GCOA Position on Peat Mine Development

The Grindstone Cottage Owners Association (GCOA) Board of Directors strongly opposes peat mining, including the proposed Hay Point Peat Mine Development (#5548).

We object to peat mining for several global environmental reasons, chiefly its unnecessary contribution to atmospheric greenhouse gases. The process of peat mining involves extracting fossilized organic carbon, which, when used, is converted aerobically into carbon dioxide. Unlike essential fossil fuels, peat is a non-critical resource, and viable alternatives exist that are less ecologically damaging. For instance, the estimated ecological cost of the Hay Point mine, based on its carbon footprint from mining to end-use, exceeds $300,000 annually, calculated at $12 per tonne of CO2 (source: based on available mining data).

For more detailed information, please download the accompanying PDF document.