May 30, 2006

MEDIA STATEMENT

Rakaia-Selwyn groundwater zone consents hearing rescheduled for July

The combined consent hearing to decide 69 resource consent applications for groundwater in the Rakaia-Selwyn zone has been rescheduled to begin on July 24.

The deferment of the ten-day May hearing was requested by the combined applicant group and agreed to by the independent commissioners appointed by Environment Canterbury. The commissioners are Philip Milne, Wayne Russell and Dr Greg Ryder.

“Environment Canterbury staff were disappointed that the hearing had to be delayed as they will have had their evidence prepared for a full three months by the end of July,” said ECan consents manager Don Rule.

The Rakaia-Selwyn groundwater zone is currently graded as “red” or fully allocated under Environment Canterbury’s groundwater zoning system.

The zone is bordered by the Rakaia and Selwyn Rivers, south and west of Christchurch. It runs from the foothills in the Malvern Hills down to the coast around Lake Ellesmere/ Te Waihora.

This will be the first major joint hearing for currently untapped water in a Canterbury region groundwater zone considered to be fully allocated by Environment Canterbury for 2006.

The July hearing will run for a week from July 24 – 28, adjourn for a week then continue August 7- 11.

ENDS

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