Base load power is likely to remain a very important power requirement in the immediate future.

Biomass power is one proven way of meeting base load demand and is being strongly embraced in those developed countries that have already legislated formal renewable energy targets and now have to deliver, as opposed to talking about outcomes.

SEFE believes our community can do better than stifle the information flow on important issues.

The next few months will see an increased flow of public information on the SEFE power project as we seek to achieve a very real transition in our power profile.

Vince Phillips

Corporate Affairs Manager

SEFE

Unfortunate

It is unfortunate that Bega Valley residents won’t have the opportunity to get first-hand information from the Eden chipmill wood-fired power station proponents.

Woodchip power is not just an Eden issue, it affects the whole region and conservationists around Australia are watching this project with great interest.

I believe the public and environmental interest is best served by allowing the public to hear what the chipmill has to say, especially after it has effectively been told to watch its step by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) over its Green Power claims.

I am a great believer in free speech and always very happy to hear what the chipmill managers have to say.

Harriett Swift

Bega

Cheese prices

I find it a bid ridiculous that we live in the Bega district and have to pay an enormous price for a 1kg block of cheese here, while you go to Sydney or overseas and you only pay two-thirds of the price for the same item.

Give us a fair go.

We live here and without us, who work and buy Bega products, we should get a fair price.

Mick Ahkin

Tathra

Interesting

questions

Lonnie Lwellellyn raised an extremely interesting question in his letter (BDN6/11), which was why couldn’t the old Wolumla tip south of the township on the Princes Highway be reopened, instead of the proposed Wanatta lane site?

The answer to his question is a bit of a conundrum, but I will attempt to explain council’s (il)logic for dismissing this site, as it was given to us.

As a member of a committee set up by BVSC in 2002 to investigate alternate sites for the shire’s waste facility we raised the possible reuse of the old Wolumla site.

There were two reasons given for dismissing this site.

The first one was that it was adjacent to a creek system running into Merimbula Creek and any leachate spill or leakage could end up contaminating Back Lake near Short Point.

We discovered some time later leachate from the Merimbula tip was already entering this creek system - see www.begatip.com.au for further information.

Secondly, the site was near Yellow Pinch Dam and could be perceived as a possible source of contamination to Merimbula’s water supply.

So you may wonder what is the conundrum with all this?

Put simply, they are some of the very same issues we have raised regarding the Wanatta Lane site.

When concerns regarding leachate spills or leakage at Wanatta Lane have been discussed, council has assured us that its liner system will stop any toxic leachate from entering the Bega River system.

Council has also been very dismissive of any public perception of contamination from the Wanatta Lane site of the Bega township’s drinking water supply, to the point where our concerns appear irrelevant.

So it could be perceived that council’s liner system can only stop leachate leakage at Wanatta Lane and not at the Yellow Pinch site, and that public perception only counts if it affects Merimbula.

Is it that council considers Bega’s clean water supply to be more expendable than Merimbula’s?

It would appear that the bottom line for council depends greatly on which site you wish to promote.

Or is it that Wolumla is north of Merimbula and this somehow magically affects the effectiveness of the liners.

Surely, it couldn’t be that the tourist dollar has more influence than public health.

Where does that almighty buck stop?

Jeff Smith

Wolumla

Peter’s retirement

It has come to my attention that Peter Fitzer, an officer of the NSW Police Force, mainly stationed in Tathra, but involved in policing duties around the shire has recently tendered his resignation.

For me as a resident of Tathra this is extremely sad.

This officer has been a wonderful attribute to our town and to our shire. His performance as an officer and as an on duty constable/sergeant has been second to none.

I have lived in this district for a very short period but during this time I have the pleasure of dealing with Peter and he has always displayed his profession in a very diligent and extremely proper manner. Always extremely courteous, friendly, obliging and efficient.

It was only last year that my lovely golden retriever jumped the fence around 8pm on Saturday, having been frightened off by fireworks in the town.

I went anxiously looking and was most upset because I never knew where he was or which way he went.

Having scoured the town and walked to the headland and back, finally ending up just a few metres from my house I noticed a police van parked directly outside.

There Peter explained to me that my dog Alfred was trying to get in.

I hugged this man and said how very grateful I was that Alfred was safe. Peter must have thought who is the crazy woman?

Not many police officers would have been so kind and considerate, but for Peter this was just part of the job.

We are going to be very much deprived not having the benefit of this wonderful police officer patrolling our neighbourhood and our shire.

I intend to write to the Police Commissioner Mr Scipione to inform him that the loss of Peter is very grave and we have all lost a wonderful and very honourable officer. He is a rare breed.

I wish him well in his future endeavours.

I trust that whatever he chooses to do with his future vocation will bring him much happiness, satisfaction and continued good health.

He is a man who truly deserves this.

Peter, all I can say is “well done”, you should be very proud of the way you have served this district during your tenure in the NSW Police Force.

Karen E Jackson

Tathra