MEDIA RELEASE

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Initial projections promising for One Plan implementation

Over 60 nutrient management consents have been issued and nitrogen projections are looking positive for the Mangatainoka catchment according to a paper on One Plan implementation received by Horizons Regional Councillors today.

At their meeting in Palmerston North, Councillors reconfirmed their approach to implementation of One Plan nutrient management provisions and voted for the development of a stakeholder engagement plan.

This plan will see greater engagement with all parties interested in One Plan outcomes as part of the monitoring and evaluation process.

Horizons chairman Bruce Gordon says it’s pleasing to see initial nitrogen reduction projections for the Mangatainoka catchment coming in at 8 per cent overall. However, there is still a need for farmers and others to seek opportunities for further reductions on the ground.

“As we’ve seen over the past few weeks, modelling is helpful but it must be interpreted with care. What we’re working towards is improved water quality and this will only be achieved through an ongoing commitment from all parties.

“We will continue to work closely with farmers to ensure the best possible outcomes for water quality and open the door to anyone who may have concerns about the process to have their views heard and considered by Council.”

Horizons strategy and regulation manager Dr Nic Peet said the One Plan is a new piece of regulation and, as such, it’s expected that Council will continue to learn from and refine its approach.

“Every nutrient management consent granted will be subject to an annual monitoring programme. This involves council staff visiting farms and assessing annual nutrient budgets to make sure farmers are on track with the targets set out in their consent.

“There is also a five-yearly consent review process which allows Council to revisit consent conditions across a catchment if the measures in place are not having the desired effect.

“Upgrades to wastewater treatment plants, stream fencing, riparian planting, and a range of other measures also have a part to play in improving water quality. It’s not something that’s going to happen overnight, but we will continue to monitor and work in partnership with all stakeholders to achieve in-stream results.”

ENDS

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