Fresh Start for Fresh water Clean-Up Fund Questions and Answers
What is the Fresh Start for Freshwater Clean-up Fund?
The fund provides financial assistance to regional councils for the remediation of historically contaminated fresh water bodies. The fund is one of several initiatives focusing on better regulation, improved environmental outcomes and continued economic growth developed in response to the Land and Water Forum's [Land and water website] recommendation of how to improve freshwater quality.
Why do we need it?
Fresh water is a key productive and strategic asset for New Zealand and is pivotal to the clean, green brand that attracts tourists and helps sell our products overseas. Solving legacy issues is very challenging, especially if it means asking local communities to pay for clean-ups needed as a result or partial result of decades-old decisions where it is difficult to attribute the direct cause of the contamination. The fund provides a consistent framework for assessing funding requests.
How much is the fund worth?
The Government committed $15 million over two years as part of Budget 2011. The $15 million was added to the Government’s clean-up programme and focuses on physical works to directly improve the health of fresh water bodies.
Why is the new funding only for two years?
The Government intends the Fresh Start for Freshwater Clean-up Fund to continue beyond 2013, but no decisions have yet been made on the ongoing funding level.
Will the fund pay for the entire remediation project?
No. The Fund will provide up to a maximum of 50 per cent to successful applicants. The remainder of the funding is expected to come from regional councils, industry and other interested parties.
Who was eligible?
The fund accepted applications from regional councils and their partners. Joint applications were encouraged.
How does this link to other water policy work?
One of the requirements for applications to the fund was that the local council’s planning framework must be in line with the Government’s expectations for future freshwater management. The National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2011 directs regional councils to put plans in place to set limits for water quality and allocation. Applicants were not able to bid for the fund unless the regional council had robust plans in place to avoid future water quality problems.
Last updated: 12 March 2012
