It’s been a really good few months for our Southland regional group, Coal Action Murihiku. Solid Energy’s arrogance and mismanagement came home to roost with a vengeance, meaning that the threat to Southland’s and New Zealand’s environment posed by Solid’s plans to mine massive quantities of lignite and release billions of tonnes of additional greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere has receded.

But it hasn’t gone entirely. Other companies are sniffing around Southland’s lignite report, and as a recent Southland Times report indicates, Solid Energy and their technology partner GTL Energy are continuing their efforts to get the small lignite briquetting plant off the ground.

In addition, sharemarket deadbeats Bathurst Resources, whom you’ll be hearing plenty more about this year – best known for their plans to despoil the beautiful and biodiverse Denniston Plateau in the pursuit of coal – are also seeking to expand their operations in Southland.

Every month, Coal Action Murihiku puts out a superb newsletter, edited by Jane Young who is also one of our CoalSwarm editors. You can read all the CAM newsletter on the Regions section of our website.

CAM’s April newsletter tackles both Bathurst and the briquetting plant. It’s a great read, and you can download the newsletter here.