Category: Coal

Two Coal Mines In North East England Shutdown By Protests

Protesters occupping equipment at the Hargreaves open cast coal mine at Field House, County Durham

ACTIVISTS UNDER THE BANNER OF EARTH FIRST! TAKE ON COAL MINING IN THE NORTH EAST OF ENGLAND. TWO COAL MINES SHUT DOWN!

In the early hours of this morning, activists from the North East,
around the UK and abroad entered and occupied machinery in Field House mine and blockaded Schotton mine to stop them from continuing to dig up coal, destroying the surrounding environment and contributing to the climate catastrophe.

Opencast coal mining is strongly resisted in the “desolate North”, an
area that has become a sacrifice zone for continued economic growth at
the cost of the global climate, local environment and  community health. It supplies the UK’s dirty power stations, leading CO2 emitters, while people in the global South are suffering the consequences. Even in the UK we are starting to see the impacts of climate change such as flooding and the expected sea level rise will affect coastal areas around the country.

Protesters occupping equipment at the Hargreaves open cast coal mine at Field House, County Durham

Field House opencast started in 2018 and is operated by Hargreaves. The
exact destination or power stations that the coal is being transported to is unknown. Machinery inside the mine is occupied.

Coal provided just 5.3% of the electricity generated in the UK in 2018.
Recent research by Friends of the Earth has shown that already, enough
coal is held in stockpiles in the UK to last until 2025, the date by which the UK government has committed to phasing out coal.

Yet, it allows for continued extraction, expansion and even proposals
for 2 new coal mines to go ahead.

Protesters blockade entrance to Shotton open cast coal mine, Blagdon Hall, Northumberland

Coal burning is not only one of the main contributors to climate change, but also destroys valuable habitat and impacts air quality where it is dug and where it is burnt. The Bradley mine in the Pont Valley, Durham for instance, violated European and UK nature conservation legislation by destroying Great Crested Newt habitat.

We need to stop importing coal, and we need to stop digging it up in the
UK now. Fracking, biomass, gas and nuclear are not solutions either.
Neither do we want large-scale, corporate-controlled renewable energy
installations that rely on the mining of rare metals elsewhere to power
industrial so-called “development”. Green capitalism is not the answer.

Instead, we have to work towards radically different, locally and
communally controlled, off-grid solutions that involve the use of DIY
technologies made with recycled materials. These solutions need to be
coupled with a drastic reduction in energy consumption, and a wider,
radical opposition to our capitalist plutocracy. Such systems can then
be embedded in non-hierarchically organised sharing economies that
operate according to principles of mutual aid and solidarity.

EarthFirst! is a platform for people to take direct action against the
destruction of the earth. We adhere to principles of non-hierarchical
organisation and the use of direct action to confront, stop and reverse
the destruction of the earth.

No compromise in defence of the earth!

@earthfirst_uk

Background info

The Durham coalfield has been a work place and source of energy since
Roman times. At its height, this coalfield employed almost 250,000
mineworkers and their union was the lifeblood of their communities.
Durham miners participated in the national strike for a year from March
1984 resisting the government’s plan to close more than 70 underground
mines, (but only 20 closures were acknowledged at the time) in an effort
to increase electricity production from imported coal, nuclear and gas
and try to smash the power of the unions. Miners came together to fight against the pit closures and to support the families left in poverty as wages stopped coming in.

The last underground mine in the Durham closed in 1993, but the
community culture born of the industry and collective resilience carries
on. Now members of the same communities are fighting to stop the total
ecological obliteration, noise, dust, heavy traffic, denial of access to
natural spaces and community disempowerment that are opencast coal extraction.

Also nearby lies a site of continued strong opposition to coal by the Campaign to Protect Pont Valley who battle against Banks Group in their
valley. Banks Group’s the only English company submitting plans to
expand its coal extraction venture, with applications awaiting decisions
to opencast Dewley Hill (outskirts of Newcastle) and at Druridge Bay (a
stunning beach north of Newcastle). Banks wants to extend the opencast
in the Pont Valley and could put in further extension applications at
its two existing opencast sites in Northumberland.

Resistance To Imminent Coal Mining In Pont Valley, County Durham

Time is running out for Banks Group to build an access road to the site of it planned opencast coal mine in County Durham, before their planning permission expires on 3rd June. Local people and their supporters have left to stop the first spade going into the ground on 71 hectares of grassland, fields and woods in the Pont Valley, Co Durham. Under planning permission, the mining company Banks Group has to start work by 3 June or their licence to start mining the site will expire.

