Anglers welcome National's Energy Policy, but….
Anglers, frustrated by the succession of power schemes exploiting public rivers, have given the National Party's energy
policy, a "thumbs up."
President Ian Rodger said the push for coal fired power stations, given the new clean burning technology, was welcome as
was upgrading of transmission lines where substantial increased efficiencies and subsequent reduction in losses, could
be gained. It is good to see common sense prevail – short term.
Mr Rodger said New Zealand must not keep exploiting the public's free running rivers to the detriment of future
generations.
"Our rivers are finite in number, whereas we reportedly have vast reserves of coal”.
Mr Rodger said opposition to coal fired power stations was hollow and hypocritical when New Zealand exported vast
amounts of coal for China and India’s great number of coal fired power stations. If this fossil fuel is to be mined,
then it’s logical for it to be used here rather than accruing further energy usage (and emissions) in long distance
haulage to far distant lands.
However National’s plan to dismember the RMA may well have far-reaching consequences in making the damming of our
wonderful rivers even easier. This concerns us greatly.
ENDS