Lee Looks Forward To Consultation On Meridian's Lower Waitaki Hydro Scheme
Conservation Minister Sandra Lee is looking forward to consultation between her department and Meridian Energy before
the company lodges resource consent applications for the $970M Lower Waitaki hydro scheme it announced today.
"I am pleased that Meridian has indicated an intention to consult with appropriate organisations early in the process,"
she said.
"Because any hydro development in the area is likely to be a medium to long term process, it is important that the
community has sufficient and timely information to work through the impact of the company's proposals," Ms Lee said.
"The Department of Conservation has a statutory role to advocate for the conservation values of the Lower Waitaki and
will do so in discussions with the company, and in its submission on the resource consent application," she said.
"Until the application has been assessed by the department, I am not in a position to comment on the potential effect of
the proposed development on conservation values."
Hydro development in the Lower Waitaki has been on the books for at least two decades, but none of the earlier schemes
proposed ever went ahead.
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