The site is in the Pont Valley off the A692 between the villages of Leadgate and Dipton, where the Banks Group plans to extract around 500,000 tonnes of coal over two to three years. A camp was setup on 2nd March at the entrance to the proposed mine. Several Local Groups, the Coal Action Network and campaingers from Hambach Forest have been instrumental in getting the camp going. Between 19th and 21st April, the camp was evicted by bailiffs and seven campaigners were arrested, but a new camp has been re-established at a new location. All are invited to come and stay and protect the beautiful Pont Valley. There is local bus connections to Dipton from Durham and New Castle.

There are plans for a series of public demonstrations in the days leading up to the deadline, including:

For over thirty years, UK Coal and now Banks Group have wanted to start an open cast coal mine in the Pont Valley, between Dipton and Leadgate, at a site known as ‘Bradley’, in County Durham. The community won 3 high court battles against UK Coal. But they lost on the fourth despite presenting even stronger evidence than the previous 3. UK coal got the permit, but they were bankrupt and they liquidated in 2015. Everyone thought that was the end of it and there would be no mine. This January, Banks Group announced they’d bought the land and the permit off UK Coal and intend to work the mine.

If you would like to put an event anywhere in UK or in other parts of Europe to spread the word of the struggle please get in touch with: protectpontvalley@gmail.com

Also see:

Earth First! & RtP shut down UK’s biggest opencast coal mine on the UK’s first day without electricity generated by coal

Five people from Reclaim the Power and Earth First! stopped work at the UK’s largest opencast coal mine, Ffos-y-fran near Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales for ten hours today.

Excavator Occupied

Five people from Reclaim the Power and Earth First! stopped work at the UK’s largest opencast coal mine, Ffos-y-fran near Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales for ten hours today. Three people locked to an excavator with a banner saying ‘End Coal’. Two people locked to a key access road, preventing coal leaving the coal mine to the railhead. Every day this week a train has transported 2200 tonnes to RWE npower’s Aberthaw near Barry, South Wales.[1] Aberthaw is the UK’s dirtiest power station[2]. Today is also the UK’s first working day where no electricity has been generated from coal in the UK.

Miller Argent’s Ffos-y-fran opencast coal mine is the largest in the UK. Recently the United Nations called for an investigation into cancer and childhood asthma incidences in the population near to the mine.[3] The protestors are joining local peoples’ call for the full restoration of Ffos-y-fran now.

Alice who is dressed as a canary locked to an excavator said, “Today the UK hasn’t generated any electricity from coal. This shows that it is possible to move away from destructive fossil fuel generation. Neither coal nor gas can achieve the type of greenhouse-gas reductions demanded by international bodies such as the IPCC.   The shift away from coal would not be possible without decades of community resistance and action from the movement for climate justice.  In traditional underground mines canaries were used to alert miners to air pollution. Today we, as canaries are warning that we need to take urgent action against coal to tackle air pollution and climate change”

Alex, also locked on added, “RWE npower talk of swapping to imported coal, but while the conditions surrounding Ffos-y-fran mine are unacceptable, the situation for people living close to the coal mines in Russia and Colombia, where most of the UK’s power station coal comes from, are completely unbearable. It is long past time Ffos-y-fran was restored and absolutely time that Aberthaw was shut down.”signal-2017-04-21-104703

In 2015 38% of coal imported to the UK came from Russia and 29% came from Colombia.[4] In these countries the situations surrounding the opencast coal mines amount to cultural genocide, with indigenous and settled communities being forced from their land.[5] Miller Argent’s main customer for coal from Ffos-y-fran is Aberthaw power station.

Sian Farrar, a local resident of Rymney, a neighbouring village, said, “Those of us who live here see the black coal dust outside every day – we are breathing this in constantly.. Add to that the more dangerous invisible pollutants from the power stations, and it’s clear this industry is toxic for local communities, in Wales and globally. I stand in solidarity with global communities affected by UK coal-fired power – RWE must stop sourcing coal from my backyard, and must not subject other communities to these impacts.’signal-2017-04-21-105122

Chris who is currently locked to the access road said, “I am taking this action today because RWE npower is burning Welsh coal which when burnt releases high levels of CO2 contributing to climate change and nitrogen oxides causing respiratory illness. [6] The European Union have ruled against the UK government for allowing this NOXs pollution to happen, but no action has been taken. This is simply not acceptable.”[7]

They continued, “The solution to the air pollution We need to stop burning fossil fuels. caused by burning Welsh coal isn’t to import coal instead, as RWE npower suggest. Swapping air pollution in the UK for coal dust which contaminates the water, land and air in Russia, Colombia or even Australia, to keep Aberthaw going simply cannot go ahead. [8]All coal mines need to be restored and the power stations must be shut down now.”

