23
December 2008 - Explanation of the Mapua
clean-up Site Validation Report - Report
purpose - The Site Validation Report is
an independent analysis of test results
of the almost 2500 soil samples taken during
the clean-up at the former Fruitgrowers
Chemical Company (FCC) site at Mapua, near
Nelson. The report indicates whether the
clean-up met targets specified in the project's
resource consents.
This report was prepared
by consultants Sinclair Knight Merz Ltd
(SKM) in accordance with guidelines for
contaminated site clean-ups in New Zealand
and Australia. The consultants analysed
data from soil sampling undertaken by the
Ministry for the Environment during the
project.
Tasman District Council's
resource consents required various areas
of the site to be cleaned to specified standards,
depending on their future use. For example,
the minimum contamination allowed for marine
sediments in the estuary was many times
lower than the minimum for areas which will
be used for housing or parks, and many,
many times lower than the minimum for parts
of the site which will have commercial buildings
on them.
The Site Auditor has
the key role of deciding whether the site
is fit for its intended purposes. Along
with reports of results from the monitoring
of groundwater and sediments, the Site Auditor
will use information in the Site Validation
Report in drawing their overall conclusion.
The Site Auditor will also decide what future
monitoring or management is needed.
The report structure
The early sections of the 162-page report
cover its objectives, historical and background
information about the clean-up, remediation
methodology, and explanations of sampling
protocol.
The report then moves
into analysis of sample data of the various
categories of material type across the site
- for example, residential material, marine
sediments, and commercial material. This
includes detailed graphs and maps.
At page 145, SKM's Discussion
Summary begins, summing up the detailed
findings.
Points to note from
SKM's Discussion Summary
As mentioned, it is for the Site Auditor
to conclude what the data in the report
means for the future of the site, but SKM's
report shows:
The FCC East commercial
area has been remediated to the clean-up
standard required.
The FCC Landfill has been remediated to
the standard required for recreation.
The FCC West area mostly meets the residential
standard, however there are several isolated
contamination hotspots which the Site Auditor
will need to address.
The soil samples for the neighbouring residential
properties met the criteria, except for
two of four boron samples taken on one property.
Due to incorrect laboratory analysis, it
cannot be determined whether these met the
criteria. The Ministry has asked for these
two samples to be re-tested.
As already publicly acknowledged by the
Ministry for the Environment, the marine
sediment area does not meet the resource
consent standard, despite being re-excavated.
The Site Auditor will give guidance on how
this issue can be remedied.
+ More
Minister decides board
of inquiry best process for Turitea wind
farm proposal
Nick Smith19 December,
2008 - Environment Minister Nick Smith today
announced his decision to refer the Mighty
River Power proposal for a 131-turbine wind
farm at Turitea, near Palmerston North,
to an independent Board of Inquiry.
"A Board of Inquiry
chaired by an Environment Court Judge is
the most transparent and fair way to decide
the outcome of this significant wind farm
proposal.
"This project is
of a size and scale that justifies a board
inquiry. I have consulted with local councils
on the make up of the Board and appointed
members they were intending to use as commissioners
or were nominated to me.
"The Ministry for
the Environment is also in discussion with
Horizons Regional Council on playing an
administrative role to support the Board
to ensure the process is as accessible as
possible to the affected communities."
The Board to decide
the wind farm is:
Judge Craig Thompson
(Chairman)
Vivian Kloosterman (environmental engineer)
John Hudson (landscape architect)
Richard Heerdegen (resource management consultant)
Chris Shenton (iwi project manager)
"This is a very talented board with
the right mix of skills to make this important
decision in a considered and careful way.
"I have delayed
the public notification until late January
so people are not disadvantage by the holiday
period in making submissions. I will be
publicly notifying the wind farm on 24 January
2008 with submissions closing on 23 February
2008.
"This is a very
significant wind farm that traverses public
land within the Manawatu-Wanganui Region,
Palmerston North City and Tararua District
and has widespread public interest.
"I also believe
there were risks of the Palmerston North
City Council being open to claims of bias
and appeal because of it being the owner
of the reserve land where the wind farm
is proposed.
"I have chosen
a Board of Inquiry in preference to direct
referral to the Environment Court because
the process is more informal and better
for submitters who may not have legal representation.
"I have been very
mindful in appointing the Board of the local
interest in the proposal. This thorough
process will ensure we get a robust and
timely decision."
