Damhearings attract 200 speakers
Hearings on the proposed $82.5 million Waimea dam are scheduled to get under way on Monday with 200 submitters lined up to speak over four days.
The hearings follow the council’s receipt of 1384 written submissions. As at November 30, there were an additional 124 late submissions.
Tasman mayor Richard Kempthorne said the hearing panel would consider whether to accept the late submissions when it met.
If they are accepted, it will push the submission total above 1500.
The mayor said he was not surprised the proposal attracted so many submissions.
‘‘It does show there’s a lot of interest,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s a very controversial project.’’
That controversy is reflected in the written submissions, which are available on the tasman.govt.nz website.
They range from supporters of the project to those against it in its entirety. Other submitters raise concern about the council process.
In his submission, Spring Grove resident Simon Gorman says the overall structure of the council’s submission format is based on the premise that ratepayers are fully informed on the pros and cons of the dam scheme and agree with it as a solution to the ‘‘putative problems’’ TDC had outlined via its Newsline publi- cation.
‘‘This is not the case and, sadly, TDC has seemingly been unable to place a credible, well-researched and clearly communicated case in front of us,’’ Gorman says.
‘‘We should not be asked to decide upon the ‘how’ of financing this project before unequivocally declaring that we do indeed support your proposition.’’
After attending local meetings and studying an array of reports and research papers recommended by the council, Gorman says he finds himself undecided.
‘‘If you want a rational group of constituents to endorse such plans, then convincing, informed arguments are needed,’’ he says.
‘‘The experience of this episode, to date, has not been convincing and has encouraged many to consider that, perhaps, there are ulterior motives beyond mere water provision that are fuelling this endeavour.’’
Waimea Nurseries director Bruno Simpson is a clear supporter and says without the dam, more drastic water restrictions will be needed.
‘‘As irrigators, a secure and sustainable supply of water is essential for our business,’’ Simpson says in his submission.
‘‘Construction of the Waimea Community Dam, within the sound financial and governance parameters preferred by [the] council, is vital to the security of our business and to the businesses of our customers here in the region and throughout the country.’’
Simpson says Waimea Nurseries is committed to the success of the project and has underwritten a loan to WIL with a guarantee of $50,000 plus interest.
‘‘In addition, we have made an initial at-risk contribution of $20,000 to Waimea Irrigators Ltd.’’
There are submissions from organisations such as Grey Power Motueka, which calls for a ratepayer referendum on the issue, and individuals such as Brightwater School pupil Jimmy West.
Jimmy, 11, asks who will help the elderly people in his community evacuate if the dam breaches. He also has concerns about the potential effects on the Lee River from a dam.
‘‘Why would you do this to the people of our community for the greed of a few,’’ Jimmy says.
Tasman District Council and dam proponent Waimea Irrigators Ltd are proposed joint-venture partners in the project earmarked for the Lee Valley, to be funded by a mix of ratepayer, irrigator and Crown funding. A council consultation document was open for public submissions from October 21 to November 26.
The hearing panel, made up of the full council with Kempthorne as chairman, is due to hear oral submissions at Richmond on Monday and Wednesday, at Takaka on Tuesday and at Motueka on Friday.
The panel is due to deliberate on February 1 and 2 with a decision likely at the end of the month.