This action is part of a series of demonstrations against Aberthaw power station calling for it, and all other UK coal power stations to close. [9]

Notes to Editors

Contact press@reclaimthepower.org.uk or phone Sarah Squires on 07436629608

A Welsh speaker is available to speak as a local resident affected by the mine.

References

[1] Train information gathered from realtimetrains. Eg: today a train is due to depart at 14.45 www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/ABTHPS/2017/04/21/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=freight&order=wtt

[2] WWF, Sandbag and others (Oct 2016) Lifting Europe’s Dark Cloud P26 In the first half of 2016 the plant emitted 11,003 tonnes of NOx, almost four times the 4,800 tonnes permitted under European Union Industrial Emissions Directive limits.

 

[3]Wales Online (09/03/17)UN expert calls for opencast mine investigation after concerns about the impact on health

[4] Calculations from HMRC coal import statistics

[5] Myski local civic organisation “Revival of Kazas and the Shor people”, International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) and Institute for Ecology and Action Anthropology (INFOE),Discrimination against Shor communities in Myski municipal district, Kemerovo Oblast, Russian Federation P10-17

[6] Friends of the Earth Cymru (September 2016) Air quality and health impacts of Aberthaw power station http://foe.cymru/sites/default/files/FOE_APS_report_final.pdf P2

[7] Judgement of the Court (7th Chamber) 21 September 2016 (*) Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations — Directive 2001/80/EC — Article 4(3) — Annex VI, Part A — Limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from large combustion plants — Application —Aberthaw Power Station

[8] Luz Ángela Uriana Epiayu, of the Wayuu in Colombia said, “My son Moisés Daniel is sick with a high fever and a dry cough, and he is having trouble breathing… He is still only three years old. I live very close the Cerrejón coal mine… Because of the coal dust created by Cerrejón Moisés gets this dry cough… He breathes contaminated air twenty-four hours a day.” Uriana Epiayu, LA (2017) RWE npower Colombian coal is killing our children! Close Aberthaw!Cerrejon is the largest Colombian coal mine it supplies Drax power station and other UK coal power stations. It is owned by Glencore, Anglo- American and BHP Billiton, all listed on the London Stock Exchange.

[9] This action is the latest in a series of actions against Aberthaw power station. These have included a blockade of the power stations main entrance using two tripods for over 4 hours in December. 150 people demanded “Shut Aberthaw: Green jobs now!” at a demonstration against the power station on Saturday 28th January organised by Reclaim the Power, Coal Action Network and United Valley’s Action Group and a demonstration at RWE Npower’s headquarters in Swindon earlier in January.

Main coal conveyor belt blocked at Hambach

1st Sept 2015

Early this morning two people occupied the main conveyor belt, close to the coal bunk at Hambach. This conveyor belt transports coal from all over the mine to the coal bunker, and from there, to the coal trains.

This action is against this system in which big companies are allowed to destroy our earth.
Also in solidarity with our comrade Jus, who is in prison for 6 weeks now. We encourage everyone to show support for Jus in anyway that they see fit. Freedom for Jus!

The people in the blockade decided to focus on their action and not so much on media, if media has questions they can call the meadow phone: 0157 – 54 136 100

For one hour the workers sprinkled them with cold water. After 6,5 hours the people were removed by police and have been released at 1 pm.

3/9/15: Update on Jus

Into the Heart of the Beast: Occupying Germany’s Open Cast Coal Nightmare

Last weekend I along with around one thousand other people took part in mass direct action against one of the largest open cast lignite mines in Europe, owned by RWE, which along with surrounding mines and coal powers stations is the largest source of greenhouse gases in Europe.

I took part because fossil fuel capitalism is destroying our Earth. Waiting for companies and governments to do the right things is not working and is not going to work so people must stand up and force them to.

Earlier this year, the German government caved in to the lobbying might of RWE, backtracking on plans to put a levy on the most polluting power plants, which would have led to a phase out of lignite. Last weekend, people stood up in protest to say ‘Ende Gelände’, here and no further.

