Groups oppose coal plan

Greenpeace has joined Northland action groups and local iwi in a bid to stop Mighty River Power firing up the Marsden B power station.

A joint letter has been sent to Environment Minister Marian Hobbs saying that allowing the project to go ahead would be counter to the Government's policies and international environmental obligations.

The letter says Marsden B would burn up to 830,000 tonnes of coal a year, releasing about two million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

"Climate change is the number one threat to the integrity of life on our planet and burning coal is one of the biggest causes," Greenpeace said.

A spokesman for Ms Hobbs confirmed the letter had been received.

"The minister will study it and respond in due course."

State-owned Mighty River Power has applied for resource consent to recommission the station, built in the 1970s to burn oil, but never used.

Mighty River Power wants to expand capacity to 320MW and fuel it with coal.

Whangarei Heads residents have formed the Marsden Bad Action Group to oppose the proposal, along with the Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust Board and several other organisations.

Public submissions on the resource consent application close on February 24.

- NZPA