Public Notice of Direction to call in Mighty River Power’s proposal for a wind farm in the Tararua Ranges, near Palmerston North
In accordance with section 144 of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA), I, Hon Dr. Nick Smith give notice of my direction to call in the applications made by Mighty River Power Limited for resource consents to construct, operate and maintain up to 122 wind turbines, two transmission lines, two substations, and for associated works and discharges necessary for a proposal known as the Turitea Wind Farm.
Information on how to make a submission, and details of the applications for resource consents, and where they can be inspected, are set out below.
Location of the proposed Turitea wind farm
The proposed wind farm would be located along an approximately 14 kilometre stretch of the Tararua Ranges, approximately 10 kilometres southeast of the Palmerston North city centre and approximately 11 kilometres west of Pahiatua.
The proposed wind farm site is located both within the Turitea Reserve and on adjacent private properties. The site is generally located in an area bounded by Kahuterawa Road, Greens Road, Turitea Road, Pahiatua Aokautere Road, South Range Road, Makomako Road and Hardings Park. Access to the site is available via South Range Road and Greens Road (via a private farm driveway).
The attached map indicates the location of the proposed wind farm, including the turbine zones, transmission lines, substations, roading, laydown areas, spoil disposal areas, concrete batching plant locations, and works associated with the installation of a culvert. The legal descriptions of the wind farm site can be found at Appendix A of the Assessment of Environmental Effects submitted with the applications for resource consent.
I consider these matters are a proposal of national significance and I have therefore made a direction that they be called in and referred to a Board of Inquiry in accordance with sections 140 to 150AA of the Resource Management Act 1991.
Reasons for call in
My reasons for calling in the matters involved in the proposal are as follows:
- The proposal affects or is likely to affect or is relevant to New Zealand’s international obligations to the global environment;
- The proposal affects or is likely to affect more than one region or district;
- The proposal will contribute to the achievement of the national target of 90% of electricity generation from renewable energy sources by 2025;
- The proposal will have national benefits deriving from the use and development of renewable energy in accordance with section 7(j) of the RMA.
How to make a submission
Any person can make a submission on any of the applications for resource consents. The submission must be in writing, dated, signed by you and be received by the Minister (address below) by 5pm Monday 23 February 2009. The submission must also include the following information:
- Your name and address for service, including a phone number, fax number and email address (if applicable).
- Details of the application(s) for resource consent in respect of which you are making the submission.
- Whether you support or oppose the relevant application(s) for resource consent or whether you are neutral regarding the application(s).
- The reasons for your submission.
- The decision you wish the Board of Inquiry to make, including the general nature of any conditions sought.
- Whether or not you wish to be heard in respect of your submission.
Submission forms will be available at the locations listed, from www.mfe.govt.nz or by calling 0800 836 444.
You must send your submission to the following freepost address:
FreePost Call In
Ministry for the Environment
PO Box 10362
The Terrace
WELLINGTON 6143
or email turiteacallin@mfe.govt.nz or fax (04) 439 7705. Please mark in the subject line: ‘Turitea Call In’.
You must also send a copy of your submission to Mighty River Power at the following address:
Freepost - MRP
Mighty River Power Ltd
PO Box 445,
HAMILTON 3240
(Attention: Stephanie Froggatt)
Or email: turitea@mightyriver.co.nz or fax: (07) 857 0192
Further information
Copies of the applications for resource consents and accompanying information can be viewed at the following locations during normal office hours:
Ministry for the Environment
- Auckland Office, Level 6, Tower Centre, 45 Queen Street, Auckland
- Head Office, Environment House, 23 Kate Sheppard Place, Wellington
Horizons Regional Council
- Horizons Regional Council offices, 11-15 Victoria Avenue, Palmerston North
Palmerston North City Council
- Palmerston North City Council offices, 32 The Square, Palmerston North
Tararua District Council
- Dannevirke Service Centre, 26 Gordon St, Dannevirke
- Woodville Service Centre, 45 Vogel St, Woodville
- Pahiatua Service Centre, 136 Main St, Pahiatua
You can also request a CD-ROM from the Ministry for the Environment (call 0800 836 444) and the applications can also be found on www.mightyriver.co.nz.
More information can be found on www.mfe.govt.nz/rma/call-in-turitea or by emailing turiteacallin@mfe.govt.nz or calling 0800 836 444.
Hon. Dr Nick Smith
Minister for the Environment
Description of the called in applications for resource consents in relation to Mighty River Power Limited’s resource consent applications for the Turitea Wind Farm.