 

This is my experience of the day. It was a long, exhausting and confused day, and what I experienced will not be the same thing that others in different parts of the action experienced. But I hope this can help anyone reading understand what happened.

The assault

“Guten Morgen, Ende Gelände!” Those were the words I woke up to at 5:45 am in my tent. An early start for a momentous day, I rushed to scramble my stuff together, go to the loo and then hastily join up with my affinity group.

We were in the ‘Green Finger’ one of the four groups with approximately 250 people in them, that would be laying siege to the mine.

When the whole finger was formed up with everyone in their agreed place, my affinity group was in the middle. The first kilometre or so passed calmly enough. I could even hear someone play ‘The Diggers Song’ on a pipe, as we searched for a way across the motorway between us and the mine.

In the end, we came upon a tunnel with only about four lines of cops blocking it. It was at this point that many people there had their first experience of police violence, in some ways I was lucky I knew what to expect from previous actions.

So they resorted to filling the air with a mist of pepper spray and beating everyone they could reach with their clubs, in the hope of separating them from the group. Everyone around me bunched up like rugby players in a scrum so the police couldn’t drag any of us away.

After this came a mad dash across the fields going through two more police lines. Even when they weren’t in front of us, the police followed behind us on foot and in vans trying to beat and pick off any stragglers. One person in my affinity group got pepper spray in their face, so we had to guide him by hand as we ran through a break in the police line.

I’m humbled by the trust he showed in us to make sure he wasn’t beaten to a pulp. The way everyone rallied to help those around them who had been beaten or pepper sprayed was one the most beautiful displays of practical solidarity I had ever seen.

Into the mine

After we successfully got across the fields, we walked along a dirt track by the edge of the mine that was in line with some water sprinklers used to stop dust escaping. Before this point I hadn’t really grasped the scale of the place. It looked large enough to fit at least two good sized towns in. It went from sand coloured at the top down to pitch black at the bottom.

We descended down the mine on a sandy ramp wide enough to drive a van down. At a bend near the bottom there was an attempt to block the path, but we evaded the police by travelling out the bank and bypassing them instead.

We then moved as fast as we could along the top tier of the mine, shadowed by a group of riot cops on the cliff top. When we reached one of the corners of the top tier, where conveyor belts over a kilometre long ended, we met a small group of security, which most of us were able to get past without much trouble. As we moved along the side of the conveyor belt towards one of the massive Baggers the police raced after us in borrowed 4x4s.

The police tried to form a line to block us off, but there were too few of them to do anything, so we were able to bust through the line with ease. My legs were burning from running in the sand with a heavy bag full of water. My right arm felt like it was on fire from the pepper spray.

After this we formed a line in order to stop any more police being able to join those in front of us. They tried again to block our path, but we held our line together by linking arms. We successfully stood our ground and they were forced to retreat. Seeing the police retreat was a wonderful sight.

Eventually we came to a point that was too wide for us to fully block and even more police managed to get past us. They had a much stronger line in front of us, which was thickest next to the conveyor belt where I was walking. On the very far side from me people managed to break through their line next to some smaller diggers.

The members of the affinity group I was with tried to run over to flow through the police, but by the time we got there they had closed it. I saw one police officer grab someone by their front and beat them across their back, while others lashed wildly in every direction, and others pepper-sprayed around them hoping to burn someone.

Detention

After two hours, roughly seven kilometres, and numerous police lines, we were kettled at 9 am. Even then we were still winning, as just by being there we stopped the mine from running and the police guarding us couldn’t work to keep others out.

We could see the Baggers lying still while in the distance wind turbines moved. A couple of hours in, they started to pull us out one by one, taking our photos and trying to get our names. Almost no one told them.

After this, they tied our hands with zip ties behind our backs. Through all this we supported each other, and worked to keep our spirits up by playing games and chatting (small talk when you can’t say your name, or say too much about yourself is strange).

After five to seven hours we were moved onto buses and taken to a police station. We sat for several more hours chatting, singing and sharing food (our hands had been freed by then). Eventually, they gave up on trying to process several hundred people that refused to give their names and resisted having their fingerprints taken.

Around 11 pm we were dumped outside a railway station and made our way back to camp, tired but triumphant. For the train ride back, some of us brought a couple of crates of beer, we celebrated the day and talked about what we’d been through on the train back. By around 1 am I was back in my tent exhausted, sore, emotionally drained, but also felt great about what we’d done together and achieved.

