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Waikato River.
Submissions are now open on a variation to the plan to improve the health of the Waikato and Waipa rivers.
The closing date is Wednesday, May 23.
The council received at least 1000 submissions to the plan change when it was notified in 2016; these remain valid and do not need to be re-lodged.
However, if there are changes specific to the variation that individuals and groups don’t agree with then they’re encouraged make a submission.
The variation to Healthy Rivers/Wai Ora: Proposed Plan Change 1 reinstates the area in the northeast of the Waikato River catchment that was withdrawn in November 2016 to enable full consultation with Pare Hauraki as an affected iwi.
The variation includes some amendments arising from consultation with Pare Hauraki, and proposes extensions of 20 months to some dates to enable landowners more time due to the delay.
Horticulture NZ applied for a judicial review when the northeast section of the catchment was taken out to be considered separately. HortNZ and other sector groups said the plan should be considered as a whole. However HortNZ later withdrew the application.
In February four independent hearings commissioners were appointed to the Healthy Rivers/Wai Ora: Proposed Plan Change 1 hearings panel.
The panel will hear and deliberate on submissions to the proposed plan change for the Waikato and Waipa rivers, and then make a recommendation to the council.
The council claims the plan change is the first step in an 80-year project to make the rivers swimmable and safe for food gathering along their entire length, and achieve the requirements of Te Ture Waimana o Te Awa Waikato (The Vision and Strategy for the Waikato River).
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