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Surf Coast not Coal Coast – launch of Anglesea campaign

June 8, 2009 at 8:13 am morelandclimategroup Leave a comment

Groups launch campaign to replace Anglesea coal mine and power station

Images available at www.climateactioncentre.org

Environment, climate and local community groups have joined forces in a campaign to replace Alcoa’s Anglesea power station with renewable energy.

Launching their campaign on World Environment Day at Victorian State Parliament they have called on the Brumby government to not renew aluminium company Alcoa’s lease and instead work with the company to invest in renewable energy.

Alcoa’s 160 MW power station and brown coal mine in Anglesea provides 40% of the energy to the Pt Henry aluminium plant near Geelong. Alcoa’s current agreement with State Government contained in the Mines (Aluminium Agreement) Act 1961 expires in 2011.

“We know climate change is already having an enormous impact and we are running out of time. We also know we have to stop burning coal to solve the problem,” Merryn Redenbach, Moreland Climate Group said.

“It is not enough for the State Government to just talk about climate change there must be a strategy to close existing coal-fired power stations. They should start with Anglesea. Alcoa has promoted itself as a sustainable company and invested in new renewable energy around the world. It is time they did so in Australia.”

“Alcoa has made an important contribution to the Anglesea community, but our concerns about climate change, air quality and coal dust caused by the mine and the power station remain. Alcoa could make big strides by working with the community to transition to renewable energy.”

“By shifting to renewable energy Alcoa could maintain a large part of 50-100 strong workforce employed at mine and power station. The Green Paper released this week had no concrete action. We aim to make the Anglesea power station an election issue.” Merryn Redenbach concluded.

Anglesea residents will launch the campaign in Anglesea this Saturday. Supporters of the campaign include: Friends of the Earth, Surf Coast Environment Group, Environment Victoria, Greenpeace Asia-Pacific, Victorian Climate Action Centre, Western Region Environment Centre, Yarra Climate Action Now and Moreland Climate Group.

Entry filed under: campaigns. Tags: Alcoa, Anglesea, Anglesea coal mine, Brown Coal, Brumby government, coal, renewable energy.