Tasmanian Pulp Mill Myth Busting

TCA members live and work in the Tamar Valley, they work in the industry driving log trucks, working in the forests and mills.  Their children attend schools in the communities, they all breathe the air and enjoy a wine or fresh Tasmanian sea food, some work in the Tourism industry others are farmers and landowners.  So they are keen to ensure the mill will have no adverse impacts on our environment, public health, other industries and our families.  But they are also keen to have the substantial economic and social benefit of adding 2% to the State economy, the jobs to be created and the benefits of creating a future for their kids and communities.

Below is a series of Myth busting presentations on some of the claims in the Media, all are referenced so if you want to know more or check a fact please follow up.  All are PDF files some are from PowerPoint presentations that are best viewed full screen (press Ctrl L) others are just words. All files can be either opened or saved to your Computer.

**** NEW MYTH BUSTING FACT ABOUT WEDGE TAILED EAGLES (119KB) ****

One of Tasmanian iconic species is the Wedge tailed eagle that nests in old growth forests, through the reservation of one million hectares of its habitat, the application of the Forest Practices Code and the Species recovery plan this threatened species is now at 86% of its pre European settlement population numbers. Current integrated harvesting operations for sawlogs with pulp wood arising, and plantation management provide for the protection of this bird.  Prior to applying to construct the pulp mill detailed surveys for the Eagle were conducted at the proposed site and along proposed infrastucture areas.  One pair has been located to the east of the proposed mill at a nest known as #130 in ‘Tippogoree Hills’. The developer has put in place, and the Tasmanian Government demanded that the nest be managed in accordance with the 'Forest Practices Authority, Fauna Technical Note Series – Eagle Nest Management' (319KB)

Hampshire not as good as Bell Bay (1.06MB)

Some opposition to the pulp mill is based on its location, with claims made that Hampshire, south of the NW Coastal city of Burnie is a better site.  That the Government should force the developer or should subsidise the developer millions of taxpayer’s dollars to move.  Yet this ignores the fact that when the developer first proposed a pulp mill for Tasmania in 2004; both sites were looked at when a detailed feasibility study was conducted. The results were publicly released in February 2005. This presentation provides information so as to compare the Hampshire site.

Greenhouse Gas and Tasmania’s sustainable timber production (223KB)

The new pulp mill will be a major asset in the struggle to reduce greenhouse gasses by removing between 1.1 to 1.3 million tonnes of CO2 each year as detailed in a recent Media release (page 2) by TCA. However the Greens Institute run by a (former) staff member of the Australian Greens Senator’s office, has made claims that the mill will produce 10.2 million tones of GHG each year. As this is equal to the State’s total emissions this presentations checks the issue.  Included are harvesting rates for the last few years that show there is no need to intensify harvesting in the State for the pulp mill.

Tasmanian Forestry (1MB)

The management of Tasmania’s forests has been subject to much debate in the last three decades. This presentation gives a brief overview.  For more information check 2007 Sustainable Forest Management Brochure Edition 2 at http://www.forestrytas.com.au/forestrytas/pages/sustainable_fm_contents.htm and the second year report on the Tasmanian Community Forest Agreement http://www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/236121/tcfa-report.pdf

Location of Commercial Fisheries (464KB)

The Media is reporting that a group calling itself the Tasmanian Roundtable for Sustainable Industries (TRSI) claims that “The fishing industry faced risks of $693 million and 700 job loses” (The Examiner 24 August 2007).  The attached presentation uses official government research reports to show where the fish including Rock lobster, scallops, scale fish and abalone are located.

Pulp mill Location (811KB)

“They're going to build it in classic Tassie wilderness country”: This was the report or a National Current Affairs program, and the transcript shows that the reporter told the viewer “Depending on who you listen to, the pulp mill will either be an environmental catastrophe or guarantee Tasmania's very future.”

So this presentation first looks at the location of the mill and surrounding land use. In addition there are also reports downloaded from the National Pollution Inventory at www.npi.gov.au/ for the George Town area (the site of the mill).