We had stopped the diggers for a day but it was also about more than just that. In economic terms it will have also damaged RWE’s position on the market (their share price just hit a new low) and made them seem less trustworthy to investors.

In addition to this many there had never taken part in direct action before but now know that by working together and taking matters into our own hands we can achieve more than waiting for salvation from those above us in society could ever do.

Many people both there and watching the events from afar will also have seen the role of the police, not as keeping of the peace but as guard dogs of social and economic order which is killing us and our planet. Last weekend, we fought and we won.

by Toni Belly / The Ecologist

Protesters Storm Open-Pit Coal Mine in Western Germany

Protestors look at a huge bucket-wheel excavator as they arrive for a demonstration at the open-pit coal mine near Garzweiler

Protestors look at a huge bucket-wheel excavator as they arrive for a demonstration at the open-pit coal mine near Garzweiler, western Germany Saturday Aug. 15, 2015. Several hundred environmental activists have stormed a lignite mine in western Germany to protest against the use of coal for electricity production. dpa via AP Marius Becker

August 15th, 2015

Environmental activists have stormed a lignite mine in western Germany to protest the use of coal, a major source of greenhouse gases.

The German news agency dpa reports that several hundred people from a group calling itself Ende Gelande — which loosely translates as “it’s finished now” — broke through a police line in Garzweiler, west of Cologne.

Police spokesman Anton Hamacher says officers used pepper spray to stop the crowd and are removing protesters from the site.

A spokesman for German energy company RWE says several huge bucket-wheel excavators used at the open-pit mine had to be shut down for safety reasons. Spokesman Lothar Lambertz says RWE has canceled plans to bring employees onto the site to rally in favor of coal mining.

from Associated Press

Germany: Giant Coal Excavator Occupied 145315

from Hambach Forest and here (German Language link)

