31 May 2012

Peter Dunne welcomes PCE rivers report

UnitedFuture Leader Peter Dunne has welcomed the report Hydroelectricity or Wild Rivers released today by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Jan Wright.

“I congratulate the Commissioner for this report. The issue of hydroelectricity versus the preservation of our wild rivers is an extremely important one,” Mr Dunne said.

“It is important that people realise that decisions giving the go-ahead to large-scale hydro-electricity schemes are permanent and irreversible.

“Today’s report highlights the inadequacy of the present consenting process and offers a suite of changes that will set the bar higher and give more consideration to the value of wild and scenic rivers,” he said.

“I am glad that the Dr Wright has taken on the long-accepted myth that big-scale hydroelectricity is renewable. Hydro dams may not involve greenhouse gas emissions but the permanent transformation of a river and its surrounding landscape should definitely not be considered a renewable process.

“Our wild rivers are a finite resource.

“It is my hope that this report along with the recent Mokihinui decision will see large-scale hydro projects become a thing of the past,” Mr Dunne said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media