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→Environmental activism: CANA update
By 2013 Solid Energy’s economic woes had halted its ambitious expansionary programme but the future of the farmland it had acquired remained uncertain. The company had indicated that the land would be sold in order to reduce some of its $400 M debt and in Feb 2013, 1000 ha of farmland was put on the market and a 170 ha farm was sold. Concerns were expressed that Solid Energy’s remaining Southland land (approx 4000 ha) would be offered for sale as a block, with a consequently high probability that the farms would then be acquired by an overseas investor and pass out of New Zealand control.<ref>Southland Times, 11 May 2013, [http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/8660028/Farmland-could-be-sold-as-package “Farmland could be sold as package”], accessed July 2013</ref>
'''Kopako 1'''
In June 2016, a group of activists from Auckland Coal Action gathered at the old Kopako 1 mine near Maramarua in North East Waikato where Solid Energy had renewed mining efforts. They wrapped ‘climate crime scene’ tape around an excavator and confirmed that overburden had been removed and that coal was being dug up. Protestors expressed concern that one of the potential customers for the mine could be Fonterra, the country’s second-largest user of coal. Fonterra had been planning to open its own coal mine at nearby Mangatawhiri, but had put those plans on permanent hold.
“Solid Energy might be eyeing Fonterra as a potential customer, but Fonterra should be looking at changing its energy source to renewable wood and biomass rather than coal,” said protestor Geoff Mason.<ref>Coal Action Network Aotearoa, 28 June 2016, [https://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com/2016/06/28/auckland-coal-action-activists-carry-out-waikato-coal-mine-inspection-leave-climate-message/ “Auckland Coal Action: Activists carry out Waikato coal mine inspection, leave climate message”], accessed July 2016</ref>
[[Image:Solid Energy protest.jpg|Source: Happy Valley Coalition|200px|right|thumb]]