These show that there are already levels of emissions; 2.2 g of dioxins and furans, 980,000 kg of Particulate Mater PM10 in this “Wilderness” area, yet with minimal (virtually nil) impact on the Tamar or Launceston.

Emissions results are published by the Federal Government's National Polution inventiory and are available here. NPI Output (376KB) shows the total emissions from Georgetown, the pm10 Georgetown (143KB) report examines particulate matters in closer detail,together with the pm10 Starwood (135KB) recording thecontributin of the now closed MDFplant. The emmisions of dioxins are reported both for the locality, Dioxin Georgetown (138KB) and for each facility Dioxin By Company (978KB)

Vineyards and Visits (1.05MB)

The impact on local vineyards has been a hot topic with the Australian reporting on 15 august 2007 that Geoffrey Cousins, a senior business figure and confidant of John Howard, has attacked as "absolute madness" a proposal to build a $2 billion pulp mill in the heart of Tasmania's prime wine district. This follows an Age report that Victorian sommeliers are considering joining a wine boycott in protest against plans for a Tasmanian pulp mill. The presentation focuses on the Vineyards and Visitors and compares to international experience. An update of this presentation now includes photo's tabled in Parliament by the ALP's Heather Butler.

A report (182MB) by Viticulture expert Dr Richard Smart, the "flying wine-doctor" of Smart Viticulture examines the pulp mill's impact on a neighbouring vineyard and details the international experience.

Water (339KB)

In an article comparing the Penola Pulp Mill proposed for SA and the Tamar mill, a Southern Tasmanian newspaper inferred that the mill should have selected a different process in order to save water.  The article written in the style of Rita Skeeter and her quick quotes quill for the Daily Prophet of Harry Potter fame, required correction from the Penola Mill project manager (see letter).  This presentation looks at the sustainable use of water by the mill.

More on Scallops (2MB)

No commercial scallop fishing has occurred westward of Flinders Island for many years.  But concern has been expressed about their future. DPIW issue permits for fishers to periodically conduct surveys. It is difficult to predict where scallop settlement would led to commercial beds as they do require suitable habitat, sand or sandy silt. The last tabled report on scallop distribution in the area, was in 2005 where surveys were conducted on the North West to North East. TAFI drafted a report on these which was tabled at a public scallop meeting. These survey reports are only draft updates really to brief industry about making choices where to survey more intensely. They tend to not be "published" in the public domain; TCA has requested and received a copy.

Fate of the Treated effluent in Bass Strait (285KB)

Claims have been made that modelling of the effluent needs improvement and the actual content of the effluent will “taint” the commercial fish and impact on Commonwealth Waters (5.5 km from the Coast) and marine life. This presentation looks at what is in the effluent and how it is diluted.

Is criticism of the Hydrology modelling valid? (501KB)

The draft conditions for Federal approval call for more modelling of the effluent.  A key submission that was also reviewed by the commonwealth’s consultants was a report by Dr Stuart Godfrey a former CSIRO scientist with over 35 years experience.  This presentation examines a key aspect of the report.

What will be emitted? - The McCubbin Interview (578KB)

Recently a Talk Back Host at the ABC in Tasmania complained about not getting answers to her questions of what’s in the effluent what’s in the air emissions. Yet the ABC has on file an interview with an international Expert, Neil McCubbin.  Mr McCubbinBSc., ARCST, P. Eng who was appointed by the World Bank’s International Finace Coorporation to conduct an independent expert panel on pulp mills in Uruguay (see http://www.ifc.org/ifcext/media.nsf/content/SelectedPressRelease?OpenDocument&UNID=06621247933EC9368525714E004477DB  ).

The Interview transcipt in March 2005 is from ABC Stateline (Tasmania)

Dioxin Limit (147KB)

Is criticism of the effluent and the Dioxin limit set by the Tasmanian Government valid? This presentation checks out the reference in a recent critical report.