Friday, March 29, 2024

Rotorua moves on nutrient limits

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Pressure on Bay of Plenty Regional Council to consult further on proposed nutrient limits could result in limits now being notified early next year. In August the council agreed to delay the notification process to allow further discussion with a splinter group of landowners, Protect Rotorua.
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The process has also taken a twist with a recent advertising and billboard campaign urging ratepayers to “stop the rot” in Rotorua. The campaign claimed council bias towards dairying and conflicts of interest among the Stakeholders Action Group (StAG) representing landowners in the Rotorua Lakes catchment area. 

This in turn prompted BoPRC to lodge a complaint with the Advertising Standards Authority on grounds the campaign’s claims were mis-informed and inaccurate.

Farmers in the Rotorua Lakes catchment have been in limbo for almost a decade as the nutrient limits are promulgated, with potential buyers treading warily around what the rules might bring in terms of production limitations.

The nutrient-limiting process in the catchment is based on benchmarking properties for nitrogen and phosphorus losses, based on farm data from 2001 to 2004, using the Overseer model and farm data.

The onus is on council to remove 100 tonnes of nitrogen from the lake system through land retirement, stock reductions and controls. Funds of $40 million have been tagged to be paid out to landowners to encourage voluntary land use changes and to mitigate nitrogen losses. The Lake Rotorua Incentive Board has been established to oversee payments. 

An additional $2.2m has been earmarked to help farmers develop farm nutrient plans.

BoPRC chairman and dairy farmer Doug Leeder said the $40m was not intended for compulsory acquisition, and depended on a willing buyer and seller. 

Sellers were able to sell specified units of nitrogen to the incentives board, for permanent withdrawal from the catchment.

Leeder acknowledged the funds available were less relative to the area than the $80m earmarked for the Lake Taupo nitrogen controls. 

“Taupo was a pre-emptive move to prevent the lake deteriorating, whereas this is to remove surplus nitrogen. Once the incentives board has achieved that, then there could be the opportunity to trade. The challenge is to try and remove the 100t for $40m and our only template is Taupo.”

Leeder said the council was concerned at the level of misrepresentation contained in recent billboard and media advertisements put out by unidentified individuals. They claimed the consultation process was flawed, and biased towards dairy interests and would favour StAG members in event of nitrogen remediation payment.

Leeder said the campaign had trivialised what was a serious issue for landowners in the lake catchment.

“The impact on how some will be able to use their land is quite significant. From a farm system view there will be some serious changes to be made.”

These could include a reduction in dairy stocking rates by as much as 25%, the use of feedpads, reductions in nitrogen fertiliser use and changes in the types of supplements fed to stock.

BoPRC has moved in public meetings to correct what it said were significant mis-representations from the campaign.

This included the claim $40m would be spent to clean up the lake and $5m for the cost of the process.

Council data specified $40m was devoted to nitrogen purchases, while $5.5m was to fund trials on low-nutrient land uses and to provide advice and support to landowners affected by the rules. Funding would come through BoPRC and the Ministry for the Environment.

Claims around changes to the consultation process have also been explained. 

The council acknowledged that to keep the process as open to consultation as possible it had and would continue to make changes in response to feedback received, including timing of when resource consents were required. 

StAG members also came under fire, with claims they were biased because of also having landholdings in the region, were likely to benefit significantly from any of the $40m payment and would make decisions on land use change. 

But the council confirmed StAG was only one of four advisory groups, and would not make decisions on land use change. 

Members included chairman Dr Tanira Kingi who is also a member of Te Arawa iwi. 

Leeder said given the small pool of scientific talent in NZ, it could not be helped individuals like Kingi would be landowners (through iwi affiliations) and StAG members.

“Besides, Te Arawa are the legal owners of the lake bed, and have a right to be part of the process.”

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