Solid Energy - Opposition Groups

Opposition Groups

Concerns have been raised about the environmental performance of Solid Energy particularly at the Stockton Mine on the West Coast. In 2006, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment proposed to undertake a review of the environmental performance of the company in 2008.

Solid Energy has also been criticised by the Ngawakau Riverwatch group and environmental groups and organisations such as Greenpeace, Forest and Bird, The Buller Conservation Group and the Save Happy Valley Coalition. The criticisms include carbon emissions, environmental damage and greenwashing in respect of the impacts of mining.

Resource consents were granted to Solid Energy for the development and operation of the Cypress mine on land near Waimangaroa. This was opposed by the environmental group Save Happy Valley Campaign (SHVC). They claim that the mine will contribute to acid mine drainage, climate change and the possible extinction of a species of Powelliphanta snail.

On 27 May 2007, Sunday Star Times reported that Thompson and Clark Investigations Ltd, a security firm employed by Solid Energy, used private individuals to spy on SHVC. A second spying episode was alleged involving Thompson and Clark attempting to employ another spy to obtain information from SHVC. Solid Energy claimed that they had no knowledge of that instance of an attempt by Thompson and Clark to employ a spy.