Cabinet meets for the first time this year on January the 19th and high on the agenda will be consideration of calling in the Mackenzie Basin resource consent applications under the Resource Management Act. While most submissions to Environment Canterbury on the proposals concern animal welfare - an area not covered by the RMA - the ground water quality impacts are sufficiently significant to mean the project should be called in, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Jan Wright, says “the combined effluent of these operations will be similar in quantity to a city the size of Christchurch being located in the Mackenzie Basin.” Somewhat complicating the process is the fact the resource consents were lodged before passage of RMA amendments last year which would have allowed streamlined consideration under new processes. Instead, Environment Minister Nick Smith is considering appointing a Project Co-ordinator from the newly minted Environmental Protection Authority to oversee the process. If the Govt is to act, a decision is required before February 2.

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