June 27, 2014
Tukituki decision stands, a win for water quality
Fish & Game NZ says despite facing substantial political and lobby group pressure, the EPA Board of Inquiry (BOI) appears to
have confirmed its draft decision on the Tukituki Catchment Proposal, however, there have been some minor technical
changes.
Importantly, the final decision upholds the principals of duel nutrient management to protect ecosystem health, says
Fish & Game chief executive Bryce Johnson.
“This has significant implications for the Government’s widely criticised National Objectives Framework required to
protect ecosystem health and the proposed changes to the National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management.
“Overall this remains a significant victory for freshwater quality and hopefully the start of a paradigm shift that will
set the agriculture sector firmly onto an environmental sustainability pathway.”
Although Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme has been granted consent to proceed, Mr Johnson says the final decision
confirms real doubt over a project which was a tenuous financial proposition from the outset.
“These 1980s style ‘Think Big’ irrigation infrastructure developments that lead to toxic rivers and poisonous drinking
water aren’t the economic panacea for regional New Zealand that they are touted as being.
“Clearly the BOI was convinced by the scientific facts and evidence, and the economic facts and evidence, that this was
the case with the Ruatainwha proposal.”
Mr Johnson says a strength of the draft BOI decision was that it sensibly linked the dam consent with environmental
bottom lines for the intended land-use intensification.
“We still need to check the detail of the final decision on this point.”
ENDS