Presentation byGore District Mayor Tracy Hicks

Regional Impacts – Southland Lignite

What is Southland known for?

Oysters

Friendly people

Strong agricultural sector

Trout fishing

Burt Munro Rally

Spectacular scenery Southern Institute of Technology Tiwai Aluminium Smelter

New Zealand’s capital of brown trout fishing and country music

What is Gore known for?

HOME OF …

NZ Gold Guitar Awards

Eastern Southland Gallery (nicknamed the Goreggenheim)

Hokonui Fashion Design Awards

Southern Field Days

Hokonui Moonshiners Festival

All Blacks Jimmy Cowan & Justin Marshall

Southland today Population approx 90,000 (2.3% of NZ)

Only 2.6 people per km² (15 people nationally)

Land area 3,035,577 ha (12.0% of New Zealand land area)

Three local authorities/one regional council

Declining and ageing population

Shift in farming sector from sheep/beef to dairying

NOW

3 billion tonnes recoverable lignite in the Gore District (coalnz.com)

Solid Energy main stakeholder

New Vale coal mine – output 250,000 tonnes pa

Soon-to-be-commissioned $25m briquetting plant

Plant to produce 90,000 tonnes of briquettes from 150,000 tonnes of lignite

Coal Resources

Into the futureCoal to fertiliser plant

Output: 1.2million tonnes urea pa (initial investigations but Solid Energy now considering other plant sizes)

Cost: $NZ1.5 billion

Jobs: Construction 1000 plus over 2/3 years Plant 250 Mine 250

Location: Decision at the end of 2012 at the earliest

Further into the futureCoal to Liquid Fuels

Input/output: Unknown

Cost: $NZ10 billion plus

Jobs: Construction 4000 over 3/4 years Plant 600 Mine 600

Commercial plant potentially operating by 2019-2020

Local, regional & national

Potential impacts on air quality, water, ecology, traffic, noise

Local authorities will have RMA and community advocacy roles

Challenge will be how they balance these roles

Recognise growth brings social change

Maximise benefits while minimising impacts

Impacts

The Big QuestionsPopulation growth - how will it affect

Our medical services Our schools Our recreational facilities Our safe communities Our municipal infrastructure

Development but not at any cost

More Big Questions

Where will the people live? Where do we build new houses? Do we have enough water for them? Is there enough electricity? Will there be an increase in tourism? Will the pool be crowded? Will McDonalds get crowded?

Will there be enough …

Doctors Dentists Emergency service personal Police Schools Playgrounds Recreation facilities Restaurants

What can we do?Prepare - be proactive not reactive

GDC has commissioned background studies on

Social and economic framework Transport model Urban infrastructure Landscape Framework to assess ecological values

Next Step: A District Growth Strategy