The plea states that the residents, many living within 2km of Port Taranaki, find that the low probability but high impact risks and consequences of having a LNG import facility at the port, are unacceptable to them.

The residents also object to the government’s intention to enact ‘Enabling legislation’ (without any community consultation) which would allow the LNG facility to be built and operational, and a levy put on all electricity users (not just those using gas) to fund the project, now estimated to cost $2.7 billion or more.

They want the LNG proposal to be withdrawn altogether.

Instead of importing LNG, those who signed the plea want the government to support the many viable alternatives to the ‘dry-year risk’, such as shifting energy demand off peak and accelerating renewable energy generation, efficiency and storage.

The public meeting was jointly organised by Climate Justice Taranaki, Taranaki Energy Watch (TEW), and Community Energy Taranaki (CET), with speakers from the Sustainable Energy Forum, TEW and Rewiring Aotearoa.

“It was about informing the public on the wide range of problematic issues concerning the government’s LNG plan. It is also about stopping the bad so we can get on with the good stuff. The Levy proposed by the government is akin to fossil fuel subsidies. Every dollar spent on prolonging fossil fuel reliance and a dangerous ‘white elephant’ like this is a dollar less for sustainable local energy systems that empower communities and build a resilient economy,” said Catherine Cheung, spokesperson for Climate Justice Taranaki.

Discussion time following the presentations session drew out numerous questions and comments, including from engineers and concerned citizens who fought the first LNG proposal in 2008.

"The company who pushed for the LNG unloading, storage and regasification facility in Port Taranaki back in 2008 hadn’t anticipated that there were a number of engineers, including several LNG experts and other professionals living in New Plymouth, who could show that such a facility would put 31,600 people, 2 hospitals and 20 schools at risk from a 'low probably, high impact' catastrophic LNG accident.

As a result, the idea was quietly 'put on hold'”, said Ted Wells, retired planner and New Plymouth resident.

"Investing in an expensive, stop-gap LNG import terminal makes no economic sense when the global transition to cheap, distributed renewables is moving at an incredible pace. Building this infrastructure risks locking Kiwi consumers into higher power bills and outdated fossil fuels. Instead of importing gas, we should be investing in widespread solar and leveraging our existing hydro infrastructure as a massive, flexible battery to secure our winter energy needs”, commented Michael Lawley of EcoInnovation Ltd.

The idea about turning forestry slash into pellets to cover the dry-year risk was well received, as speaker Steve Goldthorpe's analysis showed “black pellet” generation at Huntly Power Station would be cheaper up-front, cheaper to run, and with significantly lower emissions than fossil fuel alternatives.

Community Energy Taranaki is about saying “yes” to increased electrification, and investing in renewable energy (especially distributed, local options like residential solar & storage), energy efficiency & storage to significantly reduce the hydro “dry year risk”.

The more renewable energy we have, the less we drain our hydro lakes and rely on them in winter. Viable alternative options include promoting solar uptake, wind farms, EVs (and allowing them to be used as batteries on those few evenings every year where supply is low and demand is high), and further supporting energy efficiency (like recently announced $1.2b Gas Transition Loan Scheme & by approving the Ratepayer Assistance Scheme, which is currently with Government for approval). CET works with Taranaki residents to support such initiatives.

Climate Justice Taranaki and the co-organisers will present the Urgent Plea signed by over 70 locals at the NPDC Public Engagement Committee meeting at the council chamber on Wednesday 3rd June at 2pm.

“Local councils need to understand what’s at stake - the danger to local residents, the liability if something happens, the financial costs and the loss of opportunity for a better, more resilient energy future. The Urgent Plea is just the beginning of our collective community opposition. We encourage everyone to write to the Prime Minister, the Energy Minister, local MPs and candidates to express their concerns about the coalition government’s LNG plan. We invite all to come along to the council meeting in support,” concluded Cheung.