June 6th, 2015
(The occupation is ongoing)
Last night at 1 am, four activists occupied a large bucket wheel excavator in the Inden opencast mine. They climbed to the top of the excavator about 70m high. The machine halted is one of the largest machines in the world that normally destroys 24/7, literally churning the landscape. In Inden lignite is promoted for RhenAish mining area above ground, that is: Everything is about being in the way and will be destroyed; who lives about is expropriated and expelled.  Where villages, fields, meadows and woods once stood inconceivably huge holes appear in the landscape, an industrial wasteland to the horizon. Of all of the energy sources, lignite, is ridiculously inefficient, releasing huge loads of CO2 and particulate emissions, and the conversion of power supply to renewables sabotaged with inflexible “baseload plants”.
The event is also a solidarity greeting from the resistance against the Rhenish lignite mining area to the resistance against the meeting of the G7 in Elmau. There is a presumption that this political elite of globalised capitalism wants to define the solutions to the problems that they themselves have created , The G7 did not even have the decency to pretend to democratic legitimacy – they coordinate as the oligarchic government of the world, simply because they can. This meeting of global power elite has no other aim than solidifying their dominance.
It remains in the separation between industrialized countries and those that may be exploited as sources of raw materials and foreign markets. The G7 bear most of the responsibility for the global climate collapse, but the consequences are so far mainly to other parts of the world, and the climate refugees left behind – which unfortunately is terribly often fatal by the inhumane border policies of the industrialised countries. This meeting is nothing more than the most powerful criminal cartel of the world – so stop  the G7!
“If four people can paralyze a giant excavator for several hours in such a gentle way …”
“… What might happen if only a small part of all the frustrated people of the society were pulled in the same direction?” – From the Action Statement
It was often said that it is when it comes to climate protection, it is “11:55″, and that the world must act. But the world is not still, and someone has to start somewhere times. In the Rhenish lignite mining area was also often trying to stop through the legal and democratic influence on politics, the displacement of people and the destruction of the Hambach forest. These experiences have shown that the decision-makers from the social power elites will always give priority to profit interests – as long as we give them the choice.
This blockade is not a further appeal to the politicians, to finally use their power for good, because we do not trust the policy makers anyway. The weaponry of the blockade draws a clear boundary: thus far and no further – Respect existence or expect resistance! This action is an appeal to all those who are ready to assume their responsibilities: Deserting from this system of industrial destruction, you defied him, the matching of forms of resistance against it – and then let it decompose.Together we will replace it with something better! If four people in such a gentle way, can paralyze a giant excavator for several hours – what might happen if only a small part of all the frustrated people of this society pulls together? If we want to bequeath a habitable planet, there must be a thorough change from below. This occupation can only be the start.
Even a small reminder: For the beginning of August, the Alliance mobilizes “end area” to a mass blockade of an open pit in Rhineland. Here should be made possible to low threshold level a broad mass of people, access to civil disobedience and resistance. In addition, each of the four forest occupations in Hambach forest clearance is constantly under threat, and also on the currently relatively safe occupation meadow near the forest there are many points of contact for motivated people …
Together we can make the capitalist lignite madness put an end!
The habitability of the planet is at stake, precisely now.
So Let’s do it!
PRESS RELEASE
Bucket wheel excavator in the brown coal mine Inden occupied
District of Düren. In the night from Friday to Saturday, a bucket wheel excavator in the open-cast mining inden was occupied. Four people climbed at 1am to the top of the engine at an altitude of about 70m. One aim of the campaign is to bring the progress of the mine for a few hours to a halt. Secondly, the occupiers explain in their action statement solidarity with the protests in Elmau against the meeting of the G7.
“For the three lignite mines in the Rhineland are entire villages and forests permanently destroyed forever,” says one participant action. “We have a responsibility for future generations. Simply ask to politicians, and then complain that there is no change, is not enough. “As early as on 15 March, there had been in a similar Inden opencast mine excavators occupation by six people, interrupted in the course of the operation of the excavator for twelve hours.
Today’s blockade will also release a sign of protest against the meeting of the leaders of the seven largest industrial nations in Elmau. “There is a presumption that this political elite of globalised capitalism wants to define the solutions to the problems that they themselves have created,” it says in the action statement. “If we want to bequeath a habitable planet, there must be a thorough change from below. This occupation can this be just an impulse. “
The action is still ongoing.
They can be reached under the number 0157 32 48 23 40 and are O-tones are available. (In regard to the cell phone battery but only to a limited extent.) You can also reach activists, the direct contact with the excavators occupation hold, on the meadow occupation under 0157 541 36 100th
16:30 rest. Excavators easily accessible.
People from the area are welcome to come to the open pit edge.
“It is possible to get pretty close here.”, Said grade with an activist by telephone, who grew up in the vicinity of the open pit. “From the village Schophoven there are only a few dirt roads until man stands in front of our excavators.”
Excavator in 70m height
14:15 A fire truck arrived.
Some people climb further down the excavator around and to get an idea of ​​the situation. The police can not see them.
Morning
13:00 twelve hours are managed.
The machine stands still; “We are now the only ones here on the excavator!”
Morning
12:00 location quiet. Clothes dry again
Still no police. The clothes are now again mostly dry. “We having quite cozy here. Earlier a dog-walker wavedat us. “
Morning
7:00 No more police
The day dawns. Another photo in brightness reach us via MMS.
Still no police. Only an ambulance is around.
3:00 Police sniffs
Less than 10 Polizist_innen appear, climb up a piece and try to communicate.
“We’re fine!”, The activists call back.
After some time, the police disappear
If four people can paralyze a giant excavator for several hours in such a gentle way … … what might happen if only a small part of pulling all the frustrated people of the society in the same direction? – From the Action Statement
Staffed 1:00 excavator
People arrive at the open pit and climb the bucket wheel.
Some were lying down in the early evening with blankets in the woods and a little pre-sleep.
Now they are drenched by thunderstorms and full of oil from the excavators to 70m height and try to curl up under a tarp.

Wrong Decision – Bradley Mine Approved by Inspector

On Wednesday (3/6/15) it was announced that UK Coal's application to mine 520,561 tonnes of coal from a site called Bradley, was approved. The site is currently agricultural land in Leadgate, Durham, UK. This is a highly contested site with really strong and well orchestrated opposition from local people. Why is this a bad decision? … Continue reading “Wrong Decision – Bradley Mine Approved by Inspector”

On Wednesday (3/6/15) it was announced that UK Coal's application to mine
520,561 tonnes of coal from a site called Bradley, was approved. The site
is currently agricultural land in Leadgate, Durham, UK. This is a highly
contested site with really strong and well orchestrated opposition from
local people.



Why is this a bad decision?



