Wairau report proves RMA reform needed - Smith
The processing of consents for TrustPower's hydro proposal on Marlborough's Wairau River shows the need for Resource Management Act (RMA) changes, Environment Minister Nick Smith says.
TrustPower's plans for a $275 million hydro scheme in Wairau Valley was granted resource consents in August last year.
A report on the processing of the consent application said it was difficult for small councils, like the Marlborough District Council, to process major infrastructure consents.
Dr Smith said the Wairau consent was a "once in a generation" occurrence for a small council and "inevitably" they would not have the systems or expertise to deal with it.
"The Wairau hydro proposal has not been a positive experience for either the applicant or objectors.
"The Government wants to ensure a better process for future major consents," he said.
The report on the consent, carried out by aquatic ecologist Brent Cowie, suggested introducing the use of interim decisions and outlined the importance of having a mix of skills and experience on hearing panels.
Future major infrastructure consent applications would go to the new Environment Protection Authority established as part of RMA reforms, Dr Smith said.
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Comments and questions1
What rubbish for the Minister to suppose that there is any symmetry between the complaints of those for and against the project. This is political opportunism at its most ugly, driven by a PhD in engineering no less (I wonder which side he's on?). Opponents doubtless see a level of collusion between the council and the developer, whereas Trustpower sees critics of the scheme as troublemakers impeding progress through frivolous objections. Smith's 'solution', the EPA, is likely to favour one, but not both, parties to the fracas, with local input devalued in favour of that old bugbear, 'the national interest'. In other words, Smith wants to steamroll environmentalists, no matter how worthy their cause, and the complex and drawn-out Wairau conflict is being exploited for this purpose.
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