Project Aqua info meetings

Waitaki First Impact of Aqua topic of meetings

Canterbury people have the opportunity to hear a range of views on Meridian Energy's proposed Project Aqua at public meetings next week.

Organised by anti-Aqua group Waitaki First, the meetings aimed to help people get more information before submissions closed on the new Resource Management (Waitaki Catchment) Amendment Bill on February 9, said Waitaki First chair Dr Helen Brookes.

"We are encouraging people to participate in the process, and these meetings will help them find out more about the negative impacts of Project Aqua from experts in their fields," she said.

Timaru's Caroline Bay Community Hall will be the venue for a meeting next Monday night (February 2) with the theme of energy options and the economic impacts of Project Aqua.

Speakers will include a professor of physics at Otago University, Dr Gerald Carrington, who will discuss sustainability, power security and Project Aqua.

Fish and Game spokesperson Mark Webb will also address the meeting, talking about concerns for sports fisheries and angling.

Speakers at the Christchurch meeting at the Horticultural Hall next Tuesday night (February 3) include the director of Natural History New Zealand, Peter Hayden, and Otago University lecturer, ecologist and engineer Dr Bronwyn Lowe.

The theme of the discussion is Getting it right: hydrogeneration lessons from the past. Ministry for the Environment staff will also attend, and talk about the process of water allocation and consents.

Submissions on the applications to take water from the Waitaki for irrigation close on February 27. Submissions on the Project Aqua water use applications and all the other consents required for the project close on March 12 http://www.farmmapping.co.nz 0800 433 855 fax 03 689 2808

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