Below is a quick update on where
things have gotten too from a regulatory perspective.
Canterbury
2017 saw Environment Canterbury
(ECan) introduce Good Management Practices (GMP) into its Land and Water Plan
framework. This is known as Plan Change
5. Plan Change 5 also introduced the
Waitaki specific nutrient management rules.
The decisions on the plan were appealed by a number of parties,
particularly in relation to how the irrigation and fertiliser GMP’s were being
treated in the Farm Portal (the online tool developed to determine exactly what
GMP is at a farm level). Appeals are
still yet to be resolved, and therefore, it is likely to be mid-2018 before
this plan is made operative.
Plan Change 2, which is specific
to the Hinds Plains region, is also still under appeal, however, Plan Change 3,
which is specific to the South Canterbury Coastal Streams area, had all its
appeals resolved in November 2017, and is now fully operative.
ECan has also been doing a big
push in the areas where a consent to farm is required, to encourage those who
need one to go through the process.
There has been a good response to this (contrary to the opinion of Dr.
Mike Joy) as the process is new to many, and requires professional help and a
change in mindset for many.
Otago
Otago’s nutrient management rules
are now two years away from kicking in (the date is 1 April 2020). Otago Regional Council has been encouraging
farmers to get their Overseer done. They
have also taken the initiative in the more sensitive catchments such as the
Kakanui, and have been providing resources and funding to assist with this.
Southland
Southland’s Land and Water Plan
is nearing the completion of hearings.
Council gave its reply report and recommendations (a summary of all the
information and submissions presented to the hearings panel, and answers to all
questions from the panel during the hearing) in November 2017. Watch this space.
Horizons
Horizons One Plan struck a major
hurdle in early 2017, with the Environment Court deciding that the way in which
the Council was implementing its plan was not what the plan actually said. This has left the council with a plan that
effectively doesn’t practically work as it was written, and wondering what to
do now. Implementing the plan as written
creates a massive cost to farmers and other consent holders, and doesn’t
necessarily achieve the desired water quality outcomes. Given this, in August 2017, the council voted
to investigate the possibility of a partial plan change. However, this will not be a quick or easy
process as it is both a legal and public process.
Hawkes Bay
Irrigators in the Tukituki
catchment are left high and dry (literally) after the Ruataniwha Dam project is
put on the shelf indefinitely. The
Tukutuki River minimum flow is still going up, and without the dam to augment
and flush the river, the increase in minimum flow will mean the possibility of
severe restrictions for irrigators in this catchment. Effectively, the raise in minimum flow was
coupled with the dam, but the impacts of de-coupling are now about to be
realised.
Gisborne
Gisborne’s Freshwater Plan
decision was released in August 2017, and was subsequently appealed. The appeals are still to be worked through
and there is no timeframe at this stage on when appeals are likely to be
resolved. Gisborne’s Freshwater Plan was
actually pretty kind from a nutrient management perspective when compared to
Canterbury for example. There is no
requirement for on farm limits using Overseer, and they have adopted a Farm
Environment Plan approach to managing water quality. However, it does have some issues with water
quantity. As horticulture, and kiwifruit
in particular, look set to increase, those looking in the Gisborne area for
plots to develop are soon realising that there is basically no water available
for allocation unless you are prepared to take high flow water and store it. Therefore, this is limiting the potential for
the Gisborne region.
Overall
As well as all that is going on
the regions, we have a new government who looks set to wind up funding
irrigation scheme development, has already taken a stand on climate change, and
will undoubtedly want to stamp its feet on the water issues. 2018 will be an interesting year…