/2004.
Sales of cars with both petrol and electric motors are picking up slowly in New Zealand amid soaring fuel prices which are knocking the American market for four-wheel-drive gas guzzlers. Toyota says it has sold about 70 of its hybrid Prius model here since October. More ...
http://www.nzherald.co.nzstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3567764&thesection=news&thesubsection=general

Contractors urged to keep mud on site
Scoop.co.nz  20/05/2004.
Auckland City is getting tough with an instant fine of $300 for building contractors who do not keep mud off roads this winter. This has come after reports that higher levels of silt and sediment are entering our harbours and affecting water quality and marine life. More ...
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/AK0405/S00145.htm


WASTE

City to pilot resource recovery project
Scoop.co.nz 19/05/2004.
A resource recovery park could become the way forward in managing Auckland Cityıs inorganic waste. Auckland City is considering a pilot resource recovery park as an alternative to the bi-annual kerb-side inorganic waste collection. More ... http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/AK0405/S00131.htm


BIO-DIVERSITY

Farmers help protect species
The Dominion Post 24/05/2004.
More trust between bureaucrats and landowners is the best recipe for protecting NZıs threatened plant and animal species, a conference in Wellington has been told. More than 150 farmers, ecologists and local authority representatives from throughout the country were at Te Papa on Friday at the NZ Biodiversity Summit, talking about how local govt could work with private property owners to achieve positive results for the environment. More ...
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2916626a7693,00.html

Govt warned single biodiversity approach may not be useful
NZPA 22/05/2004.
Communities would be more encouraged to protect native habitat by a "softly, softly" rather than "big stick" approach from the Govt, Wellington Regional Council chief executive Barry Harris said yesterday. It would be a retrograde step to issue a national policy statement prescribing how councils should deal with biodiversity issues under the Resource Management Act, he said. More ... http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2915207a7693,00.html


GENETIC ENGINEERING

Scientists defend GM trial
NZPA 22/05/2004.
Claims that pollen from a genetically modified field trial in Rotorua have already blown across the region have been rubbished by Rotoruaıs Forest Research.  The research instituteıs senior scientist, Christian Walter, told a regional council meeting in Whakatane yesterday the 50 pine trees in the trial were not allowed to have flowers or pollen, and were monitored every week.  More... http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2916202a7693,00.html


WATER

Scheme to irrigate with water from Rakaia set to be dropped
NZPA 22/05/2004.
The plug has been pulled on an irrigation scheme which would have provided the Barrhill-Chertsey area in Mid Canterbury with $120 million of economic activity per annum. Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation Company (BCIC) chairman of directors Philip McKendry said after a meeting on Thursday night it was decided not to proceed with the scheme in its current form. More ... http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2916196a3600,00.html

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