RESOURCE CONSENT ACTIVITIES FOR MARCH AND APRIL 2013 THE FACTS AND FIGURES Interesting Facts March and April received comparison: 1. The year has continued to be busy 11-12 year 10-11 year 09-10 year for the Consents Team. 97 99 96 2. Over the past two months the March and April resolved comparison: Consents Team has received 11-12 year 10-11 year 09-10 year 37 applications in March, and 120 107 101 28 applications in April. 3. The Consents Team granted 35 consents in March and 19 consents in April. 4. As at 30 April 2013 the Consents Team had 175 applications to process compared to 166 applications that were reported last Environment Committee. 5. The consent activity is steady at present and we expect that trend to continue and increase as the year progresses with consents going to hearings and consents coming in for water allocation. 6. The Consents Team is continuing to progress matters on the Territorial Authority Wastewater Treatment Plant and industry applications, a summary of which is provided later in this item. NOTIFIED APPLICATIONS IN MARCH AND APRIL 2013 7. During March we publicly notified the suite of applications received from Fonterra Co-operative Group relating to the Pahiatua Plant expansion. These applications were jointly notified with applications made to Tararua District Council with Horizons being the lead agency. Submissions closed on 17 April 2013 and a total of 44 submissions were received. 8. One consent application was limited notified in March, being an application received from Aorere Farms Partnership for a renewal of Discharge Permits (land and air) and a new Water Permit (groundwater) associated with their piggery operation. The submission period closed on 5 April 2013 with a total of three submissions being received. PRE-HEARINGS HELD IN MARCH AND APRIL 2013 9. There were no pre-hearings held during the past two months, however, a pre-hearing meeting for the Aorere Farms Partnership application is currently being organised. HEARINGS HELD IN MARCH AND APRIL 2013 10. A hearing was held on 21 March 2013 for the applications made by Rangitikei District Council relating to the Hunterville Wastewater Treatment Plant. The hearing was adjourned at the end of the day to allow for the applicant to provide the Hearing Commissioners with further information around some aspects of the proposal and for MOU’s to be finalised with Iwi. The hearing is scheduled to reconvene on Monday 13 May 2013. 11. The hearing schedule remains busy over the next year with the preparation for the Fonterra Pahiatua Expansion, Feilding Wastewater Treatment Plant, Mt Munro Windfarm, NZ Energy and Happy Hogs hearings. OIL EXPLORATION CONSENTS 12. These consents were granted on 18 March 2013. The consents are for two drill sites near Dannevirke (Mangahei-1 and Ngapaeruru-1), and allow TAG Oil to undertake the following activities at both sites: a. drill an exploratory oil and gas well (1,895m deep at Ngapaeruru-1 and 2,305m deep at Mangahei-1); b. discharge contaminants into land associated with the drilling (when a well is drilled, drilling muds etc. are used during the drilling process and there is a small loss to the ground formation); c. discharge of stormwater onto and into land (including where it may enter water); and d. discharge of contaminants to air, including flaring. 13. TAG have undertaken the earthworks to set up the site, have drilled two groundwater monitoring wells and have begun drilling the oil and gas exploratory well at the Ngapaeruru-1 site. No works have been undertaken at the Mangahei-1 site as yet. Regular monitoring by Council staff is on-going. FEILDING WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT 14. The current consent is effectively on hold. The applicant is currently securing additional land for irrigation. The applicant is holding a meeting with submitters in early May. A new consent including additional land for irrigation is expected in the middle of the year and is likely to be re-notified. TAIHAPE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT 15. There is one outstanding submission which is likely to be resolved next month, therefore a hearing will no longer be required and consent can be issued. BULLS WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT 16. The application is on hold. The applicant has been looking at including the waste from Ohakea Airbase and has been working with the NZDF. The applicant is currently redesigning the plant and a new application is expected in the middle of this year. RIVERLANDS 17. The Riverlands Bulls consent is up for review this year. Horizons staff have met with Riverlands to discuss the review process. Riverlands is currently looking at upgrading their system for additional treatment for the river discharge. The upgrades include the lining of one of the ponds and installation of a floating wetland with the intention of improving the quality of the