Federated Farmers Warn Government Is Running Out of Time on Freshwater Reform
With six months until the election, Federated Farmers says the Government is running out of time to deliver its long-promised reform to the country's freshwater system.
Councillors were split 7-7 on a motion to approve; the measure was passed on the casting vote of the chairperson Paula Southgate.
It means the ‘Healthy Rivers: Plan for Change/Wai Ora: He Rautaki Whakapaipai’ project’s proposed plan change is now due to be formally publicly notified this month.
Specific ideas for boosting river health, as suggested in the proposed plan change, include:
- getting more stock out of waterways
- new resource consent requirements (publicly notified) and introducing extra restrictions for land use intensification
- additional requirements for forestry harvesting
- management of direct discharges to the rivers
- targeting particular catchments for special attention
- nitrogen discharge benchmarking and requirements for high emitters to reduce discharges
- requirements for greater planning of land use activities.
Council chief executive Vaughan Payne acknowledges that suggested new land use restrictions – which would make it harder for people to more intensively farm land – had caused concerns, as will their taking effect as soon as the plan is publicly notified.
