Nick Smith, Kate Wilkinson
8 November, 2011
The New Zealand King Salmon
Company Limited’s (NZKS) proposal to establish
eight new salmon faming sites in the Marlborough
Sounds has been sent directly to an independent
Board of Inquiry under the Government’s
nationally significant proposal process
with the Environmental Protection Authority
(EPA), Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson
and Environment Minister Nick Smith announced
today.
“NZKS’s proposal involves two plan change
requests and nine resource consent applications
for eight new salmon farming sites in Pelorus
Sound, Port Gore, Tory Channel and Queen
Charlotte Sound,” Ms Wilkinson says.
“This is a large expansion and meets the
national significance criteria as it would
involve considerable use of natural resources
and impact an area of national significance
and its environment.
“These effects need to be weighed up alongside
the economic benefits and therefore I am
directing this proposal to an independent
Board of Inquiry for consideration.
“A Board of Inquiry, chaired by an Environment
Court Judge and comprising members with
local knowledge and relevant technical expertise
and experience, is the most appropriate
way to assess the merits of the proposal
and decide its future.”
Environment Court Judge Gordon Whiting will
chair the Board of Inquiry. The Board members
are Edward Ellison, Helen Beaumont, Mark
Farnsworth and Michael Briggs.
The proposal will be considered under recent
aquaculture legislative amendments that
allow for plan change requests and resource
consent applications in relation to aquaculture
to be made concurrently, where aquaculture
is currently a prohibited activity.
Environment Minister Nick Smith says that
the new nationally significant proposal
process with the EPA was delivering real
benefits for the community.
“The Board of Inquiry process for considering
this proposal will provide an opportunity
for all interested parties to have their
views considered, while ensuring a robust
and timely decision is made,” Dr Smith says.
“The Board of Inquiry will now determine
whether to accept or reject the plan change
request. Should the board accept the request
it will be prepared by Marlborough District
Council. The complete proposal (plan change
requests and resource consent applications)
will be publicly notified by the EPA in
2012.”
Board of Inquiry biographies
Judge Gordon Whiting
(Chairperson)
Judge Gordon Whiting was appointed to the
Environment Court in 1997. As a District
Court and Environment Court Judge, he brings
extensive judicial expertise and a wide
range of experience in resource management
law.
Judge Whiting has presided over a number
of significant and varied resource management
cases, including those related to coastal
issues and sensitive landscapes. Many of
the cases have not only had economic impacts,
but have also involved cases with conflicting
public and private interests. He chaired
the Te Mihi Geothermal Power Station Board
of Inquiry and the Tauhara II Geothermal
Power Station Board of Inquiry (the first
direct application to the EPA to be heard
by a Board of Inquiry).
Helen Beaumont
Helen Beaumont was appointed as a Environment
Commissioner in August 2007. She is familiar
with environmental legislation, including
plan changes, and relevant case law. Helen
is also familiar with hearings processes,
including evidence, and is experienced in
writing decisions. She has mediation qualifications
and experience and is an effective communicator.
Helen’s qualifications are in the field
of chemistry, with research interests focusing
on environmental health and the connections
between the quality of the environment and
human well-being.
From 2000 to 2007 Helen was the Assistant
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.
Mark Farnsworth
Mark Farnsworth is an experienced Resource
Management Act practitioner and has extensive
experience in the Local Government sector.
He recently completed a nine year term as
Chairman of the Northland Regional Council
and also chaired the Hearing Committee for
six years during his term.
Mark has had involvement in a variety of
consent applications including marinas,
aquaculture applications, water abstraction
and jetty/coastal boardwalk. He was on the
Ministry for the Environment’s Advisory
Board regarding the implementation of the
Making Good Decisions Programme and is an
accredited Resource Management Act hearings
commissioner.
Mark has also had roles on the Aquaculture
Technical Advisory Group and a Ministerial
Advisory Panel on Aquaculture.
Edward Ellison
Edward Ellison is an accredited Resource
Management Act hearings Commissioner and
has acted in this capacity for several South
Island local authorities, including Marlborough
District Council and Environment Canterbury.
He has also been on a number of central
government advisory groups and boards in
relation to biosecurity, the Emissions Trading
Scheme, cultural matters and water management.
He is currently Chair of Te Runanga o Otakou
(Otago Peninsula), Kai Tahu ki Otago Ltd
(papatipu runanga owned environmental consultancy)
and Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu `Hazardous Substances
and New Organisms Committee’. Marlborough
District Council recommended him as a board
member for this proposal.
Michael Briggs
Michael Briggs is an experienced Resource
Management Act practitioner and was an elected
member of the Marlborough County and District
Councils between 1980 and 2001. From 1992
to 2001 he was Chairman and Deputy Chairman
of a number of Council Committees, including
the Environment and Resource Hearings Committees.
He currently serves as an Independent Resource
Consent Hearings Commissioner for the Marlborough
District Council including having responsibility
for signing off on non-notified resource
consent decisions. Michael is an accredited
Resource Management Act hearings commissioner.
Marlborough District Council recommended
him as a board member for this proposal.
+ More
Penguin release milestone
in Rena recovery
Nick Smith
22 November, 2011
The release of 60 penguins at Mt Maunganui
beach today is a significant milestone in
the Bay of Plenty's recovery from the Rena
oil spill and environmental disaster, Environment
Minister Nick Smith said today.
"It is a heart-warming experience after
the devastating scene of oiled and dead
birds to see these healthy penguins returning
to their natural habitat," Dr Smith
said.
"The wildlife response to this disaster
has been first class. The specialist teams
were on the ground within 24 hours of the
Rena hitting the Astrolabe Reef, had facilities
available within days and were able to recover
as many oiled birds as possible. Their efforts
have saved hundreds of birds from an ugly
death and ensured we have the base breeding
stock for the populations of penguins, shags,
petrels and dotterels to recover.
"I want to acknowledge the efforts
of Maritime New Zealand, Department of Conservation,
iwi, New Zealand Defence Force, and the
thousands of volunteers who recovered oiled
birds and cleaned up the beaches and coast
to enable these birds to return to their
natural habitat.
"The Government will be meeting next
week with local councils and iwi to finalise
the long-term environmental recovery plan.
We want the Bay of Plenty environment restored
to its pre-Rena state as quickly as possible,"
Dr Smith said.