discharge into the Rangitikei River. OBJECTION ON COSTS 18. No cost objections have been received. APPEALS 19. The table below outlines the consents currently under appeal. Applicant Status A significant amount of work is being undertaken by Genesis Power Limited the various parties to resolve these appeals out of (T/A Genesis Energy) court. Mediation has taken place and on-going Castle Hill Wind Farm negotiations are occurring to amend conditions, with Consents 105949-105959 the hope of resolving the appeals via a consent order out of court. Fonterra has raised concern over the validly of the Fonterra Co-Operative Group appellant’s case and has requested a security Pahiatua Diary Factory against costs of $30,000. The judge agreed and ordered a payment of $30,000 or the appeal would Consents 104660, 106045- be struck out. The appellant has made this payment 106046 and so the appeal will be heard in court in August. Evidence is due to be prepared by mid May. With Environment Court A pre-mediation meeting was held 15 November 2012. This was not successful. Judicial sitting with the Judge has occurred. Horowhenua District Council Appeal is set down for court mediation on Shannon Wastewater 15 March 2013. HDC have shown good faith Treatment Plant and purchased 85 hectares of land for a land Consents 105893-105894, discharge. They are consulting with their 105891-105892 community over the cost of a land discharge but have clearly committed to at least part of the wastewater going to land for the long term. It is hopeful that this positive step will go some way to alleviating the appellants concerns. Richard Munneke POLICY AND CONSENTS MANAGER APPENDIX ONE MARCH AND APRIL 2013 – OVERVIEW OF CONSENTS LODGED AND RESOLVED Graph 1 reflects the number of consents lodged and resolved between March and April 2013. Graph 1. Lodged and resolved consents between March and April 2013. Graph 2 provides a comparison of the number of consents lodged in March and April. Graph 2. A comparison of the consents lodged between March and April for the years 2007-13 Graph 3 provides a comparison of the number of consents resolved in March and April each year from 2007 to 2013. Graph 3. A comparison of the consents resolved between March and April for the years 2007-13 Graph 4 provides a summary of the type of consents that were granted in March 2013. Graph 4. A summary of the type of consents granted in March 2013 Graph 5 provides a summary of the type of consents that were granted in April 2013. Graph 5. A summary of the type of consents granted in April 2013 APPENDIX TWO LIST OF APPLICATIONS FOR TERRITORIAL AUTHORITY SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT DISCHARGES When Common Receiving Applicant consent Current Status Proposed Action Name Environment expired Ruapehu Taumarunui 1/03/2003 Whanganui River All submissions have been resolved. Decision to be granted in next three weeks. District Council WWTP RDC lodged a new application on 18 January 2012 however We are currently awaiting a revised application. With the Ruapehu Rangaataua Mangaehuehu 20/12/2005 it was considered deficient under section 88 of the Act and resolution of Taumarunui WWTP consent, staff will work with District Council WWTP Stream returned to the applicant. RDC to get a new application lodged later this year. TDC will be lodging a new application for the long term Tararua District Pahiatua Town Creek / Application has been notified and there are outstanding discharge of treated wastewater. This is to include proposed 30/06/2005 Council WWTP Mangatainoka River submissions. upgrades. Progress continues with their staff to get this application lodged. TDC are required to lodge supporting applications for Tararua District Woodville Application has been lodged. Further information has been 6/10/2010 Mangaatua Stream ancillary activities. It is expected that these applications will Council WWTP requested. be made in the coming months so that progress can resume. The application is still on hold. RDC are currently designing Once the Hunterville and Taihape applications have been Rangitikei the proposed upgrades to the plant. RDC are also resolved which is expected to be by mid this year, work will Bulls WWTP 7/10/2006 Rangitikei River District Council discussing the option of including Riverlands and Ohakea begin on preparing a new application for the Bulls WWTP discharges. which is expected to be lodged later this year.. The application has been notified and submissions closed. Rangitikei Hunterville The hearing will recommence on 13 May 2013 with a 30/04/2007 Porewa Stream A hearing has commenced. The applicant has some further District Council WWTP decision expected to be released shortly after. information to gather and the hearing is to be reconvened. Following resolution of the Hunterville WWTP hearing, Rangitikei Taihape The application has been notified and submissions closed.