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9 September 2008

Farmers say no to transmission line proposal

Transpower’s proposed transmission line between Whakamaru and Auckland will result in significant and unnecessary adverse effects on the environment, Federated Farmers president Don Nicolson said today.

Mr Nicolson was presenting Federated Farmers’ submission to the Board of Inquiry appointed to hear Transpower’s proposal. Waikato president, Stew Wadey and Auckland Federated Farmers representative, John Sexton were also present.

“The impact on rural landscapes is huge. Many farmers along the route of the line will lose production,” said Mr Nicolson.

“More particularly, many farmers will find future production opportunities are curtailed. Transpower is not offering any compensation for ongoing production losses.”

Waikato president Stew Wadey said that Transpower had not given adequate consideration to alternative routes, sites and methods of achieving its objective of ensuring the continued security and certainty of electricity supply to Auckland, Northland and parts of the Coromandel and Waikato.

“Transpower has not looked at whether the impact on farm production might be less if the transmission line was to follow other possible routes,” Mr Wadey said.

“Neither has Transpower properly considered the option it has of commissioning generation close to the point of consumption in Auckland.”

Auckland representative for Federated Farmers, John Sexton, a farmer whose farm is in the path of the proposed transmission line, said the consultation that Transpower has undertaken has been inadequate, particularly given the scale of the project

“The restrictions and conditions placed on private landowners by the designations sought are unreasonable,” Mr Sexton said.

Mr Nicolson said overall, the adverse effects of Transpower’s proposal on local and private interests are significant and greater than any national benefit it might bring. Mr Nicolson called on the Board of Inquiry to decline Transpower’s proposal.

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