ERMA Sets 1080 Hearing Dates And Venues

ERMA New Zealand Sets 1080 Hearing Dates And Venues

ERMA New Zealand's decision making committee will hold two weeks of hearings on the reassessment of the pesticide 1080 at six venues around the country.

ERMA New Zealand Chief Executive, Rob Forlong, said the hearings would be held in Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, North Auckland, Hamilton, and Wellington. Timing is expected to be over two weeks from 15-25th May, with exact dates and venues yet to be confirmed

Mr Forlong said a last minute rush in submissions meant that ERMA New Zealand received around 1400 submissions. They included five petitions, totalling approximately 10,300 signatures, on the reassessment application from the Department of Conservation and the Animal Health Board. Around 260 submitters indicated they wished to speak at the hearings in support of their written submissions.

The hearings would be open to the public, although only those submitters who had indicated they would like to present their submission in front of the hearing committee would be able to participate Mr Forlong said. The venues were selected on the basis of being close to the majority of submitters who wished to be heard in person.

Everyone who indicated they would like to appear before the committee will shortly receive a letter outlining the times, date and venues where they can attend the hearing.

The decision making committee is made up of four ERMA New Zealand Authority members and two outside experts.

More information on the 1080 submission and hearing process is available on www.ermanz.govt.nz and on the 1080 focus page http://www.ermanz.govt.nz/news-events/focus/1080/index.html.

ENDS

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