* The community were so very clear that there was NO COMMUNITY CONSENT
* One woman (the planning inspector) thinks she can decide whether a mine
would offer 'national, local or community benefits which would clearly
outweigh the remaining adverse impacts.' How can she possibly say yes when
the community SAYS NO.
* We are moving away from a reliance on coal (but not quickly enough) with
two coal fired power stations announcing closures next year
* The company pursuing the application will not directly operate the site
as they have serious financial difficulties and had to be helped by the
government in closing their last remaining deep mines and were order to
sell off their remaining opencast mines



As the following history of the application shows, the coal company
refused to take no for an answer being determined to sell on the mine with
planning permission. This is not the end of the battle. We need you to
think about what you are going to do to ensure that this piece of rural
Britain is never dug up. We need to stand together to protect the
livelihoods, families, local history, quality of life, homes, air quality,
tranquillity, health, wildlife and ecosystems in this area. Even if the
legal battle is over the fight is not. Get in touch with your suggestions
info@coalaction.org.uk



History of the application.



UK Coal’s first application was rejected by planners in 1986. In 2001 a
second application was rejected.



In February 2011 the planning hearing of Durham Council unanimously
rejected the application, councillors called UK Coal "thugs," "vandals"
and said they were trying to bribe them.



In Autumn 2011 there was a three week appeal which UK Coal lost.



The coal company took this to the High Court in London who said that the
decision was perverse and ordered another appeal.



The second appeal happened in Autumn 2014 and lasted three weeks. It was
well attended by local people, tens of whom spoke out against the mine
with incredible passion, dedication and knowledge.
From the team at The Coal Action Network

For more info on similar issues check out 

http://www.coalaction.org.uk 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Coal-Action-Network/429163990497895

HAMBACH FOREST: LIVING ON THE BARRICADES

Hambach Forest Defenders are presently blocking RWE’s open cast lignite mine

Hambach Forest Defenders are presently blocking RWE's open cast lignite mine from expanding with living barricades and towers which in turn are protecting access to the three forest tree sits with platforms, treehouses and interconecting walkways.  
The Hambach Mine ironically named after the forest it is destroying is Europe`s largest net CO2 polluter and it is record breaking antropogenic climate change, one of the largest planetary extinctions and increasing waves of climate refugees that are reminders and ultimate global shout-outs that eco-justice is social justice.

After the attack, eviction and arrest of 3 activists during the destruction last week of "Pirate Ship" living platform barricade not 3 days have elapsed and we have errected a new tower barricade.  Almost 3 times higher than the last one we have named it Remi`s Tower to honor Remi Frese, a climate activist who was killed by a police concusion grenade during the strugle of Zad de la Teste in Southern France.  That death is reflective of increasingly higher stakes of global ecological struggle and at least 2 enviromental activist dying each week.  For these that refuse to be silent and passive in the face of this onslought our hearts and minds are with you.

Hambach Forest Defenders.

http://earthfirstjournal.org/newswire/2015/06/02/germany-an-update-from-hambach-forest-defenders/

hambacherforst@riseup.net

Maules Creek coal mine protests, down under

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No “Coal for Christmas” as Whitehaven Coal Disruptions Continue in New South Wales

from Frontline Action

MAULES CREEK, 24 December 2014: A man has suspended himself from a rail bridge crossing the Namoi River blocking a coal train being loaded at Whitehaven Coal’s controversial Maules Creek mine from leaving the site. The train blocked at the Maules Creek mine is believed to be the first containment of coal from the site after a test train – twice disrupted by activists – left the site last week. The rail bridge also services Idemitsu Resource’s Boggabri Coal mine.

Ben Solity, a 31 year old logistics consultant, cited deep concerns about the impact the mine will have on water and the climate, saying, “Farmers need water to continue to put food on our tables – so why are companies like Whitehaven allowed to take it with preference over farmers? Farmer’s jobs are only going to get harder for them as the effects of climate change driven by coal takes hold. Why are our governments selling out our water and our climate for a quick buck when food security is at stake?”

Leard Forest Alliance spokesperson Phil Evans said, “Australians do not want coal for Christmas – and Whitehaven are trying to sneak it into their stockings whilst everyone is distracted. Just more slimy behaviour from this disgraced company – and project – that has seen Australians lose faith in mining approval processes in this country.”

 

“We need a stop to this farce immediately – stop work and then have a good long, hard look at how successive NSW governments, embroiled in mining related corruption, have allowed the Maules Creek mine approval to stick.”

Both Whitehaven Coal’s Maules Creek and Idemitsu’s Bogggabri mines have approval to expand into the critically endangered Leard State Forest this February – sparking this warning from the protest group.

