RMLA Water and Energy

1
RMLA Water and Energy

• Sustainable Water Programme of Action
• Practice examples
• Transmission and generation National Policy
  Statements
• Mercedes Lentz and Kevin Currie
• Ministry for the Environment

2
Sustainable Water Programme

• Provide for increasing demands on water
  encourage efficient water management
• Improve the management of undesirable effects of
  land-use on water quality

3
Principles

• Public resource
• Use RMA framework
• Continued regional management
• Clear limits set for water quality and quantity
  available for allocation

4
Managing increasing demands

• National Policy Statement
• National Environmental Standards
• Environmental flows
• Water measuring devices
• Improved tools for regional councils

5
National interests in water

• Indigenous biodiversity
• Renewable energy
• Drinking water supplies
• Regional economic development
• Natural character and amenity
• National identity outstanding natural
  waterbodies

6
Practice in RMA

• Water managed regionally
• Examples
• Waitaki Catchment
• Waikato river

7
Waitaki Catchment Water Allocation Regional Plan

• The allocation of water to activities
• Objective to provide water for
• Town and community water supplies
• Hydro-electric generation
• Agricultural horticultural activities
• Tourism and recreational activities
• Any other activities

8
Policy 12 Waitaki Plan

• National and local effects
• National, regional and local plans and strategies
• Iconic nature of glacial lakes
• Importance of Waitaki Power scheme
• Importance of irrigation for agriculture and
  horticulture
• Relative environmental effects
• Efficacy and technical efficiency
• Preference for uses within the catchment

9
Wairakei Pastoral/Plateau Farms Decisions

• Irrigation from Waitako river
• Declined - effects on hydro-electricity
• Appealed
• Reference to national strategies
• Energy Policy Framework
• National Energy Efficiency Conservation Strategy

10
National guidance transmission and generation

• Transmission
• National Policy Statement
• National Environmental standard minor
  activities
• National Environmental standard? activities in
  vicinity, electro-magnetic fields
• Transpower as affected party
• Generation
• Reference group options paper
• Awaiting New Zealand Energy Strategy