Amenities work consent conditions released
POWER generator Contact Energy is bringing a revised focus on managing public amenities behind its dams and has applied for resource consent to dredge sediment from the Bannockburn Inlet.
The resource consent conditions around Contact Energy’s obligations covering public amenities work along its hydro schemes on the Clutha River in Central Otago were released late yesterday by the Otago Regional Council.
The review and subsequent new conditions spotlight the amenity values it must adhere to along the Kawarau Arm of Lake Dunstan.
The review of the consent conditions was focused on Contact Energy’s landscape and visual amenity management plan (LVAMP), within the wider consent conditions.
Council consents acting manager Alexandra King said the consents review process, between numerous parties, was “constructive and timely” and the new conditions provided “certainty” for the public.
Ms King said the previous LVAMP consent conditions specific to the LVAMP were “not certain enough” and there was a “lack of clear direction around monitoring”.
It was important any adverse effects which were not being effectively avoided, remedied or mitigated by the conditions were addressed.
It was “key” that adequate monitoring and reporting were undertaken by Contact Energy, relating to the LVAMP, she said.
Conditions include Contact Energy identifying actions to address landscape and visual amenity effects arising from its activities, including driftwood removal, terrestrial weed removal, planting and activities involving sediment excavation. Amenities do not include public toilets.
LVAMPs in the future must include summaries of existing landscape attributes, river processes/geomorphology and changes and actions taken to maintain the landscape and visual amenities.
Ms King said separately Contact Energy had lodged a resource consent application on May 8 for the dredging of sediment around the Bannockburn Inlet. It was yet to be determined if the application would be publicly notified.
The review of Contact Energy’s consent conditions
TWIZEL OTEMATATA RANFURLY OAMARU PALMERSTON
Fine, mod NW. 12° at 3pm.
Fine, mod NW. 9° at 3pm.
Fine, fresh W. 8° at 3pm.
Fine, mod NW. 15° at 3pm.
Fine, fresh W. 13° at 3pm. for the LVAMP was initiated in August last year.
Contact Energy has a suite of 17 resource consents granted by the Otago Regional Council for its three hydroelectricity generation facilities: the Roxburgh and Clyde Dams on the Clutha River and the Hawea control structure at the outlet of Lake Hawea.
Both the Clyde Dam and Roxburgh Dam consents were reviewed, while no need was found to review the Lake Ha¯wea consents.
The review looked into the potential adverse effects of the following issues: visual amenity aspects of driftwood, lagarosiphon and the role of Contact Energy in monitoring and management; management of algae, sediments and weeds during lower flows; access to jetties and boat ramps; and Lower Manuherekia gravel extraction.