“They have a battle on their hands if they think local farmers, traditional custodians and concerned citizens are going to allow this wholesale destruction. The forest, water, climate and culture are all too precious to lose – and we won’t take this lying down.”

The Leard Forest Alliance is a group made up of local farmers, prominent environmental groups with a treaty of protection with the Gomeroi traditional custodians of  the area. Over 300 people have been arrested since the campaign began over 2 and half years ago.

UPDATE 09:00: Regular police have arrived – no Police Resuce yet. Ben remains in place.

UPDATE 14:30: Ben has just unfurled a banner reading “Whitehaven Coal – No Water – No Future”

UPDATE 16:15: Police Rescue have arrived on site.

UPDATE 16:35: Police Rescue are trying to get to Ben with a Cherry Picker supplied by Whitehaven Coal.

UPDATE 17:00: Ben says Police Rescue are taking apart the bridge to get to him!

UPDATE 18:30: Police Rescue have begun to cut off the now locked on Ben.

UPDATE 19:30: Ben has been arrested and taken to Narrabri Police Station after 13 hours.

Further Information:
Phil Evans, Leard Forest Alliance Spokesperson, 0490 064 139

Twitter updates @FLACCoal and #LeardBlockade

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December 16th, 2014

Protest Halts First Coal Train from Maules Creek Mine

from Front Line Action on Coal20141215_061108-e1418609338604

Newcastle, Australia 15 December: A peaceful blockade has halted the first train load of coal coming from the controversial Maules Creek coal mine on its way to Newcastle’s Kooragang Island coal export terminals this morning.

A group of 22 people met the train this morning. Eight people have occupied and stopped the train and are refusing to leave.

The train was stopped during the night and delayed for over 6 hours by a protestor who locked onto locomotives needed to push the coal over the Great Dividing Range. The 58 year-old protestor, Bruce, from Northern Rivers, has been arrested. Speaking about why he took action, Bruce said:

“Australia’s response to climate change is headed completely backwards. “If we can stop this new coal mine we set a precedent for the rest of Australia to stand up.”

Jonathan Moylan from Frontline Action on Coal said, “Over the last twelve months, hundreds of people have been arrested slowing down construction of the Maules Creek mine. The fate of our country, and people everywhere, depends on coal being left in the ground. In the absence of leadership from the industry or the Government to shut down coal exports and prevent dangerous climate change, ordinary people have taken extraordinary action to stop this mine.

“A growing number of people are standing up to the coal industry’s plans to ship increasing volumes of coal and fuel dangerous climate change. Doctors, people of faith, IPCC scientists and earlier this month, former Wallabies captain David Pocock, have all taken action to halt construction at Maules Creek. Even Malcolm Fraser last week tweeted about Maules Creek, referring to the coal sector as an ‘industry of a past age’.

Local Newcastle mother, Vanessa Wiebford said, “I want my daughter to have a future without the horror of extreme heat and fire, and uncertain water and food production. I am bitterly disappointed in Australia’s political leadership and their unthinking support for expanded coal exports at a time when we’re already seeing alarming signs of dangerous climate change.

“If they’re not going to act to prevent this, then all parents have a duty to risk arrest to try and stop it ourselves.

2014 is now expected to break the record as the hottest year in Australia’s history. Heatwave conditions were observed in many parts of the country during our hottest spring on record this year, and the Bureau of Meteorology is predicting a return to El Nino conditions at a time when much of Queensland and parts of New South Wales are already drought declared.

The burning of coal exported from Australia is this country’s biggest single contribution to climate change, and production and export of coal increased in the last 12 months.

“With the international climate negotiations in Lima failing to deliver the scale of action needed, people around the world will next year have to take their future into their own hands like never before. Ordinary people are stepping up to do what it takes to stop the fossil fuel industry’s dangerous expansion plans,” said Moylan.

UPDATE 6:00 am: Coal train is stopped.

UPDATE 8:15 am: The five activists have been lower from atop the coal wagon by police.

UPDATE 9:00am: The coal train starts moving again after 3 hours at a stand still.

UPDATE 12:30pm: Four activists released after being processed at Waratah police station.

Media Enquiries

  • On the ground:  Jonathan Moylan: 0431 289 766    |    Vanessa Wiebford: 0409 021 976
  • Off-site: Charlie Wood: 0427 485 233
  • Photos Available at: http://bit.ly/13nps8U

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