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EXCELLENT NEWS for the enviroment....three cheers for F&B...

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Author Topic: EXCELLENT NEWS for the enviroment....three cheers for F&B...  (Read 72 times)
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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« on: July 06, 2017, 11:27:44 am »


from Fairfax NZ....

Supreme Court deals another blow on Ruataniwha dam proposal

The Supreme Court ruling is a further blow to controversial Hawke's Bay dam.

By SIMON HENDERY | 10:46AM - Thursday, 06 July 2017

Part of the 22 hectares of Ruahine Forest Park that the Department of Conservation had agreed to swap to pave the way for the Ruataniwha Dam. — Photograph: Forest & Bird.
Part of the 22 hectares of Ruahine Forest Park that the Department of Conservation had
agreed to swap to pave the way for the Ruataniwha Dam.
 — Photograph: Forest & Bird.


THE proposed Ruataniwha water storage scheme in Central Hawke's Bay has been dealt a further blow with the Supreme Court upholding an earlier Court of Appeal decision thwarting a land-swap deal crucial to the project.

In a 3-2 decision released on Thursday, the country's highest court ruled the Director-General of Conservation was not entitled to revoke the special conservation status of a section of Ruahine Forest Park land required for the dam.

The decision affirms a Court of Appeal decision last year.

It is the latest twist in a long running and controversial proposal by the Hawke's Bay Regional Council to build a $330 million water storage and irrigation scheme to service the drought-prone Ruataniwha catchment in Central Hawke's Bay.

The council's investment arm, Hawke's Bay Regional Investment Company (HBRIC), wants to dam the Makaroro River to create the reservoir, using the water to irrigate more than 25,000 hectares of farming and cropping land in the region.

But its plans were stalled because 22ha of the land it wants to flood is protected with special conservation status.

HBRIC offered to swap the block for 170ha of nearby farmland, but DOC's process for approving the swap was successfully challenged by Forest & Bird in the Court of Appeal.

Hawkes Bay Regional Council has approved up to $80m for the dam in its long term plan, but the funding is subject to a number of conditions being met.

The conditions include a resolution to the land-swap issue, environmental safeguards being put in place and a corporate invstor signing up to help fund the project.


A map of the Makaroro River and surrounding area that would be flooded to create the Ruataniwha dam reservoir. The Department of Conservation land at the centre of the legal case is shown in purple. The farm land it would be swapped for is in dark green. — Map: Department of Conservation.
A map of the Makaroro River and surrounding area that would be flooded to create the
Ruataniwha dam reservoir. The Department of Conservation land at the centre of the
legal case is shown in purple. The farm land it would be swapped for is in dark green.
 — Map: Department of Conservation.


The Supreme Court upheld an earlier Court of Appeal decision. — Photograph: Paul McCredie/Fairfax NZ.
The Supreme Court upheld an earlier Court of Appeal decision.
 — Photograph: Paul McCredie/Fairfax NZ.


An artist's impression of the reservoir, dam wall and race way that would be created in the foothills of the Ruahine ranges if the Ruataniwha water storage scheme goes ahead. — Illustration: Hawke's Bay Regional Council.
An artist's impression of the reservoir, dam wall and race way that would be created in
the foothills of the Ruahine ranges if the Ruataniwha water storage scheme goes ahead.
 — Illustration: Hawke's Bay Regional Council.


__________________________________________________________________________

Read more on this topic:

 • ‘Bold’ Ruataniwha dam project will never be risk-free

 • Ruataniwha land-swap to be appealed in Supreme Court

 • Ruataniwha dam paused as new council to review plan

 • Court decision puts question mark over controversial Ruataniwha dam

 • Land swap for Ruataniwha dam illegal: Forest and Bird


https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/94441365
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