Manawatu- Wanganui (Horizons) Regional Council
Mighty River Power applied for the following resource consents from the Manawatu- Wanganui (Horizons) Regional Council:
Land Use Consents:
- 104553: for vegetation clearance and land disturbance in rare or threatened habitats, near streams and on highly erodible land throughout the general wind farm site; and
- 104554: for the construction of a double culvert in an un-named tributary of the Kahuterawa Stream as shown on the attached map.
Discharge Permits
- 104555: for the discharge of dust to air from the concrete batching plants to be located as generally shown on the attached map;
- 104556: for the discharge of dust to air from the mobile crushing plant throughout the general wind farm site;
- 104557: for the discharge of wastewater from two operations and maintenance facilities to land to be located as generally shown on the attached map;
- 104558: for the discharge of stormwater from substations to land to be located as generally shown on the attached map;
- 104559: for the discharge of cleanfill to land in the form of spoil disposal sites throughout the wind farm site; and
- 104560: for the discharge of stormwater from roads and turbine platforms, and other areas to land.
The consent applications, the Assessment of Environmental Effects, and associated plans are specified in a document entitled Turitea Wind Farm, Resource Consent Applications and Assessment of Environmental Effects, August 2008 prepared and lodged by Mighty River Power with the Manawatu-Wanganui (Horizons) Regional Council in August 2008. The consent documents have subsequently been further refined and amended by:
- Mighty River Power’s responses to requests for further information under section 92 of the RMA;
- a letter dated 14 October 2008, following Mighty River Power’s responses to requests for further information under section 92 of the RMA (with respect to the consents required for the project from Horizons); and
- the plan attached to this notice, together with an explanation of associated amendments to the AEE, including the revised montages and an updated noise report (with respect to the deletion of 9 of the turbine zones originally applied for).
Palmerston North City Council
Mighty River Power applied for the following resource consents from the Palmerston North City Council:
Land Use Consents (reference RC0068):
- to establish and operate a wind farm in the areas within the Palmerston North City jurisdiction as generally shown on the attached map;
- to undertake earthworks associated with tracking and roading, turbine construction and associated buildings in the areas within the Palmerston North city jurisdiction as generally shown on the attached map;
- for the western side of Pahiatua Aokautere Road not meeting access requirements at the location shown on the attached map;
- for the storage of diesel (10,000 L) in bunded areas outside the Turitea water supply catchment, generally located at the two substation laydown areas shown on the attached map, that exceeds the 0.2 effects ratio maximum in the rural zone; and
- for the construction of a 220 kV electricity transmission line and substations as shown on the attached map.
The consent applications, the Assessment of Environmental Effects, and associated plans are specified in a document entitled Turitea Wind Farm, Resource Consent Applications and Assessment of Environmental Effects, August 2008 prepared and lodged by Mighty River Power with the Palmerston North City Council in August 2008. The consent documents have subsequently been further refined and amended by:
- Mighty River Power’s responses to requests for further information under section 92 of the RMA; and
- the plan attached to this notice, together with an explanation of associated amendments to the AEE, revised photomontages and an updated noise report (with respect to the deletion of 9 of the turbine zones originally applied for).
Tararua District Council
Mighty River Power has applied for the following resource consents from the Tararua District Council:
Land Use Consents (reference 1448):
- for a wind farm (which is not listed as a permitted or controlled activity) in the areas within the Tararua District as generally shown on the attached map;
- for land disturbance of more than 200m3 of soil and cleanfill material associated with tracking and roading, turbine construction, spoil disposal and other associated works in the areas within the Tararua District as generally shown on the attached map;
- for upgrades to South Range Road and the construction of new site access at the location shown on the attached map;
- for turbine and wind monitoring mast structures not meeting height requirements within the Tararua District;
- for the modification of a Significant Natural Feature in Schedule 3.3 (i.e. Tararua Ranges Ridgeline);
- for not meeting noise requirements; and
- for clearance of indigenous vegetation in the areas within the Tararua District as generally shown on the attached map.
The consent applications, the Assessment of Environmental Effects, and associated plans are specified in a document entitled Turitea Wind Farm, Resource Consent Applications and Assessment of Environmental Effects, August 2008 prepared and lodged by Mighty River Power with the Tararua District Council in August 2008. The consent documents have subsequently been further refined and amended by:
- Mighty River Power’s responses to requests for further information under section 92 of the RMA; and
- the plan attached to this notice, together with an explanation of associated amendments to the AEE, revised photomontages and an updated noise report (with respect to the deletion of 9 of the turbine zones originally applied for). It is noted that for the Tararua District, there have been no modifications to the proposal since lodgement on 8 August 2008.
Last updated: 23 January 2009
