Rakaia research

Press, 13 September 1983, Page 16

Rakaia research

Sir,—The Minister for the Environment, Dr Shearer, has said (“The Press,” August 13) that an environmental impact assessment rather than the more detailed and rigorous environmental impact reporting procedures will be required for the planned Lower Rakaia irrigation scheme. This decision was based on the apparently exhaustive amount of research which has been undertaken on the various environmental aspects associated with this scheme. Perhaps the Ministry of Works, as scheme designer and responsible for the production of this assessment, could detail the evidence to be presented to demonstrate the impact of lowering river flows on the virtually unresearched topic of fishability. As there are no completed studies on this complex issue and on some other major environmental factors, it is clear that any such assessment will be

sufficient to complete the necessary impact evaluations. Once again it would appear that justifiable environmental concerns are being overtaken by short-term political manoeuvrings aimed at hastening irrigation development to the detriment of the Rakaia River. — Yours, etc., K. F. D. HUGHEY, President, N.Z. Salmon Anglers Association. August 16, 1983.

[The District Commissioner of Works (Mr R. D. Grant) replies: “The environmental impact assessment will summarise information already being collected and presented on in-river interests. I understand that it was agreed that there was no point in a full environmental impact report being prepared, which could only duplicate the evidence to be presented to the Water and Soil Act processes when these processes, the Conservation Order hearings and the possible subsequent water right hearings, are themselves so exhaustive. Further, much of the ground will be covered in the North Canterbury Catchment Board’s Rakaia management planning documents. The evidence Mr Hughey asks for will be presented at the forthcoming Rakaia Conservation Order hearings as part of the proceedings. I would very much doubt if it can be reasonably claimed that irrigation developments on the Rakaia are being hastened. Rather, the conservation order proceedings have tended to make all parties look to their grounds and to their evidence to the detriment of progress on the preparation of irrigation proposals. I thank your correspondent for